A Wednesday Evening Dinner Party
Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at 8:33 PM 
The President and First Lady Mrs. O are hosting a dinner in the East Room of the White House this evening, entertaining the congressional committee chairmen, their Republican counterparts and their spouses - 180 guests in total.
Mrs. O is wearing a black velvet pant suit, paired with her oversize Moschino pearl cluster brooch. Said brooch has become a new staple accessory in Mrs. O's wardrobe. Speaking of accessories, a few people have asked about the new watch on Mrs. O's wrist recently, here and in her White House portrait. We've just learned it's a classic Cartier Tank Francaise watch. Fancy!
While this jazzy pantsuit may seem to break with Mrs. O penchant for dresses, it's not unprecedented. The palazzo pants remind us of this Isabel Toledo ensemble Mrs. O wore in June for the Calvin Klein fundraiser event in New York City, paired with a Tom Binns necklace (and repeatedly praised by the editors of Vogue). Though we're partial to a good dress, we love that Mrs. O continues to keep us on our sartorial toes with her easy elegance.
Reader Comments (71)
I know it's off topic, but after Jenna explained the food situation to me, I find myself fascinated by it. I just have no idea how that works! Do they have to say every day what they would like for dinner? Can they wander down to the kitchen and make themselves a sandwich?
I'm going to guess that they're probably presented several menu choices for their personal dining. But I just wonder what happens if someone in the family were to just have a craving for, say, red velvet cake. Can you just tell someone, and then an hour or two later, there's your cake? That is NICE.
I love this outfit, as I love most of Mrs. Obama's clothes.
Truth is though, that if Mrs. O. wore Edith Bunker's housecoat, I bet she would still manage to look smashing!
During the Clinton administration, a small family kitchen was built into the private quarters of the White House so that they could have facilities to make breakfast and lunch and dine privately with Chelsea. I don't know if that kitchen is still there. I haven't read anything about it.
I think the Obamas pay for entertaining their own friends/family--but the sort of entertaining they did on Wednesday is paid for by the government.
I'm getting really tired of the word "hater." There are plenty of supporters of the Obamas who may comment on sleevelessnes or whatever. It's not soft racism. I am not at all opposed to Mrs. Obama being sleeveless at all. She has lovely arms--and dresses well. I don't think she has to be fashion forward all the time. There is a time and place for that and a time to not be center stage.
There is a new video of Mrs O. She went to DC soup kitchen
@ susan, that comment was soft racism in its own right. A troll does that to hijack a conversation. Click the report comment link so the blog owners can remove it.
Here is a pic
http://www.daylife.com/photo/05c4cOm8Zb4yc/Michelle_Obama
Excuse me Jen? Are you saying that my comment was soft racism? I don't think I understand. I have been a Democratic precinct chairman, helped organize our neighborhood for Obama, have an Obama bumper sticker on my car, contributed (many times) to his campaign, had a party at our house the night before he took office to celebrate. I am thrilled he is our President and admire Michelle very much. That does not mean I cannot critique her wardrobe choices. I'm in favor of sleeveless--but understand that some are not. Yes, there are trolls here---but not all who criticize fall in that category.
elegant and simple, love it.
here's a pic of Mrs.Obama feeding the homeless.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/slideshow/ALeqM5gF6i4iEHstfMbiVDziPEgI7m6pFAD96O1J6O0?index=0
for the love of God, why are people bringing pointless out of topic on every damn thread. Jen, nothing Susan said was remotely racist, unless I missed a post here. Can we stop this nonsense.
No the comment you were referring to in your post is the one that was. The one I recommend you report. Trust me we're on the same page when it comes to criticizing.
Jen, I prefer to take comments at face value and respond--unless they are obviously ugly. Sometimes it is just best to approach things that way. I think you may be commenting on Cristina's post--about food service in the White House. What she obviously knows if that the Obamas get the same perks as anyone else who has lived in the White House. They are not treated differently. There SHOULD be perks to the job--it's a tough job and very stressful. Whoever serves as President and First Lady need all the support we can give them.
The family kitchen at the White House was put in by Jackie Kennedy. Here is a link to photos and the history of the kitchen:
http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/floor2/kitchen.htm
Also on that link you can click on the RESIDENCE tab at the top of the page, then click on the drop down floors of the residence to get the floor plan, then click on each room to see photos. Third floor has the exercise room, music room, greenhouse, solarium, extra guest rooms, etc. The second floor is the main living quarters for the first family: which includes photos of the Master Bedroom and Master Dressing room. Of course the photos have not yet been updated since the Obamas have moved in - looking forward to that!
I'm a little bit confused by the notion that every outfit the FLOTUS wears has to be statement-making. That an abusurd expectation to for anyone let alone a person publicly visible nearly every day. To think that every outfit is going to have a WOW factor is not realistic.
She looks great!!!! and I really like this outfit, should be in the top 10 of outfits she's worn ...... And most importantly it seems to me the first lady has really thrived since moving to the WH, her smile is genuine and she seems really well-adjusted to this life considering its only been about 6-7 weeks in.....
I think the pansuit should be a key piece of any women's wardrobe. The fabric makes it more dressy and the brooch adds her own touch that makes the outfit her own.
As far as the flats, because she's so tall I would imagine, one she doesn't want to stand taller than the POTUS and two, she doesn't want to stand over her guests. IF you are trying to be accessible towering over somebody is not the best way to go about it.
Wait, huh? I acknowledge that my food comment was off topic, but it wasn't "hating" or racist. I'm confused.
I do agree that it's tiresome to have everyone who doesn't LOVE LOVE LOVE an outfit being called a "hater." And I'm speaking as someone who is a Michelle stan. Sometimes clothes are just clothes; I'm sure Michelle feels the same way.
Once long ago my little stepson would visit. One day he took his basketball out into our cul-de-sac and started a pickup game with some little neighbor boys who didn't previously know him. Stepson was a rather lonely little kid, so I was thrilled. But soon he took over, began to make rules, and finally threatened to take his ball and go home. From then on there were no more pickup games and the other kids didn't bother with him.
Consider this a cautionary tale re this blog. Those who throw hater and other labels around indiscriminately will find themselves very much alone here.
I absolutely love how comfortable and elegant she looks in this outfit. If I wasn't 5 feet tall, I would look for a similar entertaining ensemble. On a side note, I really hate how people are reading WAY too much into Mrs. O's clothing choices. Everybody has different looks in their wardrobe, so why can't Mrs. O change it up without their being a reason behind it. I'm sure she will wear a sleeveless sheath some time next week that we will all love, but in the meantime I'm loving the black suit!
What the heck is "soft" racism? Racism is racism, period.
Oh BeeGee, we just can't wait for you to take your ball and go home-
Frankly, it would be good riddance and a much more pleasant and fun blog if we could rid this blog of your naysayer ilk - believe me!
Many of us come her to celebrate Mrs Obama and if we ever needed to feed our sadistic desire for snark and underhanded sniping at the first lady, there's a ton of alternative blog sites such as those at fox etc. that offer that and we might visit instead.
Call it what you like, many of us come here for, (and absolutely savor) what you dismiss as a gushfest -
Few venues exist for positive Mrs Obama banter and we sure as hell aren't going to let you or anybody else take this one priceless offing away from us-
You on the other hand can find a ton of "differing" opinion sites better suited for your desire to put down...We don't have that luxury -
Emily, I understand how you feel, but if you were to go back and look at what BeeGee has said, there was zero "putdowns" of Mrs. O in this thread. None at all. Unless you consider "relaxed", "understated" and "elegant" to be a putdown of the outfit Mrs. O wore on Wednesday.
If we all *must* attack each other, attack the right person.
Did anyone ever figure out whose flats those were that Michelle wore with the black velvet pantsuit?