Mrs. O Sparkles at Governors' Dinner
Sunday, February 22, 2009 at 3:33 PM 
Photo credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images Tonight the Os will welcome the National Governors Association to the White House, hosting their first black tie dinner at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. As we mentioned earlier this week, Earth, Wind & Fire is slated to play, which will surely make for a fun evening. From the White House press release:
"The White House is the place where our bond as Americans is strengthened," said Desiree Rogers, White House Social Secretary. "We look forward to welcoming the nation’s governors to celebrate our democratic ideals, our diversity, our shared values and the best of the American spirit."
We're curious to see how Mrs. O will interpret black tie attire at the White House - a cocktail dress or a formal evening gown? (Of note, the reference to "black tie" came from Lynn Sweet's very reliable column for the Chicago Sun Times.)
Update: This afternoon Mrs. O spoke with a group of culinary students from L'Academie de Cuisine in the White House kitchen before the Governors' Dinner. The Huffington Post has a slideshow here. The dress is a cocktail length cobalt blue gem from Jason Wu's Spring 2009 collection (runway image here). As many have already observed in the comments, the dress is quite similar to the white Jason Wu dress that Mrs. O wore for an interview with Barbara Walters in November. We imagine the materials and construction - raw silk with hand embroidered rosettes - are the same. Lynn Sweet at the Chicago Sun Times also has the scoop on the menu, china and flowers for tonight's event, which can be read here.
Update: Mrs. O has changed dresses! The First Lady is wearing a sequin, strapless gown by Peter Soronen paired with a dramatic multi-strand necklace of pearls and crystals by Tom Binns. The dress is the "twilight gown" from Peter Soronen's Fall Winter 2008 collection. As is Soronen's signature, the top part of dress is a corset, with a long bias skirt, all in sequins. The color, we're told, is actually a deep purple / ink blue. With her hair pulled up, our First Lady Mrs. O is the epitome of style and glamour this evening. The Huffington Post's "The Other Red Carpet" slideshow is a must see.
Jason Wu, Peter Soronen, Tom Binns in Outfits
Reader Comments (267)
Sara,
I know where you're coming from BUT
it is the whole world that looks to the White House.
As I heard some historians say awhile back:
The state dinners and the formality of them shows the whole that the USA is powerful, stable, and prosperous.
We can't have the White House serving stew and jello salad - and we can't have the guests showing up in blue jeans and tennis shoes or dresses from Walmart ;)
Mrs O is such a lovely First Lady with so much style. She & President both look fantastic here. I'm sure the Governors took a second look. They are suppose to dress lavish, it was black tie affair. (Good Grief people, if it was George and Laura nothing would have been said) Keep dressing like you are doing First Lady & Mr. President!
Hope that Michelle Obama will keep trying. I saw that she was inconstant in her style. Sometimes she looks pretty well, sometimes she seems meet difficulty to wear herself. I look at Michelle with hope because I want to see her become a model. I don't feel right with such model like beyonce, rihanna even naomie.I don't like the black sex bomb style.Michelle has a chance to show that a black woman can be elegant and don't have to show her ...
Hope that Michelle Obama will keep trying. I saw that she was inconstant in her style. Sometimes she looks pretty well, sometimes she seems meet difficulty to wear herself. I look at Michelle with hope because I want to see her become a model. I don't feel right with such model like beyonce, rihanna even naomie.I don't like the black sex bomb style.Michelle has a chance to show that a black woman can be elegant and don't have to show her ...
Oh Mrs T.,
Where art thou...?
They double post under different names...
I love, love Michelle Obama! What a great and amazing partner to her modern, forward-thinking, progressive and extremely disciplined husband: The president...
Seriously, people have no clue how positive and great an impression and impact this couple have made and had around the world on behalf of these United States...
The political and economic capital is immeasurable!
But the Sara's and Namboo's and Truth Palabra's are so jaded, so partisan and so shortsighted they refuse or fail to understand it.
The strong and protective embrace of this first lady and her family is more a manifestation of the positive energy, upliftment and hope so badly needed but previously missing, to unite this country and move it in the right direction.
So let us feel free to indulge in a bit of slobbering over our lovely first lady: it is allowed...no?!
It is still our country and it cannot be said enough: A country divided against itself will certainly fall -
President Obama sets the tone for a strong and United America; lets all do the same by word and deed...
Ma/gr, the First Lady has amply demonstrated her ability to be elegant; for evidence, please just peruse the photograph above.
The one thing that I hope she continues to constantly be, is her highly impressive self; she cannot hope to please everyone with her style and fashion choices, and so the one person that needs to be serene and happy is her own lovely self.
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I love, love Michelle Obama!
What a great and amazing partner to her very modern, forward-thinking, progressive and extremely disciplined husband: The president...
Seriously, people have absolutely no clue how positive and great an impression and impact this couple have made and had around the world on behalf of these United States...
The political and economic capital is immeasurable!
But the Sara's and Namboo's and Truth Palabra's are so jaded, so partisan and so shortsighted they refuse or fail to understand it.
The strong and protective embrace of this first lady and her family is more a manifestation of the positive energy, upliftment and hope they reflect and is so badly needed but sorely lacking, to unite this country and move it forward and in the right direction.
So let us feel free to indulge in a bit of slobbering over our lovely first lady: it is allowed...no?!
It is still our country and it cannot be said enough: A nation divided against itself will certainly fall -
President Obama sets the tone for a strong, dignified and United America; lets all do the same by word and deed...
the first couple look absolutely stunning...
Mrs Obama,
I would like to see you wearing sparkling diamond from Africa. The queen Elizabeth has got "The cullinan a diamond of 317.40 carat , called as well Lesser Star of Africa", and why not you!!
You deserve to be wear one around your neck or like a pin in your hair.
Yes I love the Obamas too, and I am a black woman and I dont mean to put her down. she needs to dress more elegant. I saw her today on cnn I called mey mom and said do u see what she have on. She is our frist lady and when she step into the camery every one is looking at her style .Come on Michell I know you know better. .
Yes I love the Obamas too, and I am a black woman and I dont mean to put her down. Her husband dresses better than she does .I know you know how to represent our president our u.s.a. you are our frist lady . I watch yu every time you ar on tv .STEP IT UP MRS OBAMA THE WORLD IS WATCHING.
To the woman who said Ms. Obama needs to "step it up" as far as her dressing, you must be blind because Ms. Obama dresses with great class and exquisite style.
Get your eyes checked. Being stylish doesn't mean being gaudy which unfortunately is what what many women think dressing nice is.
p.s. and yes, in case you were wondering, I am black, extrememly educated and quite classy thank you.
The dress is pretty, but that necklace weighs her down. She should have gone with something lighter, it makes her look cluttered instead of clean.
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