In Blue Velvet at the EPA
Thursday, February 26, 2009 at 12:52 PM 
Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian / White House
We can hardly keep up with Mrs. O at this rate! The morning after celebrating Stevie Wonder at the White House, Mrs. O was back to work, making the sixth stop, this time at the Environmental Protection Agency, in her tour of federal agencies. EPA administrator Lisa Jackson first introduced the First Lady as "an icon of grace, class and style" (love that she noted style). Mrs. O then went on to give a brief speech to the standing-room-only crowd:
"This new era puts the EPA at the center of President Obama's highest priorities, securing America's energy independence and securing the future of our planet by combating climate change."
"This is what it is all about: the future. And in many ways, it starts with all of you. You ensure that the water we drink is safe, that the air we breathe is clean, and that the polluted fields and abandoned factories in our neighborhoods all over this nation are cleaned up and restored."
For her appearance, Mrs. O wore a blue velvet blazer belted at the waist, paired with gray wool trousers and silver ballet flats. Additional images can be seen here and here.
Outfits
Reader Comments (109)
I can't wait to see more. This has been a fun week, so many lovely looks
She's really out there lately. I wonder if it'll die down or she wants to use her marriage as a political stepping stone. Maybe the next Hillary Clinton. All of her recent outfits have blown me away, this one is a - ah..it's nice type. Like the colour, but the belts are..I dunno..just seems like a staple her that when you've seen it once you've seen it a million times. Amazing to think that she was really against her husband running. I guess times change
I hope the 'anti sleeveless' crowd is finally happy.
She paired it with grey trousers.
http://d.yimg.com/img.news.yahoo.com/util/anysize/400,http%3A%2F%2Fd.yimg.com%2Fa%2Fp%2Fap%2F20090226%2Fcapt.af82a22e72914710893e82ea5ea7bfea.mrs_obama_epa_dcpm110.jpg
Not one of my favorite looks, but she can't always be as glam as she was last night!
At Alison
Yes, we are!
She looks appropriate.
Her top part looks good, her lower part - Not so much. The pants are awkward and I think a nice pencil skirt would really have sealed the deal. Does anyone know if she is using a stylist?
I am really impressed by the way she is getting out and representing the first family like this. After a big evening last night.
Alison, please keep in mind that about 50% of the people who posted about the dress worn Tuesday night thought that she should have worn sleeves. Many of them did it respectfully.
It does not make them crazy, haters or even unhappy with Mrs. O. This site is to express opinions, whether everyone agrees with you or not. To attack someone who has a differing opinion goes against everything the Obamas stand for and campaigned for.
Why do you feel the need to bring that discussion in here, instead of simply commenting on this outfit?
They say that arguments get fierce the lower the stakes are. I have zero negativity toward anyone who loves sleeveless dresses. I LIKE THEM TOO. Yet, saying that I wouldn't wear them in one particular occasion, means that for some posters I'm like a Amish member of the Taliban. Whatever. You guys win! Moving on...
I really dig this blue jacket, and I'd love to see the entire ensemble. Blue and gray is an interesting combo. I find that I enjoy seeing all the little touches that Mrs. O brings to her outfits. I've never been good at accessorizing and I envy that.
Christina, there are other pics on the same site where you can see the entire ensemble. See the other thumbnails below the pic after you click on it.
http://www.daylife.com/topic/Environmental_Protection_Agency/photos/all/1
i like the blazer, sure it would've looked nice with a pencil skirt but i don't blame her for wanting to wear pants from time to time.
Thanks Mrs. A! Is that a gray skirt and a purple belt? I think I like it!
You're welcome, Christina!
Here is the whole ensemble
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0b1PgS2fL9fZN/Michelle_Obama
Chicagoan:
Thank you.
I am tired of people using the worn out word "haters" when you don't agree with the topic at hand.
Chicagoan for president.
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0b1PgS2fL9fZN/Michelle_Obama
If I only had a vote for each time I'd heard that, Mrs. A!
But we already have a Chicagoan as president. I think he'll do nicely, don't you?
:)
I think that might be the velvet Ecole blazer from J.Crew from last Fall. Not sure, but it could be. I have one hanging in my closet, love it and wear it all the time!
Woman can't win. When she wears sleeveless dresses and tops, we say it's not appropriate for the weather and when she wears slacks, we ask why isn't she wearing a skirt. Well, pants are appropriate for Washington winters, aren't they??
It's not as if she's in jeans and sweats. Me thinks she IS dressed appropriately and respectfully in all cases . . . I admire her but I wouldn't wanna be her and have everyone analyse my every article of clothing for a hidden agenda.
@ Leigh
I looked it up and I think you are right. It was on sale for $39.99 but it is now sold out.
All I gotta say, is "Touche" Chicagoan. I was a newcomer to the site and was really enjoying it, but I think I am going to stay away because the partisanship is as bad as Rep vs. Dem in Congress :) Also miz_glammie, if you read the previous posts, they did not say that slacks were not "appropriate," just that the ensemble would have looked better stylewise with a skirt. Personally, I think it is fine. Please read the comments carefully before reacting. This is such a fun site; I would hate for politics to ruin it.
Mrs. Obama looks great almost all the time ~ sleeveless, with blazers or with tops. I think the issue with sleeveless is whether she looks more formal or "sort-of" less formal with so many sleeveless dresses. Particularly the dress for the President's annual address to Congress was in my estimation - inappropriate. A beautiful dress but inappropriate for that very serious activity. But -- I think she will really wear what she wants anyway - regardless of commentaries. I am glad though that she has softened her make-up for more rose tones. That make-up during the Prayer Breakfast was just bad make-up. Just compare it with the radiant, soft and natural one for the Governors' formal dinner.
A lovely blue/purple on her and the belt really makes it trim and young. Gray pants were okay - black may have been nice, too.
SL, thanks for clarifying my previous comment. I decided not to respond to Miz_Glammie. I knew that most rational people would understand my point, even if they didn't necessarily agree.
Miz_glammie, I'm totally with you on this one...
Bertha! You're totally right! You should probably turn off you computer and TV, stop subscribing to newspapers, and stick your fingers in your ears so you won't be exposed to the two of them. By 2016 everything will be fine and you can come back out.
I liked the slacks. I'm going to have to see if this velvet dress is at J.Crew. When did J.Crew get so stylish? I swear that I used to think all they sold were khakis.
I mean velvet jacket.
I love the blazer. Bertha - I bet you are just a joy.
From my front row vantage point Mrs. O looked great in these separates appropriate for a busy day at EPA. Does anyone have close-up pictures of her necklaces? She paired the peace sign necklace with another sparkling piece.
Mrs. O's warmth came across in person hugging and shaking hands with the crowd. She gave me a "high 5" after I mentioned being a former Chicagoan and Cubs fan, too. She replied that Barack likes the White Sox.
WSinDC,
It's so nice to hear that she seems as real and down to earth in person as she does from afar. We are lucky to have her. Thanks for your service at the EPA!
I don't love the pants (kinda big on her, no?), but the jacket's super cute, and besides, it's kind of a relief to see her looking more like a mere mortal after the last few days. :)
I love the color of the jacket against her glowing skin. However I am not a fan of the ensemble. I know our First Lady has said she loves a belt, but I don't think the bet works here.
What do you guys think of the monochromatic blazer/cami?
you can watch the Stevie wonder and the Obamas at the white house on PBS at 8.00pm today
Bertha, this is not the blog site for you. We don't use distasteful language here, nor do we denigrate the first couple. You clearly have nothing constructive to contribute to our sartorial musings and speculations. Bye now.
Two things that I don't like in Mrs. O's style are the belts and the high waist. The belt in this case brings her style down several notches and so do the high waisted ensembles she has worn so far, for e.g. the red for the first official Whitehouse visit. Belts of the kind she uses age her and make her really old fashioned like some of the retired women you see at Walmart.
Something to look forward to...
I just read that Laura Bush visited 70 countries while she was first lady.
Now we can ponder which country will Michelle visit first and WHAT WILL SHE BE WEARING when she visits countries like Italy, France, China, Japan, etc.
The next four/eight years are going to be such a pleasure.
People who are unhappy with Michelle and the sleeveless are old white racist's. they LOVED laura bush's outfits. in fact they LOVED barbara bush's outfits. people want to bash michelle bc she wears sleeveless shirts, dresses, whatever in the WINTER. OMG!! The world is coming to an end!! thank god there is a fashionable contemporary modern woman as first lady. you want to dress like Margaret Thatcher or Estee Lauder, knock yourself out. But keep your negative unkind and unhappy commentary to yourself.
Well, in terms of traveling overseas, I think it will be different for Mrs. O since she does have young children. But maybe during the summer she can take the girls with her on all those diplomatic trips that First Ladies traditionally go on.
Amy! Are u serious! Come on now! Like President Obama often says, "We can agree to disagree without being disagreeable!" For the record, I thought the sleeveless was inapproriate and I am a young BLACK woman Obama voter in my early 30's. We can dislike the outfit and still love the person, which most of the posters on this board do. I for myself, absolutely ADORE Mrs. O and the fresh breath of air she brings to fashion, but protocol is protocol.
ZL, one of the posters under "Isn't She Lovely" actually took the trouble to find a photo of Jackie Kennedy at a State of the Union address in a sleeveless dress. I tried to open it, but could not. I am not saying that the fact that Jackie did it will make it acceptable to those who found Michelle's choice of dress in Congress inappropriate, but there is a precedent if that makes a difference.
@ dlev, i dig it. dig the belt too.
The second photo (the one the post said was in color) opened for me, and sure enough, there was Jackie Kennedy in the congressional chamber watching her husband's state of the union (which is always in the winter) in a sleeveless dress. There's been a ton in the news about FLOTUS's choice; strange that no one else seems to have made the connection.
hmm...just google for
jackie kennedy state of the union address
and its the first link. That should give some perspective to the outraged Talibans under training here, but check out Jackie's hairstyle too..very similar.
Bevi, you are right, but I still do not like Mrs. O's dress in that setting. The sleeveless was wrong on Mrs. Kennedy and wrong on Mrs. O too. I also did not like that the shiny fabric and neckline of Mrs. O's dress made it look more coktail-like. And guys, please, let us keep it civil. This is a great site. Please be tolerant of views different from our own. I appreciated Bevi's friendly correction, but there is no need to call each other names. Let's merge our red and blue style views into a beautiful "purple" panorama :)
I have made the observation before that I think Michelle does her research and is having fun evoking fashion statements of "first ladies past" with her own spin put on. She is a very smart lady, she loves history, and I can't wait to see how she evokes Mamie or Eleanor Roosevelt! She uses her head for something other than a hat rack. We are so fortunate that she is into clothes in such an intelligent way.
Someone commented under the "Isn't She Lovely " post that Michelle looked like a Supreme - I think that Michelle actually takes all sorts of antecedents into account when she dresses. She is such a global thinker and so sensitive to the time, the place, the event.
I love this woman - can you tell?
Here's link for the photo of Jackie Kennedy at the State of the Union with no sleeves - color version of the photo that will open:
http://tinyurl.com/cufeky
Jackie Kennedy at the SOTU, interesting historial perspective:
http://pro.corbis.com/search/Enlargement.aspx?CID=isg&mediauid=%7B25A7E78E-D7BC-4C30-970C-A5812B7C0601%7D
Bevi, me too!
Hey All - I thought I had posted this before, but I guess not. Unfortuantely the blazer is not J. Crew.
WSinDC - Love the frontline report. Any other highlights we missed?
Suji, thank you! I had tried following the link posted earlier in the other thread and it did not work for me...
WELL WHAT DO YOU KNOW! That really is striking. I actually did question Mrs. O's choice to wear a sleeveless dress (though I wasn't hysterical about it like some people) but this puts a different spin on it. I really wish we had had that picture a few days ago when the whole sleeveless frenzy began! NOT because "If Jackie does it then it must be great", but rather because if both Mrs. O and Jackie break the same "rule" then you know it must be a very stupid rule!
I am now feeling guilty that I had such a knee-jerk reaction about what's "proper". Obviously, the lady is wearing a formal dress, looked really great, AND is not even the first person to bare her arms for this event.
I hope this will settle the debate once and for all.