Image by Robyn Beck / Getty Images
The first lady is a keynote speaker at The Women's Conference in Long Beach, California today, hosted by California First Lady Maria Shriver. For the speaking engagement, Mrs. O wore a custom sheath dress with gathered leaf print chiffon bodice by Jason Wu, paired with her signature Alaia belt at the empire waistline.
The focus of Mrs. O's speech at the conference was support of military spouses. Per USA Today:
"While most of us don't experience these struggles to the same degree as military spouses – that nagging sense that you're falling short at work and at home, that tendency to worry about and care for everyone but yourself – these things are universal," she said.
She recalled a military wife in a discussion in Kentucky who was brought to tears detailing her stressful life when another woman jumped up and said, "I don't know this woman. But when she leaves here, she will have my number and she will be able to call me any time. She's got the support of this friend right here."
Obama brought the point home saying, "It is what we do for our sisters, it is what we do for our girlfriends, our mothers and our daughters. We show up. We show up at the door with some food. We show up at the door with some chocolate. And if things are really bad we show up with a bottle of wine. We, as women, know how to reach out. We know how to support each other. And the question is: What can we as women do to support our military spouses?"