Glamour's "Women of the Year" 2009

This year's list of Glamour Magazine's "Women of the Year" includes R&B singer Rihanna, British fashion designer Stella McCartney, and first lady Michelle Obama.


Rihanna: Back on Top
The 21 year-old "Disturbia" singer is recognized for taking a public stand on domestic violence after being beaten by former boyfriend Chris Brown.

Maria Shriver: The Dynamo
California's first lady is credited for redefining her role into a platform for change and leadership for women.

Stella McCartney: The Designer
She is one of the world's most influential designer and she is honored for designs that opted to use man-made materials instead of leather and fur. She is also recognized as a life-long vegetarian and animal rights activist.

Amy Poehler: The Entertainer
The 38 year-old "short, blonde, and underestimated" comedian is honored as an inspiration for young girls.

Marissa Mayer: The Visionary
The vice president, search and user experience, and 10-year veteran of Google, is praised for making Google the number-one search engine.

Serena Williams: The Athlete
The tennis champion is recognized for using her foundation to give grants to U.S. college students and recently opening a secondary school in Kenya.

Jane Aronson: The Guardian Angel
This pediatrician is honored for bringing the plight of orphans to the world's attention through her Worldwide Orphans Foundation.

Susan Rice: The Peacemaker
The first female African-American U.S. ambassador to the United Nations is honored for putting women's needs at the forefront of the American agenda at the U.N.

Laura Ling and Euna Lee: The Journalists
Earlier this year, these Asian TV reporters have been arrested and imprisoned while reporting on the plight of North Korean women who cross into China to escape starvation but fall into human trafficking.

Maya Angelou: The Poet
The 81 year-old "Phenomenal Woman" is credited for being a writer, educator, and civil rights activist.

Michelle Obama: Your First Lady
She is awarded special recognition for bringing the importance of mentoring to the forefront.

The 12 honorees of the 2009 "Women of the Year" Awards are featured in the December issue of Glamour magazine. They are this year's top women who have made major contributions to entertainment, business, sports, fashion, science, and politics.

Michelle Obama For Vogue America

The fashionably confident First Lady Michelle Obama graced the March issue of American Vogue, much to the delight of fashionistas and a lot of people who were following the affairs of the first family.


Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Michelle Obama appeared on the magazine cover in her sleeveless magenta dress designed by her seemingly favorite fashion designer Jason Wu. Inside the magazine, an eight-page feature was devoted to the first lady who admitted that her wardrobe has been under intense scrutiny.

"I'm not going to pretend that I don't care about it. But I also have to be very practical. In the end, someone will always not like what you wear – people just have different tastes."

During the photoshoot for the magazine, Michelle Obama was allowed to choose her own outfits. She was well-praised for choosing dresses designed by Jason Wu, Narcisco Rodriguez, and J. Crew.

Meanwhile, an interviewer complimented the first lady for her fashion sense saying, "She doesn't need any help (choosing outfits). She loves fashion and knows what works for her She's never had a conversation with me about, `What do you think?' or `How did this look? And I'm glad for that."

Not to mention her influence in politics, Michelle Obama will surely influence fashion for the career woman.