Michelle Obama Stuns in Green Striped Carolina Herrera Dress

A perfect look for LDW

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Michelle Obama Striped Dress 720x780
Courtesy of NAACP

Summer may not officially end until September, but Labor Day weekend has a way of making it feel like the season is already winding down. And since the holiday weekend is basically one last excuse to soak up those summer vibes, a good outfit is definitely in order. Whether your plans involve a day at the lake, a backyard BBQ or simply enjoying some well-deserved downtime at home, Michelle Obama just gave us the perfect end-of-summer look to copy.

The former first lady recently stepped out in a green-and-white striped Carolina Herrera halter dress during an appearance at the Martha’s Vineyard Author Series. She later shared a photo of the look on Instagram (the second slide below), and let’s just say she understood the assignment.

The sleeveless dress, designed by Carolina Herrera creative director Wes Gordon as part of the fashion house’s pre-fall 2026 collection, features a plunging halter neckline, fitted ruched bodice and full midi skirt. The vertical stripes run down most of the dress before switching directions along the hem for a fun, unexpected detail.

Beyond being a seriously chic look, the dress also checks off one of the biggest fashion trends making a comeback: preppy stripes. And with stripes covering the entire dress, Obama fully committed to the look.

The only downside? Her exact Carolina Herrera dress costs $2,390. But you can easily recreate the look without spending quite that much. You can nab a similar striped style at Talbots for just under $180, while another Walmart option will set you back around $50.

Obama wore the dress for a conversation with Michele Norris, MSNBC senior contributing editor and founder of The Race Card Project, about her book, “The Look.”

“I loved sitting down with my dear friend @michele__norris for two wonderful conversations about my book, The Look,” she captioned her post. “A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at the Martha’s Vineyard Author Series—your support truly means the world to me!”

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Danielle Long

Contributing Editor, News and Entertainment

  • Writes breaking news and entertainment content
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