Michelle Obama ditched the power blazer and instead opted for a chic grunge-western vibe instead. On March 13, 2025, she and her brother, Craig Robinson, paid a visit to Austin, Texas, to record a new episode of their “IMO” podcast at SXSW.
The outfit choice was certainly a first for Michelle, but the former first lady glows in everything she wears. The podcast host wore a matching set of a dusty-orange denim jacket and pants over a black T-Shirt. Most striking was the brown, lace-up details along the seams that gave the outfit a deliberate, youthful pop.
The out-of-character outfit choice comes at the tail of Barack’s lack of support for Michelle’s new podcast and a slew of rumors that the beloved couple may be headed for divorce. That didn’t get Michelle down during the event, though. She posted a series of Instagram Stories to her account moving through their day at the conference, and she was all smiles up on stage with her brother. Excited fans lined up hours ahead of time, and one fan even posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, a view of those waiting to see the sibling duo speak.
The rumors of Michelle and Barack Obama’s strained relationship has been making news for years
As with any celebrity or politician, there’s bound to be rumors of infidelity or separation speculation thrown into the mix. While Barack Obama faced his fair share while in office (that’s when those Jennifer Anniston affair rumors hit the ground running, albeit facetiously), the rumor mill has kicked into overdrive for the Obamas since Barack’s departure from the White House.
As mentioned previously, Barack’s lackluster support of Michelle Obama’s new business venture, and her sharing a characteristic of his that she isn’t the most fond of in her podcast’s first episode, have been the most recent revelations in the public’s attempts to decipher their relationship status. Following the “IMO” premiere, Nicki Swift exclusively interviewed a body language expert for more insight in Michelle and Barack’s relationship. However, speculation about the couple was also kicked up a notch by Michelle’s notable absence from Jimmy Carter’s funeral and Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier in 2025. Of course, these two keep their schedules full and that could be the reason they haven’t attended many events together this year, but possible evidence of a turbulent marriage keeps rearing its ugly head.
