Petites Robes Noires
Friday, April 3, 2009 at 1:56 PM 
Photo by Pascal Le Segretain /Getty Images 
Photo by Michael Kappeler/AFP/Getty Images
First Lady Mrs. O and President Mr. O pose for photos with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, her husband Joachim Sauer, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy at the NATO summit. Both Mrs. O and Ms. Bruni-Sarkozy have chosen little black dresses for the event. Mrs. O's dress features a fitted bodice and full skirt - a shilouette we've seen her wear throughout the week.
Update: Mrs. O has added a black bolero to her ensemble.
Update: For those wondering about the designer - Mrs. O wears a knit dress by Paris legend Azzedine Alaia, the New York Times has confirmed. (We must also acknowledge our own Mrs. A, who observed similarity to these Alaia dresses and came to the same conclusion. Well spotted Mrs. A!)
One can't help but draw reference to Camelot here, as Mrs. Kennedy famously wowed the French by wearing Givenchy during her 1961 trip to Paris. Was Mrs. O's choice a thoughtful gesture in respect for her host nation? Based on the amount of planning and thought that has obviously gone into this week's wardrobe, we're of the mind that the answer is almost certainly, yes.
Outfits
Reader Comments (281)
where was this? how did i miss this? everyone is so coordinated
I like it! (not on the top of my list), but i like it
Mrs O is elegant and the picture of grace. Wow that LBD is absolutely amazing on her. Love It!
She looks great
Michelle should have wore flats. She looks HUGE compared to everyone else. She looks even taller than the president.
Darn Michelle....you look so GREAT!!! You're killin' them girl! Barack should be cheesing all evening. You know he's looking at her like 'darn..look at what I've got'.
Carla Bruni looks fantastic as well. Both outfits suit them. Bravo ladies!
so far I think this website has the lastest
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama;_ylt=AqMEc21_jPSvGXNEURbArMkKO7gF/im:/090401/ids_photos_wl/r1068315863.jpg/
I loooove this dress.
And also, Carla Bruni's clutch is fantastic.
She is rocking it!!! Effortless!!! The Hair, the dress and yes the shoes (never falt a girl for wearing heels!!!) who cares is she is taller...perhaps we should look it another way, the other are just SHORTER!!!...and NO ONE ever talks about the short people!!!
Melony, I am laughing hysterically at your comment.
Michelle CANNOT win. If she wears flats, many (including me, I admit) criticize her for it. If she wears kitten heels, she still gets criticized. If she wears actual heels...she gets told she should have worn flats!!!!!!
I think she looks incredible. And her hair is beyond adorable. The bangs are incredibly youthful on her.
love both dresses. I think it is important to note that Bruni has transformed herself from a wild rocker chick to the First Lady so this is why she wears very demure clothes even when they are colorful and elegant.
Layo G,
The photo of Michelle wearing the black dress was taken at the NATO concert/dinner at the Kurhaus in Baden-Baden, Germany.
YES!!!!!!!!!
Come on, please! Can you just imagine that gorgeous dress with flats!NOOOOO!
Let her shine with her height; and others will shine with their assets. She is tall - why hide that great asset. Other phots at http://michelleostyle.blogspot.com/
Those bangs are rocking this outfit. Check out this photo on yahoo.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama
The Obamas look fantastic - again.
Michelle is gorgeous in this dress. The dress is incredibly flattering - especially when she is walking/moving. The accessories are perfect too - I believe those are her diamond bangle bracelets.
Any ideas as to who the designer is? I'm wanting to say it's another Isabel Toledo. Very similar to the dress MO wore to see the Queen and to the G20 dinner: sleeveless, closely fitted bodice with a full skirt and a petticoat-ish underlayer peeking out.
I agree MJMR, flats would never have worked with this dress. Try as I might to be diplomatic, I have to say that Michelle is the best dressed on that stage. From head to toe she is on point.
Okay, after reading some other comments, I want to add that my dad always told me to stand tall and be proud of my height, that it was a beautiful thing to be a tall woman. More to love. He was right!
Stunning! Just absolutely stunning in that dress. Love everything about it. Carla B looks very pretty as well.
Well, it seems Mrs. O just can't win in the shoe department!! When she wears flats, people say she should wear heels. Now she's worn heels all week, and people are saying she should be wearing flats. What's a first lady to do?
I like the dress, although I think more fitted skirts are more flattering on her.
Wow Wow Wow!! I LOVE the black dress and new hairdo. Very Sexy! When Mrs. Obama hits it out of te park she really hits it. I think that is sometimes what she is trying to do. Sometimes she dresses conservative, sometime a little frumpy, sometimes different and then wham Sexy! This and the green skirt she had on and cardigan are my two favorite outfits on her. I love it when she dresses classy and sexy at the same time! She has a GREAT body. And to think she is smart too. I see Why President Obama is married to her
This dress reminds me of both the dress she wore to the Campaign workers Inauguration gala and the skirt she wore when she went with the president to the school. I know those were by two different designers. Mrs. T, any word on if this dress is by either of those designers?
Sarah brown needs a makeover
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama;_ylt=AqMEc21_jPSvGXNEURbArMkKO7gF/im:/090403/481/vlm12804031801/#photoViewer=/090403/ids_photos_wl/r2338453095.jpg
Look at this photo:
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama/im:/090403/481/vlm12804031801/#photoViewer=/090403/ids_photos_wl/r2338453095.jpg
Good lord! Someone get Sarah Brown a stylist! The beige shoes with the black hose is horrid! Michelle looks ten times better standing next to her.
Also, has anyone seen a picture of the front of Mrs. Brown's outfit? I'm confused as to her choice of beige shoes and dark hose with a royal blue dress...
I'm speechless!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOWWWWWWWWWW, the hair, the dress and her skin is so radiant! Love it!
@ Tess: Thanks for talking me down on the last thread regarding the high-end designers (Oscar/Karan/Wang)criticizing Michelle. The big egos are out in full force and want some money and attention too I guess.
I want Mrs. O's dress to buy for myself. I'm a little too hippy to wear Carla Bruni's outfit, although it is gorgeous too. Michelle's is just more attainable for my body type.
people people people, can we stop with the Sarah Brown trashing....since this is not a site dedicated to Mrs. Brown, let's not trash her, and instead highlight the positives (i mean, yes, i totally get your sentiment, but still, its just not nice)
Mrs. O does seem to stand out in the crowd.....and I also forgot to mention in my first comment, Carla B. looks very nice as well...i like the dress.....her and Mrs. O must be on the same page, because they have been coordinating of some sorts today (the bow on the boats this morning, now the black)....the get eachother, they're style divas....i love it! lol
orThis dress is perfect and I can see myself wear it. Anyone knows the designer? I really want this dress. I hope it's affordable or my husband will have to kill me.
Layo G, you're right!
I love Mrs O. Got my self a girl crush. The Oscar/Karen/Wang fiasco is jealousy. She's the muse that they can only dream of having. Anywho, I like that you have to guess with Michelle what kind of style, color, prints, patterns she will wear. She has a lot of versatility which makes it fun to follow her. She is a beautiful person inside and out.
This is the best picture I have seen of the dress, the hair, and the makeup.
http://www.daylife.com/photo/07p32bm6jv9pv?q=Barack+Obama
They all look fantastic! The dress is a little bit more detailed than the standard little black dress.
Mrs. O and Carla Bruni both look gorgeous. Well played, ladies.
Don't you wish sometimes you could go into Michelle's closet and mix and match? I would pair the Jason Wu, meet the queen swing coat with the fuschia Thakoon dress of today. Another thing I would try is the argyle cardigan with that black pleated skirt that she wore reading to school children back in DC.
Agreed Layo G--
From what I've heard, Mrs. Brown is a reluctant public figure who has dealt with the death of a child. I'm very sensitive about being hard on her once I learned more about her.
I sincerely believe that no one walks out the door trying to look bad. Some days are just better than others and I'm sure it's quite a feat to host a G20 summit and you don't care to be in the limelight.
AWESOME! She looks lovely here. Love the full skirt here, which is a tad shorter and less full than some of the other similar dresses she's worn. And, with the heels, her legs are looking fabulous. Can't wait to see this dress in motion. The different skirt textures are fun and flirty and are best in black. Love. It.
Carla's dress is terrific, too (and give me that clutch, now) but round 2 goes to Michelle handily!!
Sarah Brown's dress is....uhm "interesting." lol. Seriously Melony, flats with this gorgeous dress? I don't think so.
Mrs. O is Princeton/Harvard Law educated and looks better than the supermodel standing just a few feet away!!....don't you just "hate" her? LOL
This look is a 10! And if someone doesn't like, then they are truly HATERS (and I don't even like calling people that).
Mmmmm. I like it all, even Merkel's droll outfit. I have to say that Michelle's cut of choice -- the fitted bodice and full skirt -- makes her look high-waisted. I can see she likes she shape it gives her. I don't like the petticoats and crinolines, though. Sorry, I just don't.
Having said that, she looks great, very appropriate (once you understand that there will be petticoats and ruffles) this is a very good look. Shoes, perfect. Hair, very pretty and feminine. Best of all, no pearls.
Bruni's demure, fitted high-necked dress is gorgeous, perfet LBD. I was about to declare a tie when I saw Carla's lavender clutch purse...perfect accent...peau de soie? I can't tell.
The thing is, I think Michelle looks great, I am proud of her....but I want Carla's purse and her Dior coat!
I disagree that flats would have looked bad w/ this dress. Flats are different kinds, and one with tiny tiny heels but a sophisticated buckle on the front would have been nice.
My problem is michelle chooses good outfits but many are off "based on the occasion". When she has things to do alone, like going to a charity event, or even the meetings with Sara Brown since the president and many other people are not present it's better to wear moderate heels, sth you would wear at a law firm setting. But in big gatherings like this, you don't want to stand out against your own husband. I believe this is mostly why Carla Bruni wears flat, she gets it.
I am tall myself, and I agree you should be proud of it, but I still believe women should have elegance and if you're tall already, wearing heel makes you feel huge.
She is beautiful and the bangs are a great look on her. She has really inspired me to work on my own look. (And inspired me in other ways too!)
Mimi: If it's not affordable, perhaps you can find something similar?
The president and first lady are almost too good looking for politics.
Melony - I disagree. I am a lawyer in a big corporate law firm setting and I, and plenty of others, wear flats all the time.
We have to get over this antiquated notion of what's appropriate. What's appropriate now is what is comfortable and flattering to the person wearing the outfit.
I wish we could lay off of Sarah Brown a little. I admit that she could use a stylist but for some women it's just not that important or they lack the fashion gene as Hillary Clinton has said about herself.
Adorable!!! And, pfft to telling tall gals to wear flats, IMO. Nice choice of the faux pearl bracelet and minimal acessories. If she'd added the necklace, it would have been a bit too much.
Ms. Bruni-Sarkosy looks amazing as well (the flipped hair is adorable, I love the great detail work on the dress), and I love how Chancellor Merkel's outfit is age-appropriate and flattering for her figure. This is especially good, because the pant is the right cut, but not of a clingy fabric, and the jacket's length hits at the correct hip-level.
I want that dress. anyone knows who the designer is? Maybe politico has the info?
Also a note for the whole Harvard/Princeton thing: I am ivy-league educated too and I never ever make judgments about people based on where they got their degree from. You'd be surprised how many idiots come out of ivy-leagues. So please don't make a huge deal out of this whole ivy-league thing.
I have long narrow feet, so do not do kitten heels. They look like little pegs growing out of my heel and make balance difficult. Higher heels look great (though not the super-stilettos going now). 3" best. Flats are fine on long narrow feet, but I don't see them with this dress - really a dance dress - unless they looked like ballet shoes.
And once again a perfect 10 to Mrs O. Flawless dress, hair, make-up, accessories, poise. Amazing!
A perfect 2 to Mrs Brown, who has at least covered up her bottom but has managed to look worse at the evening do than she did at the airport - wearing a red double breasted coat that cut right across the wide part of the thigh, a denim skirt that cut her on the widest part of the knee and saggy loafers. Good GOD, how hard is it?
(In light of Janelle's comment - I totally get where you are coming from - however, I don't think that Samantha Cameron [opposition leaders wife who's son recently died] would DREAM of being less than perfectly groomed as wife of a political figure. Sarah used to be very stylish, and she can be so again. Come ON Sarah, get out there.)
So pleased to see that Carla has got rid of that dire grey pussy bow, belted, buttoned coat. The dress underneath it looked really nice but the coat was very granny.
she's looked absolutely fabulous the entire day, i want to steal her clothes!
I think the designer of that dress is Azzedine Alaia, the same french designer of her favorite belt. I'm not 100% sure but the cut of the dress and detailing at the bottom is very similar to some of his other dresses I have seen.