Pleats and Pearls
Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 9:42 PM 
White House Photo / Samantha Appleton
What a tremendously busy day for Mrs. O! It seems the First Lady also hosted Jordan's Queen Rania in the Yellow Oval Room at the White House this afternoon. First Lady Mrs. O wears a pleated taupe chiffon dress, last seen for a daytime event during the Democratic National Convention. See our earlier post here. This dress is one that eludes us. Truth be told, we've spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to identify it. We've wondered if the March issue of Vogue perhaps held a clue.
In his interview with Mrs. O, the great Andre Leon Talley wrote, "The day of our interview at the Hay-Adams, she wears a soft, silk-crepe accordion-pleat dress by 34-year-old Thakoon Panichgul." If only he had hinted at the color!
Update: The dress has been confirmed as Rodarte! The dress is from the Mulleavy sisters' Fall Winter 2007 collection. It is 100% linen, with a feather bow belt. An additional image of the dress can be seen here. Mrs. O also wears a trio of glass pearl necklaces by Erickson Beamon, from their "Peace at Last" collection. The necklaces can be seen in detail, here.
Erickson Beamon, Rodarte in Outfits
Reader Comments (171)
I heard a commentator on CNN mention that the 100 days rule should be done away with. I agree! Its a media-created phenomenon. In my opinion 100 days doesn't define an administration, or how a person will carry out a role.
As far as the issue of domesticity, the purpose of the woman's rights movement was equality which translates to freedom of choice. The freedom to be whatever you want to be. The position of First Lady is powerful in and of itself. The fact that a descendant of American slaves is First Lady is even more powerful, whether she tackles policy or chooses rather to be mom-in-chief. Everyday she is making history!
I personally believe that Mrs. O will continue to be herself. She is a multi-faceted, extremely talented and intelligent woman. She is such a complete package and so 21st century that as O has said, "there is really no one to compare her to." I personally believe that with Mrs. O and this new era, the best is yet to come! I'm just looking forward to the journey.
The NY Times article was a bit of a prod, IMO, to try and build some support for Mrs. O to take on some more policy positions. And I believe it is in order for NY Times to have more to write about. It's hard to criticize her for spending time mentoring kids, visiting food banks, and aiding military families. But if she weighs in on cap and trade - it's open season.
I think Mrs. O is doing fine. The media wants so badly to write the downfall of the Obamas, you can practically see it in so many of the articles written about them. "Everything is great now, but..."
In an interview of Mrs. O's, she specifically said that her job is to make sure her kids are doing well, and to support the President - her husband. I honestly believe she has a general distaste for politics, therefore I would be surprised if she delves deeply into policy initiatives that are highly political. And I wouldn't blame her.
That NY Times article was a definite prod, to try to make it seem that all that Michelle has done is still not good enough until she weighs in on policy issues. If it were safer for Michelle to do that, I'd say go for it, but they are gunning for anything to bring the Obamas down. It may never be safe for her until the President is out of office or close to it. She's always disliked politics, but always loved and supported her husband. She will never run for public office, but she champions many forms of public service--which I love. But I think we should expect more articles like this from the media to try to push Michelle to policy engagement. But she's picked some substantive issues to work with so she'll never be silent, and I love all that she has done in such a short time. And she has already begun to define herself before the press has a chance. Does anyone notice how fast and quick the Obamas are--they juggle so much at one time that the press don't know what to do and sometimes want them to slow down so they can label them.
@Janelle - I have long thought that one of the reasons the Obamas are so busy is not only because there is just so much to do, but also to keep everyone engaged and on their toes. When the media is bored, they will get overly imaginative in their reporting. Keep 'em busy, keep 'em learning about the various initiatives, policies, and subjects that Mr. and Mrs. O are pushing, and they don't have much time to gossip, speculate, and cause trouble.
We've got a clever team in the White House.
Hello everyone,
This is my first time posting here even though I have lurked around to read your wonderful (and sometimes not so wonderful) conversations.
I completely agree with Iva's views stated above. Michelle is waging a stealth revolution on her OWN terms, erasing long-entrenched stereotypes of black women one stereotype at a time. The debate among feminists about her "momification" quite interesting considering the fact that during the second wave feminist movement, Betty Friedan's cry for women to break free of their sequestration in the private sphere in America's suburbia in her _Feminine Mystique_ was never an agenda that black, working class and other women of color shared.
Michelle has WORKED ALL her adult life and borne a hefty portion of the financial and emotional support of her family. She does NOT need to prove her professional and feminist bona fides to ANYONE. None, NADA. So, for Michelle, this is a period of DESERVED scale-back, and dare I say, leisure. Her forebears never had the luxury of leisure, nor the choice to decide their lot in life.
Even the sight of her in that White House garden tilling the soil as HER CHOICE, is a powerful inversion of the history of plantation slavery where black women tilled the soil as chattel equal to slave men, not to mention the expropriation of their offspring.
There is a load of heavy psychological debris that she is clearing one bushel-ful at a time. And I'm glad she is NOT going to allow herself to be rushed or coerced into any agendas. NOT this time. Michelle will be Michelle. She will be NOBODY"S superwoman. And I love that.
Oops I was referring to Janelle's post as the one I agreed with. Sorry about the mistake.
@ Zizi,
"Michelle is waging a stealth revolution on her own terms"
Wonderfully said! I just love watching her in the garden and at other events that she chooses to do. I observe her clothes, but I observe a whole lot more. She's doing her "stealth revolution" by her deeds and her fashion at the same time...I love this site. There's a lot of intelligent folks over here.
Mrs. O slideshow @ NYT:
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2009/04/25/us/politics/20090425MICHELLE_index.html
related article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/25/us/politics/25michelle.html
I just want to echo MJMR's comment:
Mrs. Obama looks her best when she dresses with simple, chic, elegant and uncomplicated wardrobe pieces - like the black dress on her Europe trip, the elegant dress at the governors' dinner and this one with the Queen of Jordan.
Well said! I was questioned for using the word "messy" to describe some of her outfits since "messy" obviously suggests an unkempt appearance, and that is clearly never the case for Mrs. O. However, I think wearing too many layers that don't go together or clothes that don't fit properly and that bunch and poof in the wrong places also create a "messy" look. And when someone has the wonderfully sleek, toned body that MO has, there's never a reason to wear anything other than "simple, chic, elegant, and uncomplicated" pieces that enhance rather than distract from the natural assets.
But then I think that making MO a fashion icon was our (the adoring public's) idea--not hers! I think she is far more interested in the substantive issues that have come to define her life and in making a lasting contribution--on her own terms!--to our country. And that's the really exciting thing to watch!
It makes my head spins just thinking about what Michelle has done in less than 100 days. She has moved into new home, moved her children into different schools, has done interviews and magazine shoots, met with the families of the military, given several speeches at the cabinet departments, attended the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act bill signing and also The Edward Kennedy National Service bill signing, traveled a week and a half in Europe, planted the White House kitchen garden, planted a tree at the Kenilworth Aquatic Garden, hosted an Open House and the Easter Egg Roll at the White House along with the Governors Dinner and weekly cocktail parties, spoke at the Stevie Wonder tribute, spoke at 'Bring your kids to work Day', spoke at the Sweet Honey in the Rock event at the WH, etc. etc. etc.
If it were me I would be saying "let me off of this merry-go-round and let me take a nap!"
"I heard a commentator on CNN mention that the 100 days rule should be done away with."
There is no such "rule". The "first 100 days" phrase was first used by FDR to describe the period in which he intended to push through legislation to deal with the depression. Since then, it's been common for the press (AND politicians themselves) to speak of an administration's "first 100 days", but it's never been more than a catchphrase.
(JFK used it in his inaugural address: "All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.")
ZiZi, you bring up the excellent point that the seeming disconnect between domesticity and working outside the home is something that perhaps resonates more with non-minority women...black women, by and large, have had little choice but to work and to raise children at the same time.
To be honest, is that "stifled suburban housewife" image true for most women? I've got to think that many a lower-income family, or immigrant family to this country, also faced the same issues as black women have -- you work because you have to. You raise the kids because you have to. There's no "either-or" -- you have to navigate both systems to survive.
i want a tshirt to commemorate the first 100 days of the best POTUS and FLOTUS ever.
There is so much intelligent commentary on this website, it does one's heart good to come here. I am often ambivalent about following Michelle's fashion obsessively because I am interested in her for so much more than that. But I am convinced that her fashion (and its reception) is an important vehicle for her ideas, or policies if you will.
So many wonderful points have been made here. . . Zizi's that "there is a load of heavy psychological debris that she is clearing one bushel-ful at a time". . . and Janelle's reply, "I observe her clothes, but I observe a whole lot more". . . I think we all do. That's why this website, though it's devoted to such a seemingly trivial subject as "style" becomes more interesting every day, not less.
I previously argued for a change in the site's format to allow for broader discussion of these issues, but I may have been wrong. All the issues eventually get dealt with here in the same way that the First Lady deals with them. . . stealth-fully!
I agree with Zizi's point, cosigned by Christina, that much of the theoretical analysis underlying mainstream (i.e. white) feminism is not shared by the other feminisms out there. The idea that Michelle Obama is somehow betraying her education by opting not to "work" contains almost too limited a concept of what "work" is to be worth contesting. Sadly, the "work" of expanding the definitions of each class and race of women's experience, of overcoming those stereotypes, seems endless and can't be repeated often enough.
As African American and other women, we are so lucky to have a First Lady who intellectually understands the task and the unique opportunity before her. I agree with Janelle and others who say that the mainstream media are trying to set up the Obamas for a "bring down." But both of them are cleverly slipping the net.
For now, I still see mainstream feminism as part of the problem --- it has, almost by definition, a more powerful presence in mainstream media than other feminisms. But I am hoping mainstream feminism will gradually learn more about the "intersectionality" of women's issues as the First Lady's work continues. However, up to now, there have been few signs of this. It may prove difficult for many to accept the relativization of their own experience and intellectual position.
Perhaps we'll know things have definitely changed if one day we can log on to Salon and read that Rebecca Traister has written a retraction.
Picture #7 of the NY Times slideshow, with Mrs. O and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy is really interesting. Mrs. O never carries a purse, and now I see partly why. She was touching and greeting all of the people, and Mrs. B-S was smiling, clutching her purse. The purse is a nice accessory to put some distance between people.
Just an interesting tid-bit.
As someone in her 20s, who's gotten a law degree, and currently works in "corporate America" I will say that many of us similarly situated women are looking forward to settling down, having children, and enjoying family life as fully as we have enjoyed our educational and professional pursuits.
I think times will change with my generation, where taking care of family and volunteering and doing less "professional" things can be seen as worthy pursuits and not as pushing back the cause of feminism.
Yay! I'm glad to see the wonderful discussion that is taking place here. Hyde Parker, thanks for the clarification on the 100 days origin. Although it may indeed be a catchphrase, it is presented through the media as a standard that can "make or break" an administration. I just feel that its too constricting.
However, I looked came across an article day tracing President Obama's first 100 days, and I'd say his has been nothing short of miraculous...
If I were him and Mrs. O, I would be utterly exhausted!
Wow, I made one too many typos in that last message - let's try again.
Yay! I’m glad to see the wonderful discussion that is taking place here. Hyde Parker, thanks for the clarification on the 100 days origin. Although it may indeed be a catchphrase, it is presented through the media as a standard that can “make or break” an administration. I just feel that its too constricting.
However, I came across an article today tracing President Obama’s first 100 days, and I’d say his has been nothing short of miraculous…
If I were him or Mrs. O, I would be utterly exhausted!
I feel like if there is an auction about Mrs O hug, i will win the auction.
American-n-Rome: Sorry, but I am a hugger, too and you will not win!!!!She just can't help herself and neither can I. It's just automatic.....The Queen could not resist and now I know why. Michelle did her homework and brought back some warm, fond memories. And that is the sign of a TRUE HUGGER!!!
Uh oh ...
From Politico dot com:
Robert Gibbs said on Saturday that "the President's trip to Mexico has NOT put his health in any danger." According to reports, Obama was guided through a Mexico’s City museum by Felipe Solis, who passed away the next day and reportedly had flu-like symptoms.
Ahh, this is one of my favorite Mrs O looks! I love this dress.
By the way, a little suggestion for the site: You could add the "European tour" as a category of its own (alongside Art, Designers, DNC 2008 etc). That way, it would be easy to find the posts.
Yeah, "Ms. G," you're a troll too.
Everyone, this site isn't Mrs. T's full-time job, so let's not be super demanding of her. We aren't paying anything to be here, and I hope she is out enjoying a beautiful Sunday, as all the rest of us should be. I'm sure she'll be back to take out the trash when she has a chance.
In the meantime, let's all just relax and enjoy the day (unless it's gone straight to summer where you are, like it has here -- 90+ degrees today!!)
I'm very sorry, our troll was back overnight and up to her usual antics. I've deleted all of the comments and blocked the IP address.
Please know that we go to great lengths to prevent this from happening - and that I personally monitor the comments on an ongoing basis.
Thanks Mrs. T--I know you're working very hard because as blogs go, this is one of my favorite sites and is truly superior quality.
Just goes to show you the negativity out there and the craziness. This site is a wonderful oasis for me in the blogosphere during the day.
Excuse me! I am NOT a troll! I was neither scolding Mrs. T nor trying to impose on her Sunday leisure time. My comments, like those from a number of other posters, were aimed at the people who posted the offensive remarks, not at Mrs. T, who does a beautiful job maintaining the site.
Thank you, Mrs. T, for your prompt action.
Had no idea about the troll. I just wanted to thank Mrs T and everyone for this site! I'm in a different time zone to most on here so excuses to those for whom this is a late night post.
Wait, so the President's tour guide died THE VERY NEXT DAY after he interacted with the president???? Isn't the swine flu contagious...? So he actually could have infected Obama. That is truly insane and scary. Gosh, what good luck that he didn't.
Fave dress.
I think the approach Mrs.O has taken in her first almost 100 days is the best. I think she recognized that a lot of people didn't know her well and had certain stereotypes of her as a black woman. Some people thought she'd dive into policy for sure. I think she realised that she had to get the public used to the idea of a black First Lady. So the interviews and activities she participated in are geared at doing so.
I don't believe that she is interested in the policy details on Iraq or Afghanistan but I do believe she is very interested in domestic policy details on issues that are close to her heart. For example, recent issues like National Service and Student Loans. She can't make policy but she can shape it and I think she is doing so behind the scenes.
She knows that there are many people out there that want to use her to damage her husband or are looking for anything to distract him or take him off his game and she won't give them the ammunition for any of that.
More photos please. I need my fashion fix on weekends too.
For those having weekend fashion withdrawal, you might want to take a look back at a sampling of outfits from Sex & the City, especially Carrie's, whose mix and matching adventurousness (and belts, flowers and bows) affected so many, possibly even Mrs. O!
http://www.hbo.com/city/look/carrie_1.shtml
Sorry Ms. G., but since the troll impersonates common user names, it's hard to tell who's who. Maybe it's better when you see the comments not to respond. Just report them and move on, because any kind of "I'm so shocked! How dare you!" reaction is what this person is looking for.
@Posh Tater: same old stuff. Nothing worth rehashing.
Thanks, Christina. I honestly had no idea there were such things going on; so when I saw the outrageous comments, I just couldn't help responding. Now that I know who's doing it, I'll know what to do next time.
Mrs. T,
I just noticed that several comments have been deleted, including your comment that explains what the troll has done and the fact that she/he has access to our personal information. I think you should re-instate your personal comments so our blogger community is aware of what has happened.
FYI - It seems the troll was back last night. Just so everyone is aware, this person likes to impersonate site regulars (including me this time!). If you read a comment from a site regular that is inappropriate, or a string of inappropriate comments, please assume it's the troll and that i'll quickly be deleting the comments and blocking the IP. The less emotional we are in response (easier said than done, I know...), the less he/she wins.
We are looking into longer term measures - such as user registration - to prevent this.
Hi Bevi, It seems the troll likes to pose as me as well. I didn't leave the comment you're referring to - the troll did. He/she absolutely does not have access to any personal information. Again, another tactic to disrupt the community.
Loving this color on Mrs. O..brown on brown, yes I will defintely be searching for this color today! lol
@ Mrs. T: Thanks for all that you do.
@ Elaine B: Thanks for that SATC link! That was a fun retrospective.
Mara, I'm sure Mrs. O looks alot better in her outfits than the ones you "attempt" to wear.
@ Mrs.T: you can ask the web designer of this site to put a check so that no one can use an already used user ID and email address so that no one can impersonate an existing user.
I suspect that Mrs. T might not have known how popular this website would get! I remember when there used to be a handful of comments per post, now there are routinely dozens, and obviously the site has attracted whackaloons with weird fetishes.
Ignoring seems to be the best policy. It's pretty clear when the impersonation is going on. If you ever see "me" saying something that seems wildly inappropriate, just report it -- I won't mind. (smile)
@ Christina: Thanks for that SATC link! That was a fun retrospective.
You're welcome, that was my first post! And many thanks to all of you; I'm really enjoying this site. Fashionable is the last thing anyone would call me, and even though I was a fan of SATC from the beginning, without reading all the comments here in the past weeks I wouldn't have seen many of the details in those pictures. Now I observe people's clothes in a new, fun way.
Mrs. T,
I think it would be a good thing to have user registration here on the website. It would cut down on the trolls but also we wouldn't have to enter our name and email each time and just stay logged in - which would be a great convenience.
I ran across the link below and thought I'd share.
It is a nice photo trip down memory lane of some of Michelle's outfits:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/FrenchieCat/495
Mara claims that Mrs O is only recently beginning to "step up her game" -
I say, what a load of crock! Mrs O has stayed consistently her, even re-wearing clothes from as far back as the campaign-
How bogus and insincere this attempt to validate meanspirited "criticism-
Heads up ladies (and gents!). Mrs. O will be speaking at a ceremony honoring Sojourner Truth tomorrow along with Sec. Clinton.
Hi Audrey,
Other bloggers have brought up great points about Mrs. O's take on fashion. It seems that for a few people on this blog Mrs. O's sartorial choices are not always "spot on" and I really don't know what qualifies some to dictate the parameters of what that means. I am assuming it is a matter of personal taste, and when Mrs. O wears clothing that displeases people I don't know of any fashion "Bible" that contains commandments Mrs. O is violating. Is there one?
I think we are all in agreement that people can express their opinions pro or con, but sometimes the choice of words that are used to express an opinion can stick in the craw.
I admire Mrs. O so much and wish for her that people put themselves in her lovely shoes every now and then. But she can't please all people all of the time. Who out there can?
ITA, Bevi. While I don't expect people to be as pro-Mrs. O as I admit to be, I feel like the choice of words by some people when expressing their criticism or opinion of an outfit of Mrs. O, or even something she has done or said, can be very condescending and snobby. Most of the time, it reveals more about the person writing the comment, than about Mrs. O.
Well said, IVA.