Pritzker Prize Polish

Photos by Saul Loeb / Getty Images; Carolyn Kaster / AP Images; Lawrence Jackson / White House

The President and First Lady attended the Pritzker Architecture Prize ceremony at Andrew Mellon Auditorium in Washington, DC this evening. This year's winner is Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura.

For the event, Mrs. O wore a long blue halter gown, which appears to be Reed Krakoff Spring 2011, seen here. Confirmation to follow, and thanks to reader Bayo for the excellent spot. (Update: Indeed, the gown is Reed Krakoff.) One can't help but wonder if perhaps the First Lady was drawn to the gown for its distinctive architectural lines, perfectly fitting for the occasion.

"President Obama to speak at tonight's Pritzker Prize ceremony in Washington" [LA Times]

Pyramids, Plates and Peter Som

Photo by Alex Wong / Getty Images

The First Lady visited the Department of Agriculture today, where she unveiled the new food icon, "MyPlate," which will replace the 20-year-old food pyramid that has served as a guideline for making healthy food choices. This represents yet another milestone in Mrs. O's "Let's Move" campaign.

"This is a quick, simple reminder for all of us to be more mindful of the foods that we're eating, and as a mom I can already tell how much this is going to help parents across the country," Mrs. Obama said.

For the event, Mrs. O wore a dress by Peter Som, from the designer's Spring 2010 collection, seen here. The bodice is a tonal striped mousseline and the bottom is a layered shimmer organza boucle. Mrs. O first wore the Peter Som frock in July 2010. 

"Uncle Sam's Latest Menu" [WSJ]

Odds and Ends

There are a few odds and ends to report, which I hope will fall into the category of better late than never. Forgive me for being a bit behind!

Many will recall that Mrs. O wore a delightful blue dress while in Santiago, Chile this March. Shown below, the President and First Lady (wearing said dress) are pictured with Chile's President Sebastian Pinera and First Lady Cecilia Morel at the La Moneda government palace. Mrs. O's dress had remained a mystery for many months, but no longer. The dress proves to be another vintage gem -- a circa 1950s Blue Ribbon Lace Dress from New York Vintage. The same vintage dealer provided Mrs. O with a vintage Norman Norell dress worn in December 2010, here, as well as bracelets worn for the State of the Union. Case closed!

Photos by Aliosha Marquez / AP Images

Several of you have written to me or commented about Mrs. O's cover of the current Amtrak Arrive magazine. The issue includes a great piece penned by Mrs. O about "Let's Move", as well as a profile on Stone Barns, which the First Lady visited with UN Summit spouses last year, here. The magazine is a great read if you happen to have an upcoming train ride. You can also find it online, here. On a style note, Mrs. O wears a Calvin Klein Collection dress. The photo appears to be from the same photo shoot that yielded the cover of Ladies' Home Journal in September 2010, here.

Finally, another bit of belated but happy news. I want to extend thanks to Veranda magazine, which has written a wonderful piece about this blog and its start for their June 2011 issue (on newsstands now). It's an honor to be recognized by the magazine, and I'm truly grateful. The story is available in print only, otherwise I would share it here. Thanks to all of you for continuing to follow and contribute to this blog, which is truly the only reason such an article exists. And, of course, to Mrs. Obama, for being the ultimate source of inspiration, always.

Happy Memorial Day

Image by Charles Dharapak / AP Images

Happy Memorial Day dear readers! And thank you to all of the men and women in our nation's military services.

Today the President and First Lady attended a Memorial Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. For the occasion, Mrs. O dressed in a patriotic blue sheath dress accessorized with a double strand of pearls. 

Update: Thanks to those with memory sharper than mine. It appears the First Lady wears a dress by Narciso Rodriguez, seen in 2010 here and here.

"Standing When the First Lady Pays a Call" [New York Times]

Hidden Gems

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

Photo by Charles Dharapak / AP Images

Though the Obamas have returned from their whirlwind trip through Europe, the excitement lives on in a few new photos. Above, the First Lady is shown having tea with Samantha Cameron at the Prime Minister's private residence at Downing Street in London. Below, the President and First Lady board Air Force One in Dublin, Ireland. Thanks to reader Charlene in Detroit for pointing me to these gems.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful Memorial Day weekend! xx