Official portrait of First Lady Michelle Obama in the Green Room of the White House, Feb. 12, 2013.
Updated, Feb. 22: This story has been updated with the designer’s name of Michelle Obama’s dress.
One month after President Barack Obama’s second inauguration, the White House has released the First Lady’s new official portrait.
The photograph, which was taken in the Green Room of the White House on Feb. 12, 2013, shows Michelle Obama in a navy and violet dress, designed by Reed Krakoff, and a single strand of pearls. But in a departure from the usual conversation about Obama—which tends to focus on her fashion—the buzz around the First Lady’s second-term portrait has been about her bangs, which the President joked were “the most significant event” of Inauguration weekend.
Easily the most documented First Lady in history, Michelle Obama’s 2009 official portrait also caused a stir. Many wondered whether her choice of a sleeveless Michael Kors gown was appropriate for such a formal and official portrait. The controversy, though, didn’t seem to bother the First Lady, who made sleeveless shifts somewhat of a signature look during her first term. After wearing a range of styles for the president’s latest inauguration—from a navy Thom Browne coat and blue Reed Krakoff dress to a sleeveless Jason Wu gown—Obama’s signature look for her second term is anyone’s guess.