Style to Suit the Times
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 7:35 PM 
Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images
Tonight President Mr. O will address a joint session of Congress in what will no doubt entail painting a very serious, sober picture of our country's economic state. It's often difficult to reconcile the unprecedented crisis we're living through with the vast source of inspiration and optimism that President Mr. O and First Lady Mrs. O bring. More than ever, though, we're grateful for the latter - Mrs. O's style included of course.
We imagine the First Lady's dresscode this evening will go one of two routes - modest and understated, with respect for the times (the blue Narciso Rodriguez suit worn for the Lily Ledbetter reception comes to mind), or perhaps less expected, a bolder projection of optimism (with similar effect to the lemongrass Isabel Toledo ensemble worn for the Inauguration). In just an hour or so, we'll know the answer.
While the focus tonight isn't on Mrs. O's fashion, the First Lady's style is part of this living, evolving history, and the broader narrative shaped by these times. And as bleak as things may sometimes seem, we can always look forward to celebrating Mrs. O and her fabulously chic, modern style. As several have mentioned in the post before, Mrs. O will be joined tonight by at least three special guests. Details are posted at Whitehouse.gov.
Update: Mrs. O is wearing a plum silk and wool sleeveless dress, which we're almost certain is Narciso Rodriguez. The dress first debuted during the Inauguration, paired with the long lavender Narciso Rodriguez coat worn again tonight. The dress - with a feminine, modern cut, in a flattering color that was neither solemn nor inappropriately attention grabbing - achieved a tasteful balance.
And contrary to our earlier prediction, the dress didn't seem to make a direct comment on the economy. Rather, in a regal plum, showcasing the First Lady's enviably toned arms, it was a statement of classic Mrs. O style. Additional images here and here.
Narciso Rodriguez in Outfits
Reader Comments (168)
Just catching up on this look, and I'm going to have to go with the anti-sleeveless crowd. Not that it isn't a gorgeous dress - I'd love to see it at one of the weekly cocktail parties - but it really didn't seem appropriate for the occasion. To me, it looks too casual and, much as I HATE to admit it, I worry that the whole "look at her toned arms" thing is making more news than the president's speech!
And before anyone accuses me of being Amish or wanting her to wear a 'frumpy' suit, I'll just add that Mrs. O has tons of fabulous suits and dresses in her wardrobe that aren't the least bit frumpy. There are times to look like a supermodel (and she does, here!) and times when it isn't the best idea. Just my opinion.
The silk top compbined with the skirt section was beautiful, just lovely. And her arms!
MSNBC is about to discuss Michelle's choice of the sleeveless dress.
I agree with Christina. The sleeveless look is becoming old. Just because someone does not like her particular outfits is not a reason to chastice the person. This is a fashion blog, after all. Due to contrary belief, everything she wears is not "gorgeous".
As I have stated in the past, Mrs. Obama has hits and misses like the rest of us. Some things look great, some don't. Last night's look was not appropriate for the ocassion.
I like to be honest (like some of the other posters), but not mean in my assessment.
I am a fashion hound and have loved fashion all of my life.
I still say that she needs to find another stylist to help her more with her wardrobe.
I can not understand how someone is going sleeveless in the winter. It is very cold on the east coast. That is a look that I would never try to emulate.
I am not a conformer when it comes to fashion, but I will dress the part when it is "appropriate".
Dagnammit, I forgot to say something. I saw Mrs T and Jenna commenting on Nancy Pelosi's suit jacket so I went and had a look. My thought was - I may be way off line here but it looks inspired by clothes from the medieval period. The front panel is a bit like a stomacher and the drawstring like a tie on a drawstring-necked shift. The cut of the sleeves was very medieval too. Reminded me of a surcoat or jerkin. It's just an idea, but that's what I saw when I looked at it so I thought I'd mention. All the flexibility in the clothes back then was in the cut - so the seams were in quite different places than we expect to see them. Blah blah, I'll get me coat. (I do take the point that it's not as sharp a design as it might be, but it's interesting and the cut does create shape - wide shoulders, narrow waist is implied.)
I LOVE ALL THINGS MICHELLE...but tonight, I would have loved this dress with a cover-up for her arms. The bare arm in this setting did not seem appropriate to me. And I don't criticize Mrs. O lightly or easily.
I had to weigh in on the sleeveless look. I admit it, I'm old school. Sleeveless in the winter is weird -- it's too cold to go sleeveless, even indoors. I agree Mrs. O looks superb, the dress is gorgeous, I even liked the satin, but I'm always shivering when I look at her. And I live in Texas! Even here we don't go sleeveless.
I live in NYC and wear sleeveless tops in the winter under my jackets and coats (with added layering). So who can say one can't wear sleeveless in the winter.When I get to my destination the coat and sweater comes off. And I do have well-toned arms like the First Lady, which I proudly show off.
Love the pink lace dress on the cover of People. And it's sleeveless. Hee.
I LOVE this outfit!
Heather:
I am not sure how you take your coat and sweater off.
I work in NYC, and believe me, I've been in various industries and most offices are COLD.
Most offices are concerned about the computers and not human beings, so the temperatures are lowered.
Unless your office is hot, I still do not understand this sleeveless in winter.
Loved the color, loved the textures, loved the outfit on her...BUT...I think some sort of sleeve would have been much more appropriate. C'mon, now, don't we all know she's got beautiful arms by now? Even a cap sleeve would have been better. And, oh, Nancy Pelosi's suit looked like a feed sack on her..she generally looks so smart. What happened?
Perhaps Mrs. O was hinting at an opportunity for us to "roll up our sleeves" and get to work on this economic mess? Whatever, she looks perfectly natural in sleeveless and best to show off those triceps now while they still have some tone. It goes so quickly later. And I'm sure the "cold" in DC feels like Spring compared to Chicago.
I love Michelle, and I read this blog every day. But as soon as I saw her in the House, I thought- she can't be wearing short sleeves- it is SUCH a misstep.
It is not about winter, or the weather- it is about the fact that you must wear sleeves in churches and at governmental and official functions, etc. The solemnity of the space and the function call for nothing less. The dress was beautiful, but her shoulders needed to be covered. Period. (Cap sleeves, perhaps? A cardigan?)
Mrs.T
Mrs.O will be on the cover of people magazine, I just watched an interview with the editor, and they showed the cover and the pictures inside, Mrs.O look gorgeous in a never seen before pink( I think ) dress and a new hair do
Speaker Pelosi's husband actually buys most of her clothes but this was so different from her usual style maybe somebody else was involved!
Why is she so fierce? *teehee* bold and beautiful is all I see. Her signature sleeveless style is killing the rest. All the other ladies look dowdy compared to our Mrs. O.
The only other woman there that can get 2 snaps and a twirl is SOS Clinton.....GET IT GIRLS.
WURK IT....
here is the cover
http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c341/ent5/michellepeople.jpg
The first thing I thought when seeing Mrs. O was "She coordinated her dress with her little guest's dress." just like she does with her own daughters. And what about that lavender dress - could it have been a gift from "someone" who wanted her to shine?
I am frequently naive and jump to conclusions about things like this, but then I'm optimistic about our new First Couple and their compassion for all. I guess I just want to believe Mrs. O would have seen to the details for her South Carolina guest.
I thought the First Lady's outfit was impeccable. She looked gorgeous but not overbearing. The color of her sleeveless outfit was appropriate for the season, and I read elsewhere that she did in fact wear a heavy coat to the event. No need to wear the coat inside congressional chambers.
My first impression was -- love it! loved the cut, color, style, fabrics, etc.
The sleevelessness didn't bother me at all -- yes, other people were wearing suits, but other people were Congress, the Cabinet, etc. She's the FLOTUS and in my view can have more flexibility in what she wears as long as she is dressed nicely. I have no problem with what she wore, and thought it looked very nice on TV.
I can understand why people might think she was underdressed -- maybe she should have worn a suit because everyone else did -- but I don't think adding a cardigan would have really changed all that much. She'd still be "underdressed" compared to the others.
*shrugs*
Jen, I think people are saying she should have worn a cardigan, so that she would cover her arms for decorum purposes. NOt because it would make her less undressed or more dressed.
Thanks for posting that People Mag cover, but kinda sick of seeing Michelle obama and her unnecessary focus on her arms. I am starting to think there is something mentally wrong with her and her obsession to show off her arms.
I mentioned a cardigan earlier, but that would have messed up the lines of the dress. Oh well. I do wonder if maybe she is intentionally dressing more casually at these occasions to emphasize her wife role, to reassure people that she's not trying to "take over," or something? She is a lawyer who worked in a large firm, she knows probably far more than I do about conservative dress for business occasions.
Or maybe I'm just reaching. She probably just liked the dress!
Superstar - Sheesh. I think the one with mental issues is quite definitely not Michelle.
Anyway, despite being firmly in the "Love the dress, but not for this event" perspective... Some people are really overreacting! I would certainly not discourage Michelle from future sleeveless-ness. This is ONE occassion where it was not appropriate. But that is seldom the case. She almost always looks great sleeveless, which is why she so often chooses that style..
The funny thing is that, doing a quick look back, Mrs. O doesn't even wear sleeveless THAT often. Have we so quickly forgotten her many pretty suits worn on her tour of the federal offices? The blue dress with a black band, designed by Proenza Schouler and worn to the National Prayer Service? The stunning black and silver dress worn to watch Alvin Ailey? Her many, many, many cardigan outfits, including the seafoam green sweater worn with the Jcrew skirt at the White House last week? Or the black cardigan with the striped skirt, worn to read to kids? And what about the Tracy Feith dress with the quarter length sleeves?
In short...this was a small misstep on her part, but it's hardly a chronic problem as some are starting to suggest. I am sure Mrs. O will wear many sleeveless dresses in the future and look forward to it!
Mrs O is arguably the most stylish and influential muse of the moment; turning her every public appearance into the hottest catwalk show.
She has wowed us with another hot sleevless number, a style that makes a bold and distinctive fashion statement.
The sleeveless dress is fast becoming one of her favourite signature look. Other sightings include the Jason Wu magenta dress she wore on Vogue cover , the cobalt blue dotted dress in the White House by Jason Wu and various Maria Pinto sleevless shift dresses including the pink one she wore on the cover of More Magazine. Clearly a style savvy woman who brings new life and inspiration to a classic dress.
Mrs O has the essential poise, grace and elegance to carry off this chic and understated palm dress. The texture and the color compliment her youthful and glowing skin. The ruched gathered bust and subltle plunge neck bring a sweet femininity to this look.
This dress is clearly a winner. The high waist detail is also very figure- flattering , enhancing her statuesque physical curves. The impeccably tailored pencil skirt detail aslo adds a sophisticated chic. She has opted for non-fussy jewellery apart from her ring and watch and her hair is worn down in a stunning sleek bob. Its not hard to see why she repeatedly topped the Vanity Fair's International Best-Dressed List.
Jenna, I really agree with your POV. To the extent that I contributed to some kind of sleeveless dress frenzy, I'm apologize! I honestly really did like the dress and I thought she looked great.
FLOATUS looked great, but it was inappopriate for the occasion. Being first lady does not give anyone the right to rewrite proper etiquette. See how the focus is on her bare arms? That's exactly why she should have worn some sort of sleeves or cardigan, so the focus would be on the business at hand and not on her outfit. It is a sign of decorum and respect. Mr. Obama is more than confident enough that his maculinity can withstand his wife being in a suit or a serious dress every once in a while. As far as the "People" cover, it does not matter what she wears there. It's about the occasion and not the style itself. And Christina, you did not dtart a "Frenzy," well maybe just on this site, but I had people calling me about the dress way before I even logged on here. I really love Mrs. O and her style, so please do not be mean to me for writing what I think. Thank you
Mrs. O is an incredible role model for women on so many levels. As far as appropriate business attire she regularly breaks "rules" I have been told to follow for years: 1) She often dresses sleeveless in business type situations; 2) She doesn't wear pantyhose; 3) She wears lots of colors; and 3) She sometimes wears hoop earrings and other 'large scale' jewelry. And you know what -- no matter what she wears she conveys intelligence, sincerity, empathy --- and yes --- she is an alive, vibrant (read sexy) woman. As an older woman she inspires me to think out of the box and not worry so much about fitting into someone else's idea of what 'works' -- or what I can and cannot do. We've read about President Obama's exercise routine -- but I would love to know about Mrs. O's.
Once again she looks beautiful and full of confidence.
Hi All - For those curious, I've confirmed that this was in fact a dress.
My first thought when I saw Mrs. Obama was it's too cold to go sleeveless tonight. My second thought was her arms should be covered in a setting like that with so many people grabbing and touching her. It's bad enough that she has to shake hands with so many people, let alone having them touch her naked arms too. I noticed President Obama used his own pen to sign autographs, which I thought was a good idea for his own personal hygene. I guess she needs to pick and choose the right time to go sleeveless depending on the occasion and how many people she will be coming into contact with. I certainly would. She would do well to dress for the weather as well. I felt so bad for her during the Inauguration because she was freezing in her outfit even in the observation booth which obviously was not heated.
Being another San Francisco girl, this whole sleeve controversy never would have occured to me. I say that as a matter of urban style, because the weather is decently cold here. (I'm also slightly mystified by the pantyhose issue. Do pantyhose really keep anyone warm? If you're too cold to bare your legs, wear tights or pants. Or, OK, just wear the pantyhose and look dated and old. Not everyone has to look young and hip, and that's fine.)
I think some of the sleeveless issue stems from the fact that FLOTUS is such a strange job-but-not-a-job. If I went to my husband's office to watch him do some big presentation (which would be weird, right?), I wouldn't feel compelled to look just like the women who work there, as long as I looked reasonably formal. Does it make sense to ask that Michelle dress like a Senator or Cabinet member? And yet she looks very business-like when she goes to speak to government agencies, so she's clearly aware of when she's on-duty for the Obama administration. I wouldn't call this one of those times.
I Mrs. O rocked it!!!
what's all this strange outrage over her sleeveless look? Thank God she does not dress like middle aged typical politician's wife. We are so stuck with how 1st lady dresses since the 80s, we can't imagine how come Michelle Obama is so different.
She looked great here and since it was not a meeting of dignitaries or head of states, it was appropriate for the occasion.
Superstar comment about 1st Lady having some 'mental issues' because of her sleeveless look is pathetic if not down right defamatory. What a bizarre claim, then again anyone who is obsessed with Michelle Obama's look might jump to mental stability or lack of it.
Anyone who lived or grew up in Chicago would not consider DC weather cold, not to mention inside government building that usually boils with heat about going sleeveless. She stood out and the constant comment about her looks on most blogs and media site shows she's on her way to iconic status in the fashion world.
This sleeveless discussion seems so last century to me. It's not like she was all hootchied up. And who gets to decide what's appropriate these days? Last time I looked so many fashion conventions have been redefined and upended. That is why this discussion is so surprising. The world has never seen anything like Michelle Obama before. I, for one, would not want her to feel constrained to conform to some outdated ideas of what is appropriate when we all know that those standards are in total flux. Good thing she doesn't have time to read blogs because I look forward to her creative expressions.
if my arms looked like michelle's i would always be in a sleeveless top! i just wish that she would tell us which machines she uses at the gym or whether she uses free weights, or both. i would also like to know whether she lifts heavy weights for fewer reps or light weights with more reps. please find out!
I admire Michelle Obama and want her to succeed as a role model for 21st century women. But I feel her breaking of a ritual dress code was a faux pas. The Congressional Chamber is a ritual space, and a Joint Session of Congress is a ritual event. Visitors to the "sacred" space enter with a scripted protocol that goes back hundreds of years: "Madame Speaker, the Cabinet. . ." And the Cabinet procession enters in the constitutionally mandated order of its members: first, the Secretary of State; second, the Secretary of the Treasury; third, the Secretary of Defense; and so on. The ritual etiquette and dress of national government occasions may not be written down, but they are engraved in historical memory. Wearing a sleeveless dress to a joint session of Congress for an "almost" State of the Union address is something like wearing a ball gown to a swearing-in. I hope the First Lady takes time to think about this.
meree, you said it very well.
CanadianG.: Thank you for confirming what many of us feel has happened with this new first family...
Mrs. T, free speech is great, but I don't believe a post questioning Mrs Obama's "mental health" should be tolerated on your blog...
what's the big deal about the no sleaves. Is this a generational thing or something. She looked great. Loved it!!! She marches to the beat of her own drum, and I think it's great.
What the heck are you guys going on about this "decorum and etiquette" bit about a perfectly appropriate dress!
When did wearing a formal sleeveless dress become somehow lacking or restricted to "cocktail" parties...?!
The color dark plum is clearly a winter color and immediately destroys the argument that this could be worn in summer...Its also partially wool...!
I'm bloody catholic and even at my very conservative church were only high mass in latin is said, there are loads of well dressed women in formal, sleeveless dresses all year round and it's absolutely suitable in this most sacred of places!
Enough already people...this is absolutely ridiculous to say the very least!
Well, Alsace, that is definitely a new one on me; so the First Lady in a sleeveless dress amounted to the "breaking of a ritual dress code" did it???
Methinks, the sooner this antiquated, and - let's be honest - non-existent, not written down anywhere as you yourself acknowledge, dress code is discarded the better.
Plum. I love both the fruit and the colour, and First Lady Michelle wore the latter more than a little well. She committed no faux pas at all in her ladylike choice of dress, and in fact was both polished and flawless.
C:
Since the country is more "dress down", many people don't have an idea on how to dress anymore.
As I stated before, in this instance the sleeveless was not an appropriate choose.
I am not much older than Mrs. Obama, so I am not someone who is fuddy duddy.
We can agree to disagree which is fine.
Are you in a warm climate that women in your congregation are able to go sleeveless year round? I'm in the Northeast, and no one wears sleeveless dresses in the winter to church or anywhere else!
wow! this is still on? what is so inappropriate about being sleeveless? Like I said when 70s India could tolerate a sleeveless woman President (Indira Gandhi) at formal meetings, this outrage over Mrs. O's sleeveless blouse seems so dated and old fashioned.
India lacks the climate of the Northeast. Also, that is India's sari tradition, a cultural tradition which is different from a Western cocktail fashion look. Beautiful color on her, but Mrs. O was inappropriately dressed for this occasion and lacked sufficient decorum. She should've been covered up some more. She'll learn from this and move on.
I love this dress. If you think sleeveless is inappropriate for the occasion, that's fine. It doesn't mean that it is inappropriate, just that you think so. For me, I'm inspired to work out harder at my gym so my upper arms will look as good as Mrs. Obama's this summer. She's set the bar high, but that's okay :o)
Has anybody considered that our first lady may be overly warm because of her stage in life? I know she doesn't look it, but she is in the age group to be in perimenopause. I'd like her to be as comfortable as possible no matter what the situation is and I'll support her choices because I trust her to make good ones, even if they are not the same ones I would make.
Wow, Mrs. O never fails to surprise us with her confident style. And as you mentioned, she is always appropriately dressed, not an easy task to fulfill, being both stylish & fashion forward while being dressed appropriately for the many various occasions she attends.
And, since you mention her inaugural Toledo lemon grass ensemble, I just had to share this link from children's catalog Chasing Fireflies, the yellow eyelet dress and coat for girls (size 2 - 8) looks like a sweet match for the Toledo!
http://www.chasing-fireflies.com/prodinfo.asp?number=25051&top=
enjoy.
Mara, covered up? The last time I heard that was from the Taliban.
Don't be overdramatic, Suji. No one is telling Mrs. Obama to don a burka. Her attire should just maintain decorum and be suitable for the occasion. Last night's outfit was too cocktail-stylish.