Wednesday
Nov112009
A Stylish Mission to Serve
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 at 6:02 PM 
Photo by Kris Connor / Getty Images
This afternoon, First Lady Mrs. O and Dr. B gathered at George Washington Univeristy for the launch of Mission Serve. Mission Serve is a network that links veterans to community service groups, as part of the first lady's broader push for public service.
Mrs. O wears a Zero + Maria Cornejo jacket debuted a few weeks ago in Copenhagen, pared with gray pants. A black cut-out belt - one we've not seen before - cinches the waist.
tagged Zero + Maria Cornejo
Zero + Maria Cornejo
Reader Comments (79)
I hope she wears this belt again with a solid color so that I can actually see the belt. But, from what I can see it is very interesting and looks like something I would like.
she looks nice here, that's a cute narrow belt and i'm guessing that it didn't sit as high when she stood. i wonder if the color of her pants was really as light as it looks in the photo, a dark gray pant would've looked great with the rest of her outfit.
She and Dr. B appeared to have a nice time, from what I saw in the pictures released of the event. Is there video anywhere?
HAVE MERCY, GIVE ME THAT BELT!!!! Now, having said that, I don't know what I'd do with it because I am barely 5'4, we won't talk about the waistline (or as I call it, the wasteland), short legs and thighs....oh, my thighs (argh). BUT it would give me the incentive I need to keep on my new fitness program. I love this belt and the artistic expression of it. It is so unusual and perhaps that's what makes her so appealing, she gives us the unexpected.......and this is unexpected!
LOL @ Charlene in Detroit - so how do you really feel?
Actually I agree, this is a hot belt she's wearing and it melds nicely with the jacket.
Here we go. Barbara and Pinky have shown up, they only post when they have something negative to say. Yeh Yeh, we know you loove Mrs. O
I'm looking at some full length photos of this outfit.....not feeling it AT ALL. Someone on the previous post wrote "linebacker-ish". This absolutely does not flatter, in fact in the full length shots it looks downright sloppy. Not a fan of this color palette on our FLOTUS. Dr. Biden outshines her by a mile.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jeRv1MR3BBsIPXbgnc657hjzh93gD9BTLLP83
AP Article: "Mrs. Obama says veterans' skills can help at home" 11-11-09
Check out the full length photos that go with this story and see if you don't agree.
I think Mrs. O looks great. I love that belt! Wow! I don't think the pants quite fit though. They seem a bit big for her and a shade off from what she's wearing on top. Love the new do and love everything except the pants.
Sorry. This is NOT a good look. In standing photos the belt rides high, the pants ride low, and her tummy protrudes, looking quite preggers.
I LOVE HER OURFIT AND MRS O LOVED HER BELTES. I HAVE THIS OUTFIT BUT I WEAR A GRAY SKIRT WITH IT AND SOME KITTEN SHOES WITH IT. AND I CANT WEAR A GARY PANTS TOWITH IT.
What Not to Wear styling gurus Clinton Kelly and Stacy London constantly tell women the bottom edge of your jacket should hit you at the widest part of your hips. No longer, no shorter. This jacket hits the FLOTUS about 6-8 inches too high. If she had worn a longer shirt underneath and darker pants that were cut well it might have worked. This is not a personal attack on the FLOTUS but these pants look and fit like off the rack 80% sale items. I would get rid of them immediately or save them for gardening.
And speaking of how this outfit looks in the full-length photos....Although the violet-blue color of Jill Biden's jacket is lovely I am NOT loving the way her white fringed scarf is hanging out from underneath it!
Eagerly waiting to move away from these pictures to something nice! Help us, Mrs. T - post something new! Quickly!
Here's a back view. Those pants don't fit correctly - baggy-looking in front views, and then this.
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0bnQ6RffxNet0/610x.jpg
If I were built like her I'd shell out the $$$ to have several pairs of basic pants tailored to my own body. Correct fit, correct length. Black, beige, a good grey.....whatever I needed to go with my varied tops and jackets.
Meant to include this front view with last post to show the contrast between the front and the back. As someone said, those pants have to go!
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0aZG9Ad0d67hs/610x.jpg
Oh man, BeeGee.....the back view photo is showing yet another no-no for her shape: Pants with buttoned back pockets! These only serve to emphasize her bottom. I love her, truly, but she needs a stylist! This outfit just looks like she threw on what was within easy reach. We've all been guilty of that but not all of us are on the world stage!
I wish she would have the black slacks she wore in Moscow made in grey, brown, navy, maybe a pin stripe and a glen plaid, and lose the rest. They were flawless and elegant, and made her look like the stunning woman she is. These slacks look and fit like something you wear at a barbeque.
While I agree that the pictures posted were not very flattering, I must say that I attended this event and Mrs. O looked absolutely stunning in person. The entire ensemble looked very neat and perfectly fitted. Not to mention, her accessories were absolutely fabulous!! The necklace and earrings sparkled as they caught the stage lights... AB FAB!
I want Dr. Biden to find some black tights to wear with her favorite boots.
I recognize the jacket from Denmark. I liked it then, and I think it looks great now. I like the gray top underneath and the beautiful necklace. The pants have missed by a mile. They are far too casual to go with the jacket, the grey of the top is nowhere close to the grayish-blue of the pants, and the pants do not fit well. The pockets gape and the seams strain when Mrs. O. sits, indicating they are too small. Black pants or a black pencil skirt would have looked fabulous! Dr. Biden looks wonderful!
Fashion is in a terrible state. An overdose of too much flesh.
http://twurl.nl/8awt52
Boy oh boy!! BeeGee and Canyongal are on a roll. I would give my right arm to see what you two look like seriously. A real mess I suspect. Your posts totally smack of women with major chips on their shoulders and who only feel better about themselves when putting others down. The fat, ugly mean bullies in grade school revisited.
By the way, just my loving critique of your posts - no offense meant. But feel free to complain and force Mrs T. to delete this post. Bullies and nasty idle people can dish it but could never take it.
I went to the photo's that canyongal provided a link for and the oufit looked better in those pictures than it does in Mrs T's picture above, to me. The trousers are a darker grey and tone in perfectly with the sweater and pretty necklace. In all the pics Mrs O looks tall, well tailored, beautifully accessorised and very elegant. Dr Biden looks fab in her purple, but that doesn't detract from Mrs O.
I love Michelle's jacket and belt and I love her tiresome work although the pants are not doing it for me this time. Mrs T, any word on who the belt & jewellry designer is please ?
Onto Jill, I am loving that colour on her - dark purple and lilac pashmina. Love it. I have noticed over the past month that every woman is wearing purple this season, even my Queen wore it yesterday.
This picture is truly lovely.
Someone should raid her closet and take away all her belts, bows, and cardis; that will refine her style so much more. This way the clothes she wears will feature her classic elegance and not be an amalgam of "signature" items.
Thanks Posh Tater for squashing that awfully sneaky attempt to yet again pit Mrs Biden against Mrs Obama.
Here's a link to a previously unpublished photograph I happened across for those interested Mrs O fans who like me come here to enjoy the many facets of our lovely first lady - Enjoy.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama-first-lady-Michelle-Obama-President-Barack-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama/im:/091111/480/922a3889dd75409f81a1d10d7e364ed7/;_ylt=AkBg5pqcq9Mf_TuugroJZT.aK8MA#photoViewer=/091110/482/37dccae40d404275ada3b5ba2c69726a
Just finished watching this event on C-Span. Yes, Michelle was very lovely, very well put together. The necklace particularly caught my attention. Glittering and perfectly complementing the outfit. The pants looked nothing like what a few of you here describe. And a very good speech. Also TBG was there at her back, towering above everyone, while she greeted people.
Jill and Michelle had many events this day. It's interesting to note their wardrobe changes. Michelle began with her turquoise dress with belt and pumps at the White House breakfast. Then added her tweed coat with belt over it and boots for Arlington. For the afternoon event, a completely different outfit.
Jill appears to have worn her purple/lavender outfit throughout though she added a black coat for Arlington. Also at Arlington she wore open-toed heels. At the afternoon event she wore boots.
Is it just me, or can anyone else remember a first lady who's teamed up with the VP's wife so often for so many different causes and events? I'm fifty years old, and I believe the Mrs. O/Dr. B duo is virtually unprecedented. It goes without saying that it's a wonderful thing, but I think it also shows that these two ladies must really get along. There would be no expectation for them to "pair up" otherwise.
It's really terrific to see.
I love seeing Jill and Michelle together, they make a great team!
Mrs. O is a smart sassy looking lady. She marches to her own fashion beat. The puffy sleeves and the pants would not be my choice but it is fun to see her continue to mix it up! Mrs. O delivered a great speech on CNN. The colors look lovely on Mrs. B.
I love that the two of them seem to genuinely like each other!
Camille, you are feisty and I dig it! We are zooming in the same lane. I, too, refuse to sit back and watch as posters present their "wish she shoulda's" as infallible truths.
On to the fashion.
The one lesson Mrs. O continues to teach me is: Use what you already own. She does it so well. Creating looks from pieces worn a year ago, pieces worn a week ago. She whips it together and delivers creativity and dash and splash.
I have to laugh at some of these posts. One would think the majority of folks doing the criticizing are high fashion stylists or iron clad best dressed fashionistas.
Let FLOTUS wear what she feels like wearing, it's obvious she does not need much to make her look and feel beautiful :).
Some posters spam the threads with nasty flaming posts. Why report them? I'd rather they stayed on the threads.
Some of you seriously need anger management classes. This is a fashion blog. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. It's a shame some of you feel the need to make snide personal comments when all some of us are doing is stating how we feel about a given outfit, not the person wearing it. When the FLOTUS hits it out of the park I have been just as quick to say "Well done".
If you think those pants are doing it, and the cut of that jacket is flattering with them, I truly feel sorry for you.
McKinley, you seem to have confused the definition of "feisty" with "nasty". There are many ways to say things but the heart of the comments Camille has made on this thread comes through loud and clear, and it isn't pretty.
I'm riding in the same lane as BeeGee and Nora. Mrs. O has lots of hits and still a few misses; today's outfit is a miss for me. I'm hoping tomorrow will be a better fashion day for the First Lady.
@ Camille.....I like your posts, whether they are positive or negative.... you are generally very constructive with your crticism. Don't lose that technique.
Thanks everyone for making this an enjoyable lunchtime site ...... even when it turns a little bitchy !
These two women seem to really enjoy each other's company and exude respect for each other.
Mrs. O is a pretty, pretty woman. She gets more beautiful with each day that goes by. I also looked at photos of this outfit from other angles, and think she is put together much better than this particular photo shows.
@melcy
Yes girl, these women are here are in Prada every day,they never wear comfy clothes, they have personal tailors, they are stylist, they have personal TRAINERS, they can style BETTER than IKRAM. Michelle needs to let THEM buy her clothes, and she needs to let the MOST STYLISH women on here give her the RULE BOOK on how to dress for a woman, because there is only ONE WAY that a woman is supposed to dress. Also, they need to send letters to the White House and let FLOTUS know what colors are appropriate for her to wear seven days a week. I hope she does not wear color which she likely will at the NOBEL PEACE PRIZE ceremony because it might not be "appropriate." While FLOTUS is at it she needs to tell Rahni how to style her hair on certain days. Oh the first state dinner is this month, what will she wear? WIll it make the "appropriate" mark, will it be WOMAN enough for her, will it be the RIGHT color? Or does FLOTUS need to run her choices by this website!
I love seeing Mrs. O and Mrs. B together. I knew they'd get on well when I saw them at the end of the Democratic convention when Obama won the nomination for his party. There's real warmth and support between those 'sisters.'
@ canyongal
Who crowned you queen of fashion? Answer: No one. Darling, sit down and catch a clue. I can take fashion criticism, but when you offer up thinly veiled attacks on Mrs. O you will be swatted like a fly.
How dare you proclaim that pants with buttoned pockets are a "no-no" for her shape. Are these pants designed specifically for ironing board-flat rears? In your world, does emaciation equal beauty? It is clear that the only person who should care about her shape( Mr. President), is fine with it. We should all be fine with it.
Before you post your nonsense...think!
It's amusing that Canyongal would take issue with Camille's posts. Having read through this thread and the last it is pretty evident that Canyongal is the one with the posts that come across as nasty, petty, snide and gleefully juvenile in its persistent tearing apart of the First Lady. There are still quite a number of us that are not fooled or convinced by the argument that this is all done in good fashion fun. Sorry we are still not buying the rotten fish wrapped in colorful scented paper bamboozle.
Mrs Obama you keep doing exactly what you're doing, we are intrigued and completely and utterly smitten.
Nothing bends people like McKinley and others out of shape like a calm voice of reason, however as we can see by their "charming" responses there IS simply no reasoning with an unreasonable person. Even though it is clear they disagree with what I and others wrote about this unfortunate ensemble, since they seem incapable of putting forth their own thoughts and opinions in a coherent, civilized manner, they choose instead to go into character assasination mode against anyone who would "dare" to express an opinion that differs from theirs. It's really quite sad. I choose not to rise to the hate bait they are casting my way.
Seeing anybody get so bent out of shape over someone expressing an opinion is a little frightening. Some of you need to put down the haterade and get on with your lives.
Thank you, Mrs. T, for allowing all posts to be read. This is a free country.
McKinley, actually, yes. Pants with pockets on the rear that button ARE designed specifically to give more volume in the rear to those with little to no posterior. But regardless of that, the problem with these particular pair of pants is that they neither fit nor flattered the FLOTUS. But you keep on riding the hate train if you want to.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/11/12/2009-11-12_my_solemn_surprise_meeting_with_the_president_at_my_friends_resting_place.html
Something to enlighten those who have lost sight of what the whole point was in the first place and what the presence of the President & First Lady at the ceremony and beyond really meant for affected families:
Eleroy......just to "enlighten" you.........the real point is:
"Mrs. O is dedicated to following the fashion of First Lady Michelle Obama. It was inspired by Mrs. Obama’s wardrobe at the Democratic National Convention in August 2008. The site hopes to be a central, ever evolving resource to chronicle Mrs.O’s look, while providing fashion commentary and information. The site encourages visitors to contribute tips, photos and commentary, and share enthusiasm for the budding style icon, Mrs. O."
Straight from Mrs. T to you. This is the specific reason this blog was created.
No one is knocking, forgetting about or being willfully ignorant about any cause the FLOTUS embraces.
"The First Lady smiled and squeezed my hand. I thanked her for coming to Section 60.
Her face opened up into a smile filled with warmth and comfort, a welcome antidote for the weather and sadness around her."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/11/12/2009-11-12_my_solemn_surprise_meeting_with_the_president_at_my_friends_resting_place.html?page=1#ixzz0WheDlBIa
LOL @Mia girl please don't give them any ideas!
I don't think that anyone is going to get between FLOTUS and SLOTUS
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/slideshow/ALeqM5jeRv1MR3BBsIPXbgnc657hjzh93gD9BTLLP83?index=5
@melcy
At first "we" debated about if we like an outfit or not. Okay, no problem. Now its "is the button in the right place," or "her skirt is two inches short." Its crazy, one would have thought she was trying to pass health care reform, the way people react over an outfit. The thing that REALLY bugs me is people are trying to tell her to change HER style. Fashion is about MULTIPLE styles, from Bessy Johnson to simple Michael Kors, style is not ONE thing. So if she DARES to rock a blue coat, its HER choice to wear colors and not look drab all the time. Like its Bessy Johnson's choice to have rocker type outfits, or Jill Biden's choice to rock high boots, and short skirts, its THEIR style.
It's Betsy Johnson, not Bessy Johnson.