"If you're going to do a bow..."
Tuesday, April 7, 2009 at 12:03 PM 
Image used with kind permission from Flickr user Bulldogmi
Dave of Bulldogmi.com has been kind enough to let us highlight a story he posted on his own site this weekend. Not only did Dave and his wife Kathleen score a prime position to hear the President speak in Prague on Sunday, they managed to shake President Mr. O's hand and have conversations with both Rahm Emanuel and the First Lady. If that wasn't enough, they even inquired with Mrs. O about her Moschino bow blouse - and yes, we love them for it. Here is the resulting bit of banter:
Kathleen: “I loved the Vogue cover”
First Lady Mrs. O: “Thank you so much”
Kathleen (and woman over my shoulder): “Love the bow too”
First Lady Mrs. O: “It’s a big bow”
Bulldogmi: “That’s funny. All the women down here said the same thing.”
First Lady Mrs. O: “If you’re going to do a bow, I think it should be a BIG bow.”
Bulldogmi: “I agree…I always do the same when I wear a bow”
First Lady Mrs. O: [Laughter]
To read the full post and see more pictures, click here.
Reader Comments (106)
I love Mrs O, but NOT that bow!
As far as I know, Michelle Obama doesn't read this blog before she dresses herself each day, so I don't think anyone is trying to change her; and I don't consider the majority of the comments to be negative--just observations on someone whom we all obviously admire. If we didn't admire and respect the good things she does, we wouldn't care what she wears nor would we waste our time discussing her. The comments are all in fun. In the end, it's only clothes!
My own darling 6'3" child also loves to wear belts; she is very high-waisted, and she often carries off her look in a way similar to FLOTUS in that her belts ride high.
My daughter says she likes to wear belts because it gives her an illusion of being more "grounded", it breaks up her height when people look at her, and it makes some of her dressy clothes look more casual and her daytime outfits look more dressy. She has definitely put some stylistic thinking into her belt adornment.
How boring it would be if we all dressed the same! What attracted me to Michelle's fashion sense was how much fun she seems to have with her clothes and her confidence to boot (which is 90& of what makes a person attractive). I wouldn't any woman to think she has to be perfect that the fun goes out of it.
Here's a link to a video of Michelle and Barack's wax figures at Madame Tussuads' Museum in Washington D.C.
http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=7279302
I think I figured out why Mrs. O wears the belt up high under her chest. She is a little flat-chested and she thinks it gives her a better upper-body definition and the illusion of an ampler chest. If you look at her in many of her fitted outfits, such as the green dress from te convention speech, the purple sheath dress, and the Election night dress, she is quite small-chested. By wearing the belts high, it highlights her chest and makes her look not as tall. This might also explain how she can get away with that huge bow!
Interesting the different perspectives. To you the belts de-emphasize her height but I always thought they made her legs look like they went on for miles! =)
I've never been a little bow person, and I agree that a big bow would be best so it's not so cutesy. Not really lovin' the belt with the sweater here, though, but the bow blouse works on her. Maybe I'd tuck in the shirt, as someone else suggested.
Im totally with Mrs. O, while a lot of people did not like the bow, i LOVED IT!!!! (while a lot of people loved her LBD she wore to the dinner in Baden Baden, but it was not on the top of my list...talk about people having different taste!!)
but I love that she is daring, and I LOVE the bow...mroe power to her!
ps: I just wish it was tucked in the back...
I love Mrs. O's style. I really don't like the bow, but I admire her for trying it.
I think that the whole nature of fashion conversations is to provoke a lot of differing, sometimes strong opinions which is fine. But there is a certain kind of post where it seems like the person wants Mrs. O to dress like someone completely different "oh I love her, but I wish she wouldn't wear cardigans, and did her hair a different way, and abandoned belts, and wore different shoes, and wore suits, and only dressed in black" and on and on.
I think it bothers some folks (including me) because we see them at every post. Yes, we know, you hate belts, got it. Got it last time it was said, and the time before that too! Every poster has the right to share their opinions, and I have the right to be bored by the same old complaints.
I want Mrs. O to keep on being her fabulous self and dressing the way she sees fit- even when I haaaate it (see: 2/3 inaugural outfits). I LOVE that she always surprises me, and I don't want her to develop Cindy McCain's wardrobe. I hope she stays young, vibrant and unique!
O my O my
What have we here...it's the Mighty Michelle fashion trend...big bows, cardigans, flats and lots of over the top sparkles during the day.
wooHoooo!!....get use to this is the FirstLady signature and now the new 'in thing'
All you women who are short and don't like flats...tsk tsk...all you women who are buxom...and can't wear HUGE bows..tsk tsk...all you women who are shortwaisted like Michelle and know better than to wear belts not on your hips...tsk tsk..and for all you all who know cardigans are just o so blue collarish...tsk tsk...they are IN!
Ladies...every fashion trend brings with it a passel of women unable to wear the look or those whose sense of fashion and style are far classier and more savvy.
You just have to make do...everyone can wear Sparkles, rhinestones, beads and necklaces completely inappropriate to the outfit and KNOW they look soooo First Ladyish!!
Enjoy...MightyMichelle the fashion icon...she is such a HitorMiss....that most of us can't miss!!
What a fashion icon...she makes it easy for everyone to be stylish!
You just have to love it.
the bow itself is fine i think, its the rest of it in the middle (belt, drape of shirt & cardi)that looks odd together...but i have to say there's no substitute for a brilliant smile exuding joy, the clothes pale in comparison.
people do have the option of no reading those posts that they are bored or otherwise frustrated with...
After looking at the blouse on the Moschino website, I like it even more. When the front is allowed to flow as it was designed to do, the bow looks less like a bow and more like a really interesting folding of the neckline fabric to create a soft drape to the front of the blouse. But interrupting that flow puts all of the attention on the bow and gives the impression of a pregnancy bump, etc. Some of my favorite fashionistas, Clinton and Stacy from TLC's What Not to Wear, always say that the size of the accessories should be in proportion to the size of the person. While the bow is not really an accessory, I think the same rule applies. On someone 5' 5" or under, it would completely overwhelm; but on a tall, graceful figure, if worn appropriately, it works.
Opulent, you seem to have a great deal of disdain for the people who comment on this site. I guess you are just infinitely more fashion-savvy than the rest of us!
But seriously...if you want to bash whatever Michelle is wearing, fine. But why bother to make fun of the people who disagree with you? Is it just so offensive that someone would see something as personal as FASHION differently than you do?
The colored of the dress are nice. The hight of mrs.o makes her look proud. The bow isn't so bad. As I look at the first ladie, she is magestious and athletics. She must only learn how to stand strait. The belt appears like a boulet receives on her stomac.
Your scorn is coming through loud and clear, opulent, but I look at your words and actually think there are some positive truths there. If more people feel comfortable in their own skins and less worried about what the "opulents" of the world think of then, then I DO find that a positive thing. And if you don't want to wear "sparkles" during the day, no one is making you. But if you want to, there is beauty in that as well.
Sorry if Mrs. O is too hit-or-miss for some. It's not a universal opinion.
Opulent
Trust this...your negativity will come back to you. Why are you even on this site? You stick out like a sore thumb b/c the bloggers here are much more intelligent, articulate, and respectful in their criticisms than you could ever be.
Karma is something else..watch out for it.
Janelle, opulent is here because she's in a rightwing meltdown :-) Like her friends in Congress, she seems unable to do anything constructive, so she resorts to trying to tear down the people who are accomplishing things. Pitiful really.
By the way, I seriously need to see another Michelle photo :-) I assume she is resting up, tho.
Mrs. T - please give us a new topic. The cattiness is too much!
Sometimes it's so embarrassing to see how we women can behave.
I agree with IVA - we need a new topic. It's too easy to be abashed by Opulent and I think it's done to incite the cattiness.
My take on the bow: the reason it doesn't work (for me) is that it draws attention away from her face, which should really be your focal point. My eye *wants* to go to her face, but the bow is *so* prominent that my brain must struggle to make it go there. This struggle, and my resulting discomfort, is what makes the bow NOT work for me.
As to the belt/not to belt debate, Mrs. O appears to me to have an "H-shaped" body (proportionate shoulders/hips, with a not-so-well-defined waist), which means that cutting her figure with a horizontal line like this belt does absolutely *nothing* to highlight her (considerable) figure assets.
Finally, I'm not wild about the cardigans, particularly when she wore one to meet the Queen, but they do make her to appear softer and more approachable - more like "regular folks." Which is probably why her impromptu hug of QE was seen as "charming" by many and not a major breach of etiquette.
More 'different' photos added of the European trip:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Jackeens/103
Doesn't anyone else find it strange that after Michelle Obama hired Ikram as her stylist, Maria Pinto's clothing disappeared from our First Lady's wardrobe? It seems as though her stylist has done away with the designer, and gone with more mainstream fashion brands. Ikram and Maria Pinto both have boutiques in Chicago, so obviously Ikram isn't looking to help her fellow retailer. I think some of the clothes Ikram puts her in just don't do her justice, unlike that great red Mario Pinto dress she wore to the White House to meet George and Laura Bush. That dress was sleek and sophisticated...I prefer that silhouette on Michelle much more than the full skirts we've seen her in lately.
@ t h,
I miss Maria Pinto outfits as well. She's got the silouhette of Michelle down to a tee, but she's known Michelle the longest so she has an advantage. But Michelle did wear Maria Pinto in January to meet the Bushes. Also, Ikram has been with Michelle for many years, as well as Maria at the same time. In More magazine last month, Maria Pinto said that Michelle has sent her an email recently about having her to the WH very soon so they can stay in touch. Jason Wu and Toledo have not gotten such an invitation yet.
I don't think there is any slight of Pinto, I just think Michelle has been very excited with the full skirt look. She seems to just beam when she wears Jason Wu more than any designer of late. I think the flowing skirt just brings that out of her. However, I do miss Maria Pinto and hope soon she'll mix up Pinto's sheath designs in there with the others.
But from what I read, she hasn't dropped Pinto, she's just using different styles right now and experimenting. I know personally I go through my style periods where I jump from one look to another depending on how I feel.
HA!
I've read a lot of people saying the Michelle should not have worn two strands of pearls because they say that only 'odd' numbers are supposed to be worn.
Well, HuffingtonPost dot com has a slideshow up (in the Style section) of former First Lady Betty Ford and in the 7th photo Mrs. Ford is wearing TWO strands - just like Michelle !!!
Not Michelle, but a very flattering suit on Jill Biden. Suits don't have to be booorrrrrinng:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/31/jill-biden-in-costa-rica_n_181338.html
Love this look... as always!
I agree with most that the belt trend is getting a little tired... however, she was travelling, so maybe there wasn't a lot of room in AF1 to pack a more belts? ;) It is no question, that Mrs. O's belted looks are becoming iconic (as we now see in wax, however if it were really authentic, the belt would've been OVER the cardigan!), so I do NOT want to see her stop wearing them. However, I would LOVE to see more variations on the theme... has she worn any skinny belts anywhere? What about a long scarf or sash? I would love to see her double up on some skinny belts in some nice colors rather than just one thick black one.
Another quick observation/question... When Mrs. O wears the belt over the cardigan with the cardigan pushed open in the front (as in this photo), where does the excess fabric on the sides of the cardigan go? Is it folded neatly at her sides or in the back? Are her cardigans tailored to have less fabric in the sides so that they may be worn "open" without bunching fabric on the sides?
Leah, it's funny you say that. I find that one of the most inane criticisms I've read here, since you'll find many famous examples of two-stranded pearl necklaces in history -- including then-Princess Elizabeth on her wedding day!
The media is going to be going crazy with no new fashion news regarding our First Lady until the Easter Egg roll at the White House ... Huffington Post dot com in the Style section now has an article up regarding the false eyelashes that Michelle wore while in London! And they have even included a poll regarding them! Hahahaha.
There are 2 Mrs O events tomorrow (thurs) - a WH garden event and late in the day the WH will be celebrating Seder. There should be pics of at least the garden event
Thanks Virginia - do you by any chance know who will be at the Seder?
Here's just a little tidbit on the Seder:
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/04/08/1886182.aspx
Virginia,
Any details regarding the garden event?
Is it the veggie garden or the flower gardens?
Leah D,
I couldn't believe her lashes were a story until I saw it..good grief! H. Post has really gone down to me and has the most stupid stories and polls--the media sure is going crazy. It's gotten worse since Mrs. O coming back from overseas. I love coming here for some realism and real discussion on fashion. H. Post is the National Enquirer or style.
Bevi-
I just now saw some seder info here --->
www (DOT) politico (DOT) com/politico44/
on the Whiteboard at the top left of the page.
This is hilarious: out of curiosity I did some research on the "only wear odd numbered strands of pearls" mandate and I actually found this!
http://www.wowowow.com/post/judith-martin-wedding-day-etiquette-63185
I guess I have to throw my 2 strands out the window! Or re-strand them!
What a faux pas! LMAO
Thanks Leah D,
I have a site up too but it's in moderation. In the meantime, I'll check yours out.
The best thing about the HuffPost eyelash thing are the comments... they're hilarious!
Info regarding the WH veggie garden event (no time listed)
Michelle Obama hosts an event at the White House Kitchen Garden. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and students from Bancroft Elementary join her.
Leah D -
You keep this blog humming with all the great research you do....thank you SO MUCH. The Seder site you found was really detailed. Obama will be the first sitting President to host a seder that it actually attended by a president. That's pretty great.
Thanks Leah D! The 'different' photos' from Europe were great!
Bevi-
The story on the link regarding Judith Martin's pearls was great and thanks for posting the seder link too. It was interesting reading the backstory on why Obama is having the seder this year at the WH.
I love the fact that Michelle is setting new standards on what 'is appropriate'. It amazes me that now in the year Y2009 people are even discussing the appropriateness of leeveless dresses, false eyelashes, strands of pearls, sweaters, etc. It makes you wonder how after America progressed during the 60s and 70s so many people still have some attitudes left over from the 50s.
Leah D,
Thank you for those additional European photos! Really nice. I love that Thakoon print ensemble more and more. It was a great color on Michelle..especially when she took the coat off. France suits Mrs. O very well!
The mind boggles. For most fashion "rules," there seems to be some grain of reason, if just historically, but the odd number of strands of pearls...
I have a hard time feeling happy about a Seder in the White House, when Palestinians are still suffering under the boot of a brutal, decades long military occupation that the U.S.enables. And Obama knows that; anyone who was in Rashid Khalidi's and Edward Said's circle of friends cannot plead ignorance.
Bevi-
One more tidbit, according to CNN the seder will take place in 'the old family dining room of the residence'
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Tomorrow night President Obama will attend what could be the first White House seder in the old family dining room of the residence, a White House official tells CNN. And it won't be the President's first....
p.s. There is a 'family dining room' on both the first and second floors at the White House, I am not sure which one they consider to be 'old'. Here's a link to the White House floor plan. You can click on the residence tab to see different floors and you can click on the rooms to see photos of each room: http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/Floor1.htm
Brilliant work. Thanks for all you do.
Everyone MUST check out this divine slide show that New York magazine just added that has a comprehensive, chronological catalogue of Michelle's recent outfits. It has pretty much every single look that she has worn for the last two months and it's actually pretty amazing to see those outfits you had totally forgotten about. In my case, I had forgotten about that amazing blue dress she wore to the National Prayer Service.
http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2009/04/michelle_obama_slideshow.html#photo=1
Mrs. T, maybe you this slideshow deserves it's own post? It's pretty cool.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2009/04/08/hill.michelle.obama.cnn?iref=videosearch
In the picture Mrs O loves lovely, but I saw her on television with images from a distance and she looked like and oldfashioned waitress in black with a white little apron. The belt seem to be the culprit?