Malia Obama was spotted out and about in Los Angeles this week, turning heads with her effortlessly stylish streetwear. HELLO! observed that the former First Daughter’s latest outing sparked immediate buzz, with fans praising her evolving fashion sense and laid-back California cool.
The 25-year-old daughter of former President Barack Obama looked chic and casual in a sleeveless frayed-edge denim mini dress layered over a cozy ribbed grey sweater.
She completed the look with sheer black tights and knee-high brown leather boots, adding a colorful patchwork tote slung over her shoulder for a playful pop of color. Photos, taken on a sunny afternoon near Los Feliz, show Malia smiling as she walked with a friend, exuding her signature low-key confidence.
© SL, Terma / BACKGRIDHer auburn locks flowed in loose waves, and she kept her makeup minimal, letting her natural beauty shine as she strolled under the LA sun.
Fashion analysts note that denim mini dresses and patchwork accessories, staples of 90s street style, have seen a major revival among Gen-Z trendsetters, placing Malia firmly in the company of the fashion-forward young creatives shaping today’s pared-back, nostalgic aesthetic.
This isn’t the first time Malia has commanded fashion attention. HELLO! has followed her style evolution from her Harvard years to her current life in Los Angeles, where she’s been carving out a creative career as a writer and filmmaker. Known for mixing classic silhouettes with youthful, bohemian touches, she has steadily cemented her reputation as a quiet style icon in her own right.
© SL, Terma / BACKGRIDMalia’s latest outing comes after her mother Michelle Obama opened up about the fashion guidelines she followed during her time in the White House, and how she applied those same principles to Malia and Sasha.
Ahead of the release of her new stylebook The Look, the 61-year-old spoke to People about balancing her daughters’ public visibility with their freedom to explore style on their own terms.
© AFP via Getty Images"So we had a deal," she shared. "You work with [my stylist] Meredith Koop when dressing for public events.’ What’s ‘in’ for a 13-year-old is not acceptable walking down the staircase of Air Force One. When you're with us, you're on a job. So your choices can’t lead, but you can be a part of the process."
She continued: "Meredith worked with them and she had those [fashion] fights. But in their own world it was all them. Barack would be like, ‘Those shorts seem really short.’ And I was like, ‘Don’t say anything. Let them cook.’"
© AFP via Getty ImagesMichelle’s insights reflect a parenting approach that experts say often helps children build healthy autonomy: clear boundaries in public-facing environments paired with independence in their personal world — a balance Malia and Sasha visibly carry into adulthood.
Barack Obama and Michelle first met in June 1989 while working at the law firm Sidley & Austin. Michelle, then Michelle Robinson, served as his mentor during his first months at the firm.
After initially declining his advances, she later agreed to date him, and in July 1991 Barack proposed following his passage of the bar exam. They married on October 3, 1992, at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
Michelle’s new book, The Look, captures her style evolution across decades. "Beautifully illustrated with more than 200 photographs, including never-before-seen images, The Look is a stunning journey through Michelle Obama’s style evolution, in her own words for the first time," reads the synopsis. "Michelle Obama shares how she uses the beauty and intrigue of fashion to draw attention to her message."
As Malia continues shaping her own creative and personal identity in Los Angeles, her latest appearance reflects the confident, expressive fashion sense that has quietly made her one to watch.
