Leading Ladies
Friday, April 3, 2009 at 9:20 AM 
Photo credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images 
Photo credit: Sean Gallup /Getty Images
In their tour of Europe, the Obamas have traveled to Strasbourg, France for the NATO summit. This stop has been one of the most highly anticipated events of the week, as it brings Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and First Lady Mrs. O, two of the stylish women in the world, face to face, ensemble to ensemble. For their first meeting, Mrs. O wears a custom Thakoon Pixelated Floral Silk Jacquard coat with a coordinating, reverse print dress underneath. The transparent trim on the hem and sleeves of the dress is black mesh elastic. Mrs. O paired the look with her signature Jimmy Choo black kitten heels. How interesting that both women have chosen ensembles featuring a tie neck detail - a coincidence, or perhaps a sign that they're stylistically in tune?
Update: By request, here is a fantastic photo of Mrs. O's dress and coat combination in full effect.
Reader Comments (189)
Beautiful photo of the black dress:
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0eQKfa229V3X2?q=Barack+Obama
wish the camera had caught her with a smile.
lol in all the pictures on yahoo, when the two first ladies are greeting the people most of the french ppl are focused on mrs. o and are reaching for her hand, and taking pics of her. they are barely paying the french lady any attention.
Mary,
I think you meant to say Mrs. Brown.
Mrs. Blair was Tony's wife not Gordon's.
When did she get the new hair stylist and why is the old one no longer doing her hair? I know he was in Chicago and had done her hair for a long time.
Michelle and Carla's dresses were great. I like Michelle color as well.
Gosh I love the LBD that Michelle has on...sophisticated but a little flirty. And love, love, love the hair (is her bang flipped??).
She looks great
Beautiful smile and dress
http://www.daylife.com/photo/07p32bm6jv9pv?q=Barack+Obama
Michelle has really learned to pay attention to the placement of her feet while the cameras are clicking.
I believe Johnny Wright is still doing her hair. He was with Fredric Fekkai in Chicago and began doing her hair during the campaign. She brought him to DC from Chicago.
July 2008 interview with Wright is here. In it he says he began doing her hair "a year ago":
http://www.bellasugar.com/1820064
Mchelle did her damn thing today she looks gorgeous
These two dresses are FAB!! Great fit, very appropriate, just lovely! As far as Oscar de la Renta's comment, I think he has some good points such as wearing a cardigan to meet with the Queen. I think he is dead RIGHT on that one. And I hope the bloogers do not think (as most of the time they do....) that comments are attacks of Mrs. Obama. He is just commenting on the appropriateness of some of the clothing. But today's dresses are just the right ones! I just hope Mrs. O is wearing all those carats of diamonds she wore during the inaguration celebrations!
Okay guys, is it just me or did Carla dye her hair???!!!
It's looks completely different from this morning!!!
I am loving our Mrs. O look. I wish she had on diamond or her wrist, but nevertheless she looks dashing!!!
I'm curious what's inappriate about wearing a cardigan to meet with the Queen, an informal meeting at that?
Well, well. Looks like Mrs O has taken nonpasserat's advice: Lose the pearls, the cardigans, go with the jewel colors. Not bad. This is actually the second best outfit: First best is the coat/dress worn to get on AF1.
Having said that: I hate floppy ties on coats...but Carla's dove grey Dior is otherwise to die for. Yummy. The belt, the neutral color, the three-quarter sleeves....yesss! Great earrings too. She has kind of a Katie-Tom thing with the flats -- I guess she has to. Sarko is really short.
Michelle, well, again, I don't like the tie and I really hate the floral print -- dowdy and boring. The color is beautiful and the cut of the dress -- stunning!
See how easy it is to dress appropriately for age and situation? Imagine if Michelle had worn this outfit to meet the Queen instead of the schlumpy cardiagan and tank top? This would have been PERFECT. Elegant, nicely fitted, even a little staid -- but perfect for meeting royalty. I for one would have applauded.
Carla's dress is really impeccable, like the coat. I have to give her the nod, though Michelle is close.
Now on to the concert pics. I am really pulling for Michelle, believe it or not.
Oh, I just saw another picture....Michelle just put on some bracelets. I can't really see too good but I really didn't see it when she was entering the building.... oohhhh, I'm gonna get fired for not doing my work!! lol This is sooo much fun!
I am completely in love with this black dress. And, Mrs. Obama has on legitimate heels! Love that.
Loving the little black dress. Both Michelle and Carla look very chic. I would wear both of those dresses. And that is how a woman with curvy hips should wear a full skirt. Keep the fullness below the hip, not on it. The black dress is a perfect fit on Mrs. O. I think this is one of her best looks.
As for Oscar De La Renta and the high end crew hating on her clothes, give me a break. Guess who makes Hillary's dowdy suits? Donna Karan and Oscar! Guess who designed Hillary's and Laura's horrendous inaugural gowns? Oscar De La Renta himself! Please, he helped dress two of our most dowdy First Ladies. Give me a break.
I can't stand these high end designers. Maybe they ought to step into real America for once and also step into Michelle Obama's shoes. American's don't like their First Ladies wearing clothes that cost as much as someone's house! We don't. Carla Bruni is lovely and her clothes are lovely, but your average American would be disgusted with a First Lady who went around sporting a $15,000 Dior suit, and rightfully so. These people are just crazy, greedy, and jealous. Now, I wasn't a fan of Mrs. Obama's dress and cardigan she wore to meet the Queen. But it is simply incorrect for Oscar to imply that it was something that you just don't do, as if her attire were inappropriate. And to say that in the largest fashion magazine while Mrs. O is still over in Europe being judged over everything she wears and does, well, that's just wrong. They're a bunch of vipers. They don't care about Michelle. They don't care about her intellect or her ability to inspire or her ability to relate to Americans of all backgrounds. All they see her as is a headless mannequin to wear their clothes and get them some free publicity and big sales. They hate her because they know the power she has, and they're pissed she's not using her power to benefit them. They're pissed she's using her power to let women know that they too can dress like the First Lady...just by going to their local mall and walking into places like J.Crew or the Gap. Oh, how they wish they could have a couple of items sell out in a matter of hours like J. Crew or Black House/White Market. Michelle is for the people. For the way they talked about her, I hope she never wears their snooty overly priced garbage ever!
Wow Wow Wow!!! I LOVE the black dress and hairdo. Very sexy!!
Lyza, I went back an looked at all the photos I think she had the bracelets on, but it was covered by the Pres. holding her hands.
New thread up everybody!...come on over
I think you're right Quita. I am soooo proud right now I can't contain myself.
I also hope our MO doesn't wear Oscar D's clothes. I mean really, does he think she will now rush and buy his clothes after his disparaging comments? What a genius!
Mrs O's evening ensemble is absolute perfection.
She is a fashion dream come true.
This look is a 10 out of 10 as far as I am concerned.
So simple, so chic.
Mrs S also looks amazing - what a day for fashion lovers !
Lyza, my thoughts exactly. Oscar D is only hurting himself.
I love his clothes and think many of them are surprisingly youthful, but the man is living in another era. No cardigan to meet the Queen? Please... did anyone see what Camilla had on? And many, many other experts have weighed in to say Mrs. O's outfit was just perfect.
We just have to remember that there are people who want Mrs. O to look like Jackie Kennedy, with her perfectly-matched dress-and-coat numbers, gloves and all that. They're just from a different era (figuratively or literally). The brilliance of Mrs. O is that she has her own style and lives it; and it works for her. She appeals to all of us -- the quirky/fun fashion crowd and the elegant/sophisticated crowd. It just depends on the outfit of the moment.
Let Oscar and the other designers say what they will. It's their opinion and we don't have to agree with it. We do know, however, that they won't be getting much business any time soon!
I would have to say they are "stylistically in tune"
beautiful dress, Michelle Obama sure made up for that horrid cardigan fashion failure.
Both 1st ladies look great.
LUSH AND GORGEOUS-everything about those outfits. The cut, the prints, and the rich fuchsia/purple colors. Mrs. O is taller than Mrs. Sarkozy! And the latter was the model! Wow...the two most gorgeous first spouses.
Slam dunk - this round to Mrs. O for sure. Carla looks drab, pallid and uninteresting. Mrs. O looks vibrant, fresh and elegant. And OMG, that Thakoon dress shows off her spectacular figure beautifully.
nonpasserat,
Wow, how condescending. I am sure Michelle had someone rush right out and buy new clothes to fit your stuffy views. Yeah.
I love all the outfits Michelle as worn on this trip. Totally her style, very American - unique, beautiful, creative and interesting. LOVE this matching dress and coat.
Michelle's dress is fabulous, LOVE It!
This has to be one of my favorite outfits from the trip. The dress is beautiful and the coat is cool.
That Mrs. O. would look good in anything is beyond question. Her inner beauty and character shine through even the silliest and most self-conscious fashion choices...which are what her current stylists seem to be insisting on. If the purpose, per se, is to promote American designers...how come only designers sold in the shops of her stylists are given her to choose? Think about it. The last time she looked "First Lady" material is when she wore that knockout Maria Pinto dress to the opening of the DNC. Oh, that's right, I forgot - Maria Pinto is not sold in the shops owned by her current stylists. Think about it...
Michelle needs some time... she's a rookie - not a fashion to follow. she looks like a COUCH there in Paris. she may be getting caught up in the buzz & listening to the wrong silly fashion folks. she should stick to the basics to avoid this goofy crap in the future.
oh my some people's comment are interesting to say the least..... How highly does some people fancy themselves in eye-opening..........
Anyway-- I love both outfits. The floral Thakoon is gorgeous. I even like the coat.
I'm not a fan of floral prints for my own taste but I can be objective and think they look good on others. I don't think the print is dowdy at all.
Mrs S... looked great as well.
I think both women stayed true to who they are.
MRs O likes colors and prints... which actually is smart because they look great against her skin tone.
Mrs S.. chooses chic, sophisticated looks. Very French.
Niether tried to play into this Carla vs Michelle thing...
Loved both of their LBD's both suited each perfectly....
As much as I might not have liked some of the ensembles Mrs O has worn so far, she was right to wear the quirky fun pieces in london and the more pared down pieces in France...
So for that she is hitting the mark,
As far as Oscar De la renta, and the others.
I know its been awhile since we've had a first lady to whom we can have fun with in terms of fashion but it is not the First Lady's job to revive the fashion industry.
I think people are projecting too many expectations onto her. I don't remember all of this fuss over dressing Laura Bush, or Barbara Bush. (Mrs Clinton did have her share of fashion criticism) There are a ton of fashion designers I think she should wear, but to demand that she do so is going overboard to me.
Also if he really want Mrs O to come to him for fashion advice, I think a private conversation would have been best, instead of publicly chastising her choices. That is not the way to get an audience with anyone let alone the First Lady.
With the exceptions of the "kooky" and "sparkly" cardigans, Mrs. O. has really hit the fashion ball out of the park during this trip. While it is not true that she "would look good in anything" (no one would), she did a great job overall, both style-wise, and as a great representative of the U.S.
Mrs O and the Queen !!
here : http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7978054.stm
I very much like the pink Thakoon dress. Lovely color and print. Maybe just a tiny bit too tight. However, I don't care for the coat AT ALL. It looks like it is made from a flower curtain - sorry. Don't like the bow on top either. Luckily Mrs S-B looks terribly boring in this picture...
She looks wonderfull, fresh, elegant, I want that clothes.
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