Michelle Obama Covers Vogue, Talks Leaving the White House

First Lady Michelle Obama graces the December 2016 cover of Vogue. Photographed by Annie Leibovitz and styled by Tonne Goodman, the FLOTUS wears a white Carolina Herrera gown with Monique Péan earrings. For the accompanying spread, the 52-year-old looks as elegant as ever wearing chic gowns and jewelry. This marks Michelle’s third cover of the fashion glossy.

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Michelle Obama – Vogue – December 2016

Michelle Obama on Leaving the White House

“I will take the same approach leaving as I did coming in,” she tells Vogue about leaving the White House. “I won’t know until I’m there. I’ve never been the former First Lady of the United States before.” She thinks for a moment. “But I will always be engaged in some way in public service and public life. The minute I left my corporate-law firm to work for the city, I never looked back. I’ve always felt very alive using my gifts and talents to help other people.”

She continues, “I sleep better at night. I’m happier. So we’ll look back at the issues that I’ve been working on. The question is: How do I engage in those issues from a new platform? I can’t say right now, because we can’t spend that much time really doing the hard work of vetting offers or ideas or options because we’re still closing things out here.”