Monday, March 7, 2011 at 6:54 PM 
Photo by Olivier Douliery / Getty Images
Even a parent-teacher conference brings some fashion excitement! Yesterday, Mrs. O was spotted returning from a parent-teacher conference at Sidwell Friends school carrying a teal leather Ribbon tote by Reed Krakoff. Tres chic.
Reed Krakoff Monday, March 7, 2011 at 6:47 PM A round-up of today's headlines pertaining to the first lady:
- A Quinnipiac University poll asked voters to rate leaders from 0 to 100 degrees on a "feeling thermometer," with the highest numbers reflecting the warmest feelings. At the top? Mrs. O of course! The first lady earned a score of 60.1, ahead former President Clinton (59.2), Chris Christie of New Jersey (57) and President Obama (56.5). A question: with such widespread popularity, do you think Mrs. O would ever consider a run for political office? [USA Today]
- The president and first attended a parent-teacher conference for their daughter Sasha at Sidwell Friends school in Washignton, D.C. today. [Daily Mail]
- Tickets for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll, scheduled for Monday, April 25, will become available via an online lottery that begins this Thursday, March 10 at 12:01am. [Washington Post]
- Rumors are rampant that Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen - a Mrs. O favorite, as we know - will design Kate Middleton's wedding dress. [On the Runway]
Hope everyone is having a great start to the week!
Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 10:49 AM 
As I start this post, I can already anticipate a comment or two that will point out, at first glance, this has nothing to do with Mrs. O. But, hang on, I promise there are connections, even if a bit indirect. So with that: on this very rainy Sunday in the Northeast, I wanted to share two great new books, currently on my must-read list.
The first: "Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn?" by Pamela Keogh. Pamela Keogh is the author of one of my very favorite books, "Jackie Style." This book was one that sparked my interest in first ladies and style -- the pages worn thin from reading and re-reading over the years. It was a great thrill when an email from Pamela Keogh appeared in my inbox one afternoon in 2009. (You may have seen her comment on the blog from time to time.) We went to lunch a few weeks after getting in touch and discussed among other things, our mutual appreciation for the show Mad Men. At that point, Pamela revealed her new project, a book inspired, in fact, by a Mad Men episode. "Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn?" is a fantastic little style book about two of our greatest icons, which benefits from the zip and wit of Pamela Keogh's writing and the substance of a historical slant. It's a fun, light-hearted tome, with tips on becoming a woman of mystery, writing love letters, and of course, dressing with timeless style. On a Mrs. O-related note: Jason Wu offers praise with a back cover review, "I love this book! Jackie's and Marilyn's timeless fashion aesthetics extend beyond generations -- the fact that their styles inspire us is a testament to their originalities."
The second book: "A Tiger in the Kitchen" by Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan. Anyone who has been reading this blog for some time will recognize the name. Cheryl was the writer behind the Wall Street Journal's Heard on the Runway blog, which was shuttered in the economic downturn. She was one of the early, prominent voices in the coverage of Mrs. O's style, which made the blog all the more missed. Cheryl used her departure from Heard on the Runway as an opportunity to explore another passion: food. She spent a year learning about her Singaporean family by cooking with them. The result is a memoir about food and family, "A Tiger in the Kitchen," which I can't wait to dig into.
For more details, check out Cheryl's blog, A Tiger in the Kitchen, here. You can also find Pamela Keogh featured in the new issue of the fabulous Matchbook Magazine, here.
Finally, on another book note, I wanted to share a great new San Francisco Chronicle interview with Kate Betts on her book "Everyday Icon," here. For those who live in the Bay Area, Kate Betts will host several book signings and a lecture in San Francisco this week. Details are in the article. Enjoy!
P.S. Previous blog coverage on "Everyday Icon" can be found here.
Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 6:18 PM I was rushing to get ready for class today when a manila envelope slid under the front door of my apartment. I'm accustomed to the whoosh sound of takeout menus passing through, and assumed this was the same. Was I wrong! As I picked up the envelope, and saw "White House" typed in the return address corner, my heart began to race. I grabbed scissors and carefully snipped one side, intent not to damage the contents with a haphazard tear. Inside I found a brief, lovely note from the First Lady, signed "Michelle Obama". Needless to say, this note has more than made my day. It is an absolute honor to hear from Mrs. Obama, and her sentiments make it all the more meaningful.
With some frequency, I'm asked if I've had contact with the First Lady. And until now, I had not. I usually answer along the lines of, "I'm sure Mrs. Obama has more important things to do than to be bothered with some pesky blogger," which I still imagine to be true. But it delights me to no end to have this piece of correspondence, which I will treasure. Last year I sent Mrs. Obama a copy of "Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy" with a personal note enclosed. The note received today is in reply. I wanted to share it here, as each one of you contributes so much to this blog. In that sense, this note belongs every bit to you as well. For me, it is a reminder of what a kind and genuine First Lady we are so fortunate to have in Mrs. Obama.
Thursday, March 3, 2011 at 5:21 PM 
Image by Jose Luis Magana / AP Photos
It was more Dr. Seuss for Mrs. O today, as the First Lady visited Oyster-Adams Bilingual Elementary School in Washington, D.C. and read "A Cat in the Hat" to young students. Joining Mrs. O was Margarita Zavala, the First Lady of Mexico, who read "The Whale Song" in Spanish. The event was part of the First Lady's continued support of Read Across America.
On the fashion front, Mrs. O turned to a looser shilouette than we often see her wear, donning a mixed print dress paired with black suede boots. P.S. Thanks to readers Steven and Jermaine, who identified this dress as Sophie Theallet Fall 2010, seen here.
"Cats with Hats and Whales that Sing" [CNN]
"Michelle Obama, Zavala, Read to Schoolkids" [Politico]
Sophie Theallet