Michelle Obama debuts drastically longer hair and her transformation leaves fans in awe

Michelle Obama has the coolest sense of style and her most recent photos during a trip to a bookstore left fans remarking on her latest look.

The former FLOTUS took to Instagram to mark National Book Lovers Day and posted several images of herself looking at the selection of books on offer, rocking the coolest outfit - not to mention her hair!

The "Becoming" author sported a long braid that cascaded down way past her waist, which was styled to the side of her head. A navy baseball cap helped keep the hairstyle in place.

Michelle chose to wear an oversized jacket teamed with a bright green T-shirt and tight fitting sweatpants, completing her sporty look with a pair of sneakers.

Fans were quick to comment on her appearance after she shared the images online, with one writing: "Michelle's White House style is giving!" while another wrote: "Yes for the hair! We love you." A third added: "Loving the braid!"

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Michelle uses her platform to promote causes close to her heart, as well as the occasional glimpse into her personal life with her family.

The star and husband Barack Obama are notoriously private, especially when it comes to their children, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23. but the proud parents occasionally pay tributes to their daughters on Instagram on special occasions such as birthdays.

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The family are incredibly close, with Malia and Sasha even choosing to live together in Los Angeles, where they are both currently based.

Michelle and Barack, meanwhile, have remained in Washington D.C.They have faced a difficult year, with Michelle losing her beloved mother, Marian Robinson, in May.

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The 60-year-old recently paid tribute to her mother on what would have been her 87th birthday on July 29.In her tribute to her late mom, she shone a light on the difficult period of mourning since her passing and not having her around, while also highlighting the love and joy she radiated and the impact it had on her family.

"Today would have been my mom's 87th birthday," she wrote. "These past couple of months have been tough without her, and I am so grateful for the outpouring of love you've shown our family along the way. Even though she's no longer with us, I still think she's worth celebrating."

Michelle explained what she found the most endearing about her mother, adding: "What I loved most about my mom might have been this: She always felt like she was enough."

"The tiny two bedroom walk-up apartment we used to live in; the faux chimney she would fashion for us out of cardboard during the holidays; the at-home hair-dos she would give herself using the oven and a hot comb — she was always happy with what she had.

"She expanded more upon the impact Marian had on the people around her, most notably her family and even other members of the White House. And because she felt like she was enough, she could help others feel that too."

"She did that countless times for me and my brother Craig. She did it for her family and friends. She did it for the staff at the White House. She did it for everyone she knew."

"So today, on her birthday, I am celebrating the immense power there was in her enoughness. And I am committing myself to carrying forward her legacy of lifting up others the best I can. Love you, mom. And happy birthday."