A Stroll Through the Honolulu Zoo

Photo by Kent Nishimura / Getty Images

Before boarding Air Force One to return to Washington, D.C. last evening, the first family enjoyed a tour of the Honolulu Zoo as their vacation in Hawaii came to a close. First Lady Mrs. O dressed in a vibrant blue shirt dress for the visit.

Update #1: Mrs. O wears a blue cotton poplin shirtdress from Narciso Rodriguez's Resort 2010 collection.

Update #2: Despite mixed opinions in the comments section, I wanted to note that Vogue.com has named Mrs. O the best dressed of the week for this Narciso Rodriguez number, writing of the first lady and her best-dressed company: "It seems there is no particular dress code for these adventurous, fiercely fashionable women." Click here for more.

Dressed for a Super Chef Battle

Image via Food Network

We're excited to see First Lady Mrs. O this evening, as she makes a cameo appearance on Super Chef Battle (an Iron Chef America event). The episode airs tonight, Sunday, January 3 at 8PM EST on the Food Network. For a video preview, click here.

Per the Washington Post, Mrs. O will reveal the secret ingredient in the competition, which can be anything from the White House kitchen garden. White House executive chef, Chris Comerford, is participating in the challenge.

For the appearance, taped earlier this fall, Mrs. O dressed in a bold mix of colors, wearing an orange Liz Claiborne dress, topped by a aquamarine Moschino cropped cardigan, and a Hattie Carnegie flower pin from the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection. Coordinating aquamarine pumps completed the look.

The Best of 2009

Before the clock strikes midnight and this officially becomes the second day of 2010, I wanted to take a look back through 2009 to highlight a few favorite Mrs. O ensembles of the year. With my top five outlined below, I'd also love to hear your favorite picks.

#1 Orange gold Rodarte dress in Copenhagen worn with a trio of vintage brooches / October 1, 2009

While the Olympic bid for Chicago was not a success, the trip to Copenhagen did bring one of Mrs. O's most stunning style moments of the year. The first lady has improved perceptions of American culture abroad, in part, by projecting elegance and sophistication through her style. It is a powerful, smart use of fashion, purely embodied through the Rodarte dress and vintage pins below, worn as Mrs. O represented the United States on a world stage in Copenhagen.

Photos by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

#2 Peter Soronen Twilight Gown paired with a Tom Binns necklace for the National Governors' Association Dinner / February 22, 2009

The National Governors' Association Dinner happened to fall on the same night as the Oscars, and as one flicked from TV to laptop screen, it was hard to remember which was which. Mrs. O looked unlike any first lady had looked before in her sequined Peter Soronen corset gown, accessorized with ropes of crystals and pearls by Tom Binns. It was the perfect union of classic glamour and modern edge, and certainly one of the most exciting looks of the year.

Photo credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

#3 Isabel Toledo lemongrass dress and coat chosen for the inauguration / January 20, 2009

Many Americans were introduced to Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo on January 20, enchanted by her inaugural creation for our new first lady. Amidst a sea of navy and black wool winter coats, the eye was instantly drawn to Mrs. O's bold lemongrass hue, which projected an optimistic mood on the cold winter morning.

The ensemble in its entirety is an example of classic Mrs. O style. With the Isabel Toledo dress and coat, Mrs. O wore a Nina Ricci cardigan, a vintage pin from the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection at the collar, green Jimmy Choo heels and J.Crew leather gloves -- a mix of price points and aesthetics, and a fresh play on color.

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images

#4 Alaia dress worn for American Ballet Opening Night Spring Gala in New York City / May 18, 2009

Throughout the year, we saw the first lady embrace a wide range of fashion talent -- young, up and comers; established, mainstream labels; and a handful of lesser known, semi-couturiers. Significant among those is Azzedine Alaia, who has been described as the "last true couturier." Mrs. O publicly wore Alaia for the first time during the G-20 and NATO summits overseas in April. Soon following, she chose this frock, said to have been a long-time favorite in her closet, to wear to the American Ballet Opening in New York. The touch of sparkle and structured construction made it one of the best looks of the year.

Image via a kind, anonymous friend

#5 Violet Jason Wu dress with french knot embroidery, worn for a White House kitchen event / February 23, 2009

When seen from afar, one might perceive a simple, printed cocktail dress in this Jason Wu frock. But viewed up close, we discover thousand of hand embroidered knots, clustered in florets to create the pattern on the backdrop of violet fabric. As we whiz through glossy magazine pages, it's often easy to overlook the fine craftsmanship that goes into beautiful dresses. But we see a prime example of it here, offering an entirely new, substantive dimension to following the first lady's style.

White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Mrs-O.org readers! Here's to a wonderful 2010. 

Congratulations to Barbara O, who left comment #297 on the "Jason Wu for You" post, and will receive the Jason Wu dress as a very fashionable start to 2010!

A Delightful Pin or Two or Three

 

Image courtesy of the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection

Carole Tanenbaum, the curator behind the magnificent Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection, is one of the most lovely people I met in 2009. She is as genuinely enthusiastic about the first lady's style as we are, and the source for many of Mrs. O's stunning vintage brooches (including the Victorian sash pin that Mrs. O wore for the inauguration).

To end the year, Carole Tanenbaum has done something exclusively for the Mrs-O.org community, which just excites me to no end. She recently acquired a collection of 60s metal flower pins - of the John Lennon "make love, not war" flower power era - with Mrs. O readers specifically in mind. Beginning today, she's offering them on CaroleTanenbaum.com, in the "Mrs. O Lovers" spotlight section.

Each flower pin is made of metal and enameled, and offered in a range of bright hues and metallics. True to Mrs. O's propensity to wear flower brooches in clusters of three, Carole Tanenbaum is also offering these pins in trios. You can purchase one pin for $35, or a very Mrs. O-inspired group of three pins for $90. You can mix and match or make your own signature selection. In any combination, these pieces are sure to make a 'wow' statement.

Click here to peruse the "Mrs. O Lovers" Spotlight on CaroleTanenbaum.com, and have fun!

Update #1: Wow! There seems to have been a buying frenzy. There were 18 pins and trios when we first posted, down to only 7 left!

Update #2: We've just heard from our friends at the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection, who are working to accomodate the overwhelming response for these pins! There are a few more pins that have just been put up this afternoon for a final go-around. All orders will be processed on Monday due to the New Year holiday tomorrow.

Also to note, the Carole Tanenbaum site does not automatically mark things as sold when someone puts an order through (orders are taken and then the site is updated manually). In the case of duplicate orders, they are operating on a first come, first serve basis. In the event that you placed an order for an item that was already sold, your credit card will of course not be charged. Apologies to those that this affects. The response has simply been overwhelming!