A Cappella at the White House
Wednesday, February 18, 2009 at 4:53 PM 
Photo Credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
As The Washington Post's The Reliable Source blog first revealed, First Lady Mrs. O hosted a group of local Washington, D.C. 6th and 7th grade students at the White House today. Nearly 180 students in total were gathered to meet the First Lady and hear Sweet Honey in the Rock, a Grammy-winning a cappella ensemble of African-American women that specializes in songs about history, civil liberties and freedom. As has been pledged by Mrs. O and the White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers, the concert is part of an effort to make the White House more open and welcoming to the public. First Lady Mrs. O echoed these sentiments in her words for the young students:
"As the people's house, we believe the White House should be a place for learning and for sharing new and different ideas, sharing new forms of art and culture, and history and different perspectives. We want you to visit and we want you to take advantage of these opportunities and maybe see something for yourselves that maybe you never thought you could do or be. So I'm happy to welcome you here for our little Black History Month celebration. I'm glad you guys are here."
On a style note, Mrs. O was smartly dressed in a classic white shirt and sage green v-neck sweater, paired with the same pinkish tweed (with hints of green, thanks Yola) J.Crew skirt seen in the March Vogue feature. A patent leather royal blue belt (worn throughout the campaign) and red kitten heels added polished touches to the look. For a short video of Mrs. O's remarks:
Reader Comments (76)
At the White House event today (as seen on MSNBC) Michelle wore a white collared shirt (with white cuffs showing) - and a green sweater or jumper over the shirt. Couldn't tell to much because she was standing behind a podium while speaking. No brooches. Hopefully photos will be online soon.
Mrs. T - Getting that photo up was quick! You're good ;)
Of course! Hopefully it makes up for the lack of a post yesterday.
Mrs. O seems to be wearing more heels as our First Lady. Has anyone else noticed?
She looks adorable! The seafoam green is very fresh against the white blouse.
And yes, that IS the same skirt! I love that skirt so much. The texture of the wool is just gorgeous, and you can see in the close-up of the Vogue picture that it has very thick ribbing, like you find in vintage wool coats. Kudos to JCrew. I really never knew that they had such a range of good-looking clothes.
But BEST of all is that she is wearing those pumps. She always looks so amazing standing tall in heels.
A close-up of the blouse and the sweater: http://www.daylife.com/photo/0bSq76u4Ub6Rr/Michelle_Obama
LOVE the skirt. those also look like they might be the same shoes she wore on their first visit to the white house, back in november.
I think the FLOTUS' approach to shoes may be my favorite part of her style. She has cute shoes and she seems willing to wear heels for formal occasions such as the inauguration day ceremony but rarely is she a slave to fashion. If her feet are killing her she's wearing flats - take it or leave it. See the final night of the DNC convention and the national prayer service held the day after the inauguration. And on the campaign trail with all the activity and jogging up and down rope line, heels every day would have been asking for a slip up :)
I love the lean lines of this ensemble, and I love the way it is put together, the belted sweater w/ the white shirt beneath, but I feel the colors aren't working - the top's tone doesn't seem to jibe w/ the skirt - the colors seem to compete w/ one another rather than compliment. Maybe in person they worked together better than they appear in the photo ?
I am digging Mrs O in the higher heels she has been wearing.
There is a video, of Michelle speaking, posted on the front page of http://www.politico.com/
Get It Gurl.....my FLOTUS looks really pretty and i love her outfit.
I watched the ceremony on live stream, it was great. Those ladies can really sing.
She is so imaginative with her color choices, I love it. RJT, I wonder if there is some blue or green in in the tweed that is not readily apparent in the photo? I think there is.
Sweet Honey on the Rock are truly heaven sent. I would love to see a video of this performance. Nice day's work for the FLOTUS..
Christina - If there is blue or green in the shirt it sure doesn't look like it. I pulled up a close-up of the Vogue cover on the web and it looks like the shirt has only brown, orange, and white.
Sorry for the 'double' typo!
shirt = sKirt
This is one of those situations where I like the ensemble, but I can also understand why others might not. Something about the color combo works for me. I like the contrast. But I can see why people might say that her sweater matched the skirt better in the Vogue pic.
There is a nice little write-up of the event, including some of Mrs. O's remarks, here: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/02/michelle-obam-3.html
Also, just for fun, if you missed it from the other thread, pretty please vote in my poll (of Mrs. O's outfits from the last month).
So far the dress she wore to see Alvin Ailey is the favorite, which is no surprise. I think that was the ONLY outfit that inspired complete consensus, with no one having a single criticism.
Vote here: http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/421945
And results here: http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/421945/results
I looked at many of the pictures in the daylife set, and I teared up seeing some of those children hug her, and her hug them back - tight and sincerely.
Mr. and Mrs. O are handling this historic journey with such grace and sincerity it is just amazing to watch.
I saw the CNN livestream of the event and it was wonderful. Mrs. Robinson, Malia, and Sasha were there too. Mrs. O looked beautiful and relaxed.
Indeed there is green in the tweed; take a look:
http://www.daylife.com/photo/00ux1Iee5x7cI/Michelle_Obama
Yola, that's a great picture. You can see in the close-up how the outfit really looks in person. It's one of those pieces that can be difficult to photograph.
I just looked at some pics from the event and Mrs. O looked stunning. I love when she goes for a fitted sleek look. Show it off while you still got it. And I thought her hair and makeup looked flawless. Her hair was sleek but bouncy, and her makeup was natural looking and very polished. Another A+ look for the First Lady. Just fabulous. And also, I know "black don't crack", but she looks nowhere hear 45. I mean, 45 is still relatively young, but with her good complexion and toned figure, she looks like she could be around 35. If I saw her just as some random woman on the street, I wouldn't assume she was in her 40s at all.
Does anyone know if she's accompanying the President to Canada tomorrow?
Is that the same belt she wore here?
http://images.huffingtonpost.com/gadgets/slideshows/999/slide_999_16559_large.jpg
Thanks for the video. Such a beautiful speech!
The other shots are so interesting. Is the sweater pale blue? Or pale green? Or something in between?
I just like the look. :-)
No nyro she isn't.
@nyro: he's only going for a few hours, so i wouldn't be surprised if she sat this trip out.
haha! "You're yawning--wake up!" She is really funny. And that was a great speech. I mean, IMAGINE being a kid and getting to visit the White House and meet the First Lady and hearing these words.
Also, Mrs. O has on quite the smoky eye. And a very bold shade of bronze lipstick. I remember a few weeks ago she seemed to have really stopped wearing make-up. Not that I minded, really, but I am happy she's having fun with make-up again.
Stacey and Clinton,the stylists from "What not to Wear" always say, "it doesn't have to match, it has to go",(as in go together). I thought she looked very sharply put together. Her hair and make up especially were flawless. Her positive message to the children was the best adornment of all.
InfoDiva, Definitely the same belt - one of Mrs.O's staples in fact. She also has the same belt in black. Don't know the designer, but would love to!
Christina, The color of this sweater is very tricky. A green with a lot of blue undertones, I would say.
Yola, thanks for the photo link - in that image the sweater and skirt are a much more complementary than the 'podium photo'.
Lookin' good Mrs O.
Adore this!!! I would actually totally be cool with it if the skirt had no blue or green in it at all, its a nice foil for the color of the sweater and that shocking blue of the belt is a fantastic accent. I wish the shoes pulled the blue/green from the top together, but I love the shoes anyway. I like the silhouette its creating as an ensemble. So smart!
Ang
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0esm4gcb7Y4XM/Barack_Obama
I don't like focusing on the kids, but they are turning into little Mrs. Os with their colors and flair for fun additions.
I totally respect that especially in a recession and knowing she is in the public eye that she has the good sense to wear clothes over again and she uses her fashion sense to wear it in a different way. I just don't like all of the different colors worn together, though. And hopefully nobody tries to bash me for saying that b/c here it seems people like to come down on you when you aren't always gushing about one of the outfits.
@ Mrs. T. One of Michelle's perennial black belts is an Azzedine Alaia according to a NY Times article, but I too would love to know who designed the blue belt.
Yes, Yola's photo link really shows off what is a great outfit.
@iva: the girls look just as fabulous as their mom, i find myself coveting miss sasha's outfit.
I love that she wears sweaters so often, especially in thin wool and cotton. They are so comfortable!! I also like the look with this skirt and the pink cardigan and blouse in VOGUE (or so I've read here; I haven't found the issue yet) - the ruched/ruffled top under the sweater really dressed it up. I'm getting a lot of do-able ideas for my wardrobe.
IVA- Thanks for linking to that picture. Those girls are soooo cute. Their style really is very colorful and creative. And is little Miss Sasha wearing a brooch??? She has definitely been paying attention to her Momma!
hiatus- Please say whatever you like! As long as you are respectful no one would ever have a problem with it, even if they expressed their disagreement.
I love the riot of color in the accessories! Although I think the red shoes read neutral in this context. Yay for not matching!
Has anyone started belting their sweaters yet? I love the look but am afraid I won't look as sleek and elegant as Mrs. O...any tips on how to work it?
WOW. I love it that she mixes things up so joyfully. Of course her lovely form will show it off and she would probably look good in a potato sack....but..I just feel more empowered to take different things that I love and that blend and wear them together.
I love that she does not match the shoes with the belt here. I am from the generation that still wants to go in that direction.
The other thing I love is that she is really getting out there. So many visits with people and agencies. What an agenda, it makes me tired. I remember her saying that "the girls will make their own beds in the white house, but please, somebody make MINE". :)
Hmmm...I am not a fan of this ensemble.. The skirt and shoe seem mismatched with the blouse/sweater..and then there's the blue belt..hmmm....
I love her use of belts, especially since I have dozens of them and have belting my sweaters and jackets for eons.
Sweet Honey? Sweet Honey at the White House? The walls HAVE come a-tumblin' down!
I haven't liked every outfit Mrs. Obama has worn, but I really like this one. I like her in tailored fitted things. I think these colors work together. She looks sharp. Bravo!
First off i want to say what a great site this for a great lady,my only question is and I mean no harm but can anyone tell me why she's ALWAYS in flats or kitten heels.I mean even in the photo in Vogue no heels. Does she not like them, can't walk in them, have bad feet what is the deal?
fabulous again and again and again. she wear low heels and kitten heels because she is a working mom and she is very tall. not many working women, serious ones, walk around in 4 inch jimmy's or manolos all day long.
I have a question. Are the shoes she has on here considered "kitten" heels? They look like 2" pumps to me? Or is a 2" pump equal to a 'kitten' heel?
This is what I think of when people describe a http://www.alternativeoutfitters.com/ProductImages/shoes/pinkstudio/demi05_brn1.gif" rel="nofollow">kitten heel
http://www.alternativeoutfitters.com/ProductImages/shoes/pinkstudio/demi05_brn1.gif
I love this outfit. I am amazed at how Mrs. Obama can take different colors and create a look that "goes" together very well without being all matchy-matchy.
More photos of the day's event are now up at:
http://thisweekwithbarackobama.blogspot.com/2009/02/michelle-obama-treats-6th-7th-graders.html
IMHO this is a small-town look, not to my liking at all. This mish mash is perhaps ok for a typist to wear in a small town with a population of less than 500 ;) I love Mrs. O but sorry I don't like this look at all.
Lovely, lovely lady...Dignified yet so relatable-
About the belt: I believe that belt belongs to the navy blue skirt suit she wore on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart - Couldn't find a photo, but I suspect it is...
I love the way it literarily shocks the total outfit. She looks really crisp; love it!