Friday
Feb272009
An End to the Bare Arms Debate
Friday, February 27, 2009 at 11:40 AM
The Washington Post has released a new video interview with White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers. Ms. Rogers weighs in on the role Mrs. O is shaping as First Lady, and yes, even those bare arms. The message? Mrs. O is just being herself. And given it's that strong, confident sense of self that has yielded such an interesting range of fashion that we all so much enjoy, we hope Mrs. O holds on to it tight - and continues to dress as she pleases, bare arms and all.
Video follows after the jump.
tagged Desiree Rogers in Outfits
Desiree Rogers in Outfits
Reader Comments (29)
Very nice!
Mrs Rogers is lovely, I love how she spoke to the fact that Mrs. O is so many things, and she dose not simply go were the wind blow because clearly shes a woman who knows who she is and is confident and YES!, will wear sleeveless, critics be damned. : )
Sign, sealed, delivered.
What a great colleague Desiree is, and to have in Michelle's corner.
I have read some post about the "bare arms" debate. While I would have appreciated a more formal attire for Mrs. O that night, particularly for the first SOTU address, I repect her right to wear what she wants. Also, this does not really settle the debate, as Ms. Rogers agrees there is a certain decorum dictated by events when she says: "I don't know that we should be worried about what people have on. I just think there's so much work to be done. If someone's comfortable in the short sleeves getting their work done, hey, let them wear their short sleeves. Now, had he come to the Governors Dinner in short sleeves, you know, that's a different story." But further down the line she defends Mrs. Obama for wearing sleeveless by saying:"If I want to wear no sleeves to hear my husband speak, that's what I'm going to do." Why not just have one set of rules and stick to them?
There was an interesting piece in yesterday's Chicago Tribune about this whole 'arm' thing. Decide what you will from it; just passing it along.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-schmich-obama-arms-090227,0,6109973.column
Actually, I think Ms. Rogers misinterpreted the interviewer's term 'shirtsleeves' for 'short sleeves'. The interviewer was referring to the President being in the Oval Office in his shirtsleeves. Ms. Rogers started talking about short sleeves and the discussion took off from there.
I have been fascinated by the perspectives given regarding Mrs. O and whether it is 'appropriate' for her to wear sleeveless dresses. I wonder if this issue was discussed back when Mrs. Kennedy wore sleeveless dresses to hear President Kennedy speak?
isonprize, my guess is there were Jackie "sleeveless" detractors, but in this age of electronic, instant feedback, opinions and criticism fly around in an instant.
We have some crackerjack researchers who contribute to this blog who could probably ferret out the Jackie evidence, but I for one am exhausted by the "to sleeve or not to sleeve" debate!
I sure do wish Jackie were here to have a hoot with Michelle about the brouhaha! Jackie is probably rolling her eyes around right now!
Desiree makes a great point - Michelle is confident about who she is. I think the takeaway for those who follow her is: she is her own person.
Desiree does not look like a woman approach 50, she looks great.
I think as Bevi indicated, our 24/7 infotainment media and endless blogs have generating such intense attention like never before. Its interesting that most polls from news to fashion sites, majority do not see the big controversy with the 'sleeveless' argument.
By the way, there is apparently a site titled: Go Sleeveless: http://www.gosleeveless.com/
How to get Michelle Obama's toned arms:
... Rylan Duggan, a personal trainer who runs Go Sleeveless, a blog that instructs women how to tone up flabby arms and "eliminate bat wings," said that in addition to asking how to get "Madonna arms" or "Kelly Ripa arms," clients are now asking about getting "Obama arms."
"The Obama effect has been that women of all ages have been inspired to take responsibility for their health and their body," said Duggan. "As the first lady of the United States, at 44 years old, and with two young children, Mrs. Obama has shown the world that you are never too busy to take care of yourself and look good doing it too," he said.
Exercise advocates are also fans. "She's a great role model," said Jessica Matthews, a continuing education coordinator for the American Council on Exercise. "Women shy away from strength training, because they're afraid of big muscles. She shows nice toned arms and that it's not going to lead to this myth of a bodybuilder type."
Nice, but WAY TOO MANY "you knows". Maybe she'll gain more polish in public speaking. Also, I've been noticing the First Lady in recent print interviews has been employing too many clutch "likes."
One of the great (and REFRESHING) things about our President is his proper and elegant use of the English language. Let's hope all in the Obama White House follow suit.
Ms. Rogers is an attractive woman.
On MSNBC they were talking about Michelle's new WH Official Photo and they just showed a photo of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt sitting at her desk - dressed to the nines for a White House event - in a SLEEVELESS low-cut dress - and she looked great!
I betcha all sort of photos are going to be surfacing now.
People, most of us pro-sleeveless are notsaying that she should never wear it, but just not wear it on some occasion! It is more than OK if she feels that is how she wants to be pictured in her official portrait; it wsas wrong for Congress on that particular ight! Well,also, I was pointing out that even Ms. Rogers talking about the president showing in short sleeves at a state dinner shows that she agrees different events call for different dress codes, be it the President or the First Lady. It does not mean that she can never wear short sleeves, but just take account of the occasion. Or to appease all the sleeve-loving potential 2012 voters, just bring or come with a cover up on and take it off when u get to the event. This way everyone is happy and FLOTUS gets to show off her superb arms.
Part of the art of aging gracefully is not showing too much, even though you may "have it." Trust me, there is immense power in the occassional just-above-the-knee length skirted suit with 3 1/2 " manolo's when they are used to seeing a pantssuit most of the time. Or the oh-so-brief removal of a jacket duing a meeting to reveal the killer arms that your 23 year old daughter would dare to have.
So, we will continue with the comments that although she will look lovely - always in beautiful and very expensive attires and jewelry, she will be sometimes appropriately dressed as First Lady and wife of the President of the United States; and, sometimes she will not be appropriately dressed as First Lady and wife of the President of the United States. Oh - well!
Here’s a link to the photo of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in a sleeveless dress with a VERY plunging neckline - taken before a White House dinner (that I had mentioned up above):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v724/jrosto/1133.jpg
p.s. I posted it on another thread a bit ago by mistake, so I thought I'd come back over to this thread and post it in the right place for ya'll.
I've been reading that those that must find fault are having trouble and so having nothing better to do are now attacking Michelle Obama for wearing sleeveless dresses. (Chicago Times reader.)
Give me a break.
Let Michelle Obama be a role model for being physically fit. Let her be a role model for being able to dress fashionably on a moderate budget. Let her be a role model for displaying her unique style even though she's buying "off the rack" or wearing clothes from two seasons ago.
Yes, you don't have to replace your wardrobe twice a year. Yes, you can look great without breaking the bank.
And yes, you can go sleeveless.
Of all of the things Michelle Obama does, dressing "inappropriately" is certainly not one of them.
(I can't wait for the "she wears white shoes after labor day" attack.)
interesting interview but i need her stop saying "i mean" and "you know".
i am surprised how much people in that age group use those terms.
whenever i hear it, i remember growing up, my parents would lose it when my brothers would say, "you know what i'm saying"......... now i am annoyed when i hear any form of this...lol
I don't know, but there's just something about this social secretary lady Ms. Rogers that makes me very uncomfortable.
She seems so intent on promoting herself. I have never seen so much of any white house social secretary ever before. I saw the complete interview and she seems to want to take credit for everything. Also, when she was asked about the first lady notice her body language. I hate to say it, but I think she is a tad envious of Michelle and is passive agressive in her attempt at outdoing Michelle. She seems to want to emphasize herself and her importance.
She is also rather pedestrian, inarticulate and shallow and quite a poor fit for what should be a discreet, behind the scenes, sophisticated production for the whitehouse at the directive of the first lady.
The first lady has a spokesperson and chief of staff who have maintained the proper protocol of remaing invisible while effectively doing their jobs of supporting the first lady unlike this lady who seems more intent on self-promotion.
I think the Obamas have made quite a mistake in selecting this woman who does not appear to understand the discretion and proper etiquette the role demands. She appears to almost want to usurp the first lady's position and lacks the decorum that comes with the position of social secretary.
Can't help this feeling, but this Desiree Rogers character seems to have her very own agenda and it sure unnerves me.
Oh, Lily, please get a grip! Don't how you jump to these conclusions, but I don't that sense at all!
To me there is nothing inappropriate about bare arms per se. BUT: I read a few weeks ago that President Obama likes to keep his office heated well into the 70's, so if his preference extends to other areas of the White House then that might explain why Ms. O feels comfortable (temperature-wise, as opposed to etiquette-wise) wearing what she does in the dead of winter. So, that's what bothers me, the implication that it's way warmer inside the WH than it is at my house, where we have the thermostat set at 66-68 and no one is going sleeveless! We do this for energy and financial conservation reasons, and I would much prefer to see our first family setting a more prudent example in solidarity with the rest of us this season. By my count, most of the sleeveless styles she wears so beautifully have been photographed inside the WH, while she does wear sleeves at events in other spaces which presumably are cooler.
There appears to be something besides fashion choices behind this controversy. On January 14, 1963, Jackie Kennedy also wore a sleeveless dress to her husbands State of the Union address. (Click or copy and paste the link to see photographic evidence):
http://pro.corbis.com/search/Enlargement.aspx?CID=isg&mediauid={25A7E78E-D7BC-4C30-970C-A5812B7C0601}
What's really behind this criticsim of our First Lady?
To see the photograph of a sleeveless Jackie Kennedy at her husband's State of the Union address in 1963, please copy and paste the address (the hyperlink system on this site doesn't fully link the entire URL):
http://pro.corbis.com/search/Enlargement.aspx?CID=isg&mediauid={25A7E78E-D7BC-4C30-970C-A5812B7C0601}
REally our we now criticizing the president for the supposed thermostat temperature???????
I have to say Ms Rogers is definetly the most visible WHSS I've ever seen but to be fair I've never paid this close attention to the surrounding members of the WH beyond the President and his family and neither has the media so that's part of the inordinate amount of attention Ms Rogers seems to be getting..
I don't get any envy or shallowness from watching her. Ms Rodgers is quite accomplished in her own right.
I will say this wasn't her most articulate interview but my god I find it unnerving how quick we are to put other women down and for what?? Because she is not behaving the way you think she should. I think Mrs O should have all taught us by now, the Obama era will be like no other. They and all the people surrounding them are forging their own paths and people just need to get over it.
I'm as frugal and energy conscious as the next person. Perhaps more so since I have PV panels on my roof and drive a Prius. But I'm not going to quibble about the thermostat at the White House. The building is old and despite what I am sure is exceptional maintenance, I'm also sure it's not very energy efficient and probably quite drafty. I'll bet it's not easy keeping it a decent temperature for concentrating on business. If Obama has to have the thermostat in the 70s to counter the constant opening of doors and drafts going through, fine. (I remember a West Wing episode about a door that was always opening on it's own. I believe it took place in winter. Might be based on fact.) It could be Michelle just runs "hot". I run "cold" because I have a thyroid condition. I'm constantly bundled up when others are in shorts and t-shirts. Now that it's been brought up, I think the criticism may be related to Jackie Kennedy since there has already been criticism of comparisons between Obama and the Kennedys.
I mean to tell ya, I can't beleive this is even news. I know for a fact the OLD RIGHT WINGERS are raising this issue about First Ladies arms/clothes. I hope First Lady continues to wear what she pleases thoroughout President O's term, which I know she will. Here we have a young forty year old couple he both are smarter than the average JOE, who is able to make her own decision on what she desires to waer. HELL, I too would not wear the OLD matronly clothes that past first ladies wore...Are you kidding me! Our First Lady is rockin' what her ma-ma gave her..don't hate, lol! Go ahead on First Lady you got it flaunt it! Your support base loves it...
Some people need to get a life!
Well that was a great interview, well given. Desiree Rogers is obviously a very bright lady. How great for Michelle and her husband to be surrounded with support like that. The interviewer was obviously hellbent on getting a certain angle to the piece, and DR wasn't letting her get a toe-hold! I wouldn't have the patience, I take my hat off to Ms Rogers.
I haven't really been following this story, but just enjoying the recent slew of pictures of Mrs. Obama in wonderful dresses. What is this whole bare arms controversy? Did someone call her out for wearing a sleeveless dress somewhere?
Sorry, but after watching similar interviews with the likes of Valerie Jarret, David Axelrod and Plouffe etc. (by the same interviewer), one can't help but see how self-promoting and self-serving this Ms. Rogers is.
The others, who ironically are very senior mebers of the administration are conscious and respectful while always deferring to the president and first lady; It never ever seems to be about them - Rogers on the other hand comes across as unwilling or unable to do this and seems quietly resentful in this role.
It leaves one unclear as to whether she had a good sense of what this "behind the scenes" job entailed before taking it; as evidenced by the fact that she can't seem to understand that this is really not about her and certainly not the plaform to showcase herself -
Its a job with absolute protocol requirements and as "accomplished" as some insist she is, she remains painfully mediocre and incredibly pedestrian in the execution of this role.
Desiree rogers remains in my opinion, unclear as to the sophisticated discretion and invisibility this position calls for and simply should have passed it up if she couldn't conform and desired something more.
The non-stop publicity grab and flippant divulging of undeveloped white house event plans has absolutely got to stop. Its embarassing-
Valerie Jarrett on the other hand - Now that's a class act through and throgh!
I'm not sure how a Black woman travels through Wellesley, Harvard Business School, and corporate America without being self-promoting. I was shocked that she would accept a role such as White House Social Secretary, which by its very nature is "back office". She is smart, beautiful, and I am very sure does have a game plan. I can't help but admire her and I believe she already is doing a great job transforming the social White House. Oh, by the way, she was featured in a 2004 Vogue for her style and substance.