When Michelle Met Barack: Is There a Lesson For Single Women?

I cannot get enough of seeing the First Family all together. They epitomize our often espoused "family values" of a loving married couple, raising two adorable kids and with a new puppy to boot. It doesn't get any better than that. And certainly our President is a handsome man, seemingly devoted and perpetually smitten with his lovely and accomplished wife.

I've heard a whole lot of women, mostly black women, express envy at Mrs. Obama's life and life mate. "I want a man, just like that!" they say. But the truth is, when Barack Obama met Michelle Robinson he was in law school and drove a car with a hole in the floor.

In an interview, Mrs. Obama put it this way: "Barack didn't pledge riches, only a life that would be interesting."

How many of you single ladies would have signed on for that?

Michelle Obama Style

Completely comfortable in her own skin, First Lady Michelle Obama takes an ultra-casual stroll in June 2009 with First Dog, Bo. However, her usual style is far more glam. See how it has evolved over the years...

First Lady Michelle Obama has transformed before our eyes into the epitome of stately female elegance. Here we see her during the early days of her husband's presidential campaign, wearing the boxy business suit uniform of the professional working mother.

Stan Honda, AFP / Getty Images

Michelle and Barack Obama were married in 1992. The youthful couple, dressed in elegant finery, share a style that is simple and sweet. The new Mrs. O's gown displayed her shapely shoulders, one of the many attractive features of her slim, tall build.

NYT

Michelle and Barack got glam to attend the 36th NAACP Image Awards in 2005. This soft, floral look was a departure for Michelle at the time. She was most-often photographed wearing very structured, dark professional attire. This look was a harbinger of changes to come.

Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images

For a casual look, Michelle Obama most often stuck to neutral tones, minimal make-up and simple hair swept back from her face. These style choices would soon give way to her new fashion approach.

Valerie Maccon, AFP / Getty Images

During the middle of 2008, we were introduced to the softer side of Michelle. The dark clothes that she wore as a lawyer and university administrator disappeared. Michelle's style evolved to include bright colors that showed off her feminine shape. At a May 2008 rally in Iowa, her pear green suit by Moschino was a refreshing departure for her. Read all about this fabulous suit on the Mrs. O Blog!

Kevin Sanders, AP

At a June 2008 campaign stop in Minnesota, Michelle wore a purple sheath dress by Chicago designer Maria Pinto. This dress was one of the first looks that stunned fashion lovers. Mrs. O perfected this simple look with pearls, a favorite staple.

Charles Ommanney, Getty Images

Michelle's second fashion hit occurred when she appeared on 'The View' in June of 2008. She wore this simple sun dress from White House/Black Market, which retails for $148. The dress quickly sold out. The pin on her shoulder was an embellishment of Michelle's own. Brooches, pins and pearls are all important aspects of Mrs. O's classic presentation.

Steve Fenn, AP

As First Lady, Michelle Obama has stated that one of her initiatives will be supporting military families. While in town to meet with military families in August 2008, Michelle wore this sweater-based ensemble to cheer on local children. As you can see, ornamentation around the neckline is another hallmark of Michelle's style.

Rob Ostermaier, AP

For a Springfield, Illinois campaign stop, Michelle wore this very splashy print dress by Moschino. The full shirt of this belted dress is a silhouette reminiscent of the '50s, an era of the idealized homemaker. In addition to wearing more bold prints, Michelle's new look includes softer hair, often left loose, and bangs.

Alex Brandon, AP

Over at The Root, Jenée Desmond-Harris has her doubts. And she lays them out in a candid take on the dating aspirations of many professional black women:

The idea that things are hard for black women who want to date black men who match us in academic and career success is a well-worn cultural narrative.

But if black women are going to defy the statistics, they need to start being more realistic. Holding out for the perfect man, someone who is intellectual but not nerdy-cool but not arrogant-impeccably dressed but not effeminate-not a player but with just the right amount of edge-is useless. Smart can go with a little nerdy. Artsy can be accompanied by off-beat. Ambitious and focused may mean less than a social butterfly. Yes, there was that one guy in law school who was easily 6'5'', a Rhodes Scholar and a rapper, with a baby face to top things off. I'm not saying it's impossible, but please!

And let's be fair. We expect men to resist what society tells them about ideals when it comes to us-God, help the brother who admits a preference for skin or hair displayed on every magazine cover; or the arrogant fool who holds out for his own Clair Huxtable, not acknowledging that The Cosby Show was fiction. We're justifiably upset when unrealistic standards are imposed on us, but many of us don't seem to give black men any breaks in return when it comes to the superficial. Source: What Single Women Can Learn From Michelle -Would most Type A, professional women have dated Barack when he was a broke, big-eared organizer with a funny name?

I don't know. I picked my husband because of an intellectual, spiritual and physical connection that was apparent to both of us very early on. It seems to me all three are necessary for a long and happy marriage. Michelle Obama talks about "falling" for her husband early on, too, so the connection was there.

What are YOUR thoughts?