A Day for Spring Gardening
Thursday, April 9, 2009 at 10:25 AM We can't wait to see how the White House Vegetable Garden is coming along, and according to Politico.com, we'll get a peek this afternoon.
"Michelle Obama hosts an event at the White House Kitchen Garden. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and students from Bancroft Elementary join her."
In the meantime, we'll share a slideshow of the First Lady's White House style to date, and a good read that speaks to a greater symbolism in Mrs. O's wardrobe.
New York Magazine: Michelle Obama Look Book
New York Times: "The End of 'Wife Wear'"
Update: Thanks to Edwina who shared this new Huffington Post piece, which shows Secretary of State Hillary Clinton embracing the brooch and belt combo. Update: Much activity in the garden this afternoon. White House chef Sam Kass joined Mrs. O in helping the students to plant the vegetables and herbs. 
Photo by The White House Addtionally we have a short video from NBC which shows Mrs. O hard at work in the garden, dressed in a raspberry windbreaker, cropped black pants and black velcro sneaks. Very garden chic.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Outfits
Reader Comments (84)
I don't mock people, Opulent, and I never called you a troll. I merely told two posters who were upset by your commentary at the time that you appeared to be someone who was known to come on the site with similar statements designed to incite anger among other readers. "A troll, if you will." was my exact statement.
IF you are not that person, then it's a case of mistaken identity. It is by no means mocking.
Happy Easter!
More garden photos LARGE photos:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8332181
Brenda,
Are you sure?
I looked at the Lands End jacket on your link - front and back - and the one Michelle is wearing is completely different: the cuffs on the sleeves, the drawstring, the length of the zipper at the bottom, the back, and the collar. I don't see any similarity at all. The one Michelle is wearing looks more 'high-end'.
---
Also, I read somewhere in a comment that someone thought that the gloves are Oscare De La Renta - I don't have a clue.
Leah, did they really say "Oscare" De La Renta?
That's brilliant! ROTF
I like Lands End very much. But I don't think that's the same jacket. There's a difference in the sleeves, the zipper placket, and the back.
Michelle looks happy and relaxed in those photos.
Chicagoan,
I am sorry to say that the 'e' on the end of 'Oscar' was a typo made by me.
I wonder if they were by him though, if they were then he can't say anymore that she has never worn him!
opulent, Academy Award for Troll Impersonation and Disingenuous Denial.
I don't see the Ag Secy planting anything :-)
As for her clothing to garden it was appropriate I should know since my grandmother does a great of garden work. When I would visit her during the summer she would always dress very causally to work in her large garden.
@Leah D - those photos are SPECTACULAR, Leah D. You are just the best. And Edwina, thanks for showing us Hillary who is looking so fly!
At least this time Mrs. Obama is dressed to look like she is gonna do some real work. That outfit at the garden groundbreaking was way out of character for gardening.
We are in a recession people! If she does wear Oscar De La Renta, what example would she setting as First Lady?
She is right for not going the expensive rout, and she has made it clear that she does not let what other people say get to her...so let Oscar talk...until he starts making affordable clothing, Michelle is going to continue to look the other way!
truday,
In photo #19 here ----->
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8332181
Ag Secy has taken off his suit coat and he is actually standing on some dirt!
Great gardening pictures. She looks relaxed and seems to be having a great time with the kids. I'm glad she is calling attention to gardening and healthy eating. My grandparents always had the nicest little garden in their backyard. They did not have a lot of money and chose to grow their on vegetables. You could always count on a good Sunday dinner
at their house! Thanks LEAH D for the photos.
I know I have posted way too much today and this is a bit off topic, but here is a photo of the girls chalk hopscotch on the driveway next to the swingset...
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Jackeens/111
p.s. I heard that Michelle will be attending the seder this evening at the White House.
Her smile is her greatest accessory.
"That outfit at the garden groundbreaking was way out of character for gardening."
The difference is that the groundbreaking was, as is said, a groundbreaking. A ceremonial occasion. Did you notice that Tom Vilsack wasn't dressed for gardening either?
A garden, swingset, hopscotch...looks like the FL is accomplishing her main goal. Making the White House a home.
Didn't mean to imply it was the exact same jacket as the one in the link, only that the one in the link is this year's version.
In any case, as a gardener, I'd say she's dressed exactly right. You want something you can easily wash, after you've been sitting in dirt for a few hours.
Leah, thanks for clarifying. It's still hugely funny, though! FWIW, I've seen gloves like that sold in 12-pair packs at flea markets, so I doubt they're de la Renta.
I just caught some of the photos of her jacket; it's got some beautiful smocking touches, doesn't it? The sleeves and back are far more detailed than most I've seen, and the color is lovely.
picture #18 makes me emotional....those girl skipping to the white house just all kinds of adorbs.
the hop scotch pic with the swing set and our president's oval office in the background......sweetest thing ever.
A little tidbit I just read over at Politico dot com:
After a new round of planting, FLOTUS was back in the White House garden this evening to just sit and enjoy it, a WH aide said. (5:47 p.m.)
False eyelashes for digging in the dirt? C'mon, now.
How fortunate that trolls have naturally long eyelashes!
Oh, Edwina, lighten up. Is a troll by definition anyone who makes any remark that is the slightest bit critical? Just saying, false eyelashes are a bit much for garden work. I've never used them so I don't know whether they're semi-permanent or what.
Quick-to-snipe responders like you, dear, make this site unpleasant to visit. So, in the future I'll just ignore.
I think Chef Kass was the Obama's personal chef in Chicago -that is nice!
I read somewhere last year (or maybe he said it in one of his interviews during his campaign) that President Obama prefers Michelle with no makeup on. Love. True love. ;-)
So is this fake "Nancy" 1 or fake "Nancy" 2...?!
No Nancy, it's hateful trolls like you who insist on visiting sites dedicated to a woman you dislike that make the "quick-snipe-responders" wonder why on earth you're here...?!
It must be a really miserable life if you have this much time and energy to expend on a site such as this...no?!
A quick reminder to please express differences of opinion as kindly and respectfully as possible. Thank you!
Thank you, Mrs. T. My real name IS Nancy, by the way; it is not a fake name. I don't know about the Other Nancy, but I don't expend much time or energy on this site. It's amusing and I do check it every day. So what?
Hi Nancy, that applied to everyone. This is a fundamentally positive site, and while there's room for respectful criticism, it's not meant to be a forum to attack Mrs. O's every move. Let's just move on. Thanks!
Yes, let's.
Speaking as someone who has walked her dog across a muddy heath wearing a ballgown, patent boots, a tweed coat and fairy wings, I think that patent boots are perfectly reasonable attire for gardening - and so are false eyelashes.
The point that is being missed here is that really good false eyelashes last for weeks if they are maintained properly. Mrs O had them on during the G20 tour, so it's probably that set, still on.
I think people need to stop thinking in terms of Mrs O doing things just for one event, or one day, or one photo opportunity. She's just moving from one day to the next as the rest of us do.