Former First Lady Michelle Obama is known for being a fashion icon. But in a sit-down interview with PEOPLE to discuss her new memoir, Becoming, and what life is like now that she’s outside of the White House, Mrs. Obama, 54, reveals she doesn’t miss the many choices in her famous first lady wardrobe.
“I love clothes, but I don’t like the process,” she said when asked about her memorable style choices.
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She continued, “Sometimes I forget that I have to [dress up], and I wake up in the morning and I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t know what I’m going to wear.’ And then I’m late because I’m like, ‘Where is that other dress? And I never tried that on. Where is [her White House stylist] Meredith? Oh my God. Where are those shoes?’ Yeah. There are times I’m in my closet just going, What?”
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Now, instead of getting decked out in Jason Wu, Givenchy or Prabal Gurung dresses — to name of a few of her usual go-to designers during her time as First Lady) — Mrs. Obama prefers a more casual and laid-back look.
“This is what I wear, I’m in jean shorts, no shoes, big sweaters. This is, the [PEOPLE] cover is, this is me,” she said.
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Just because the Obamas have stepped away from the political spotlight, doesn’t mean they can be completely anonymous.
“We don’t have the anonymity that allows you to be in the world with normalcy,” she told PEOPLE. “I go to restaurants, I still work out and travel, but I can’t sit at a sidewalk cafe and just watch other people without it becoming a scene.”
And wearing a disguise is completely out of the question.
“Then somebody’s gonna say, ‘What’s Michelle doing in that wig and those glasses?’” she said with a laugh. “So I think a disguise would only backfire. I’d be in some tabloid magazine: ‘What’s she trying to do—what’s wrong with her? That’s crazy!’”
For the full interview, pick up the current issue of PEOPLE, on stands this Friday.
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