Monday
May042009
'Spring is Here' (Updated)
Monday, May 4, 2009 at 6:48 PM 
Photo by Yuri Gripas / Reuters
That is the sentiment -- put best by our own LeahD -- projected by Mrs. O's dress du jour, a citrus yellow, beaded delight. The President and First Lady are hosting a Cinco de Mayo event at the White House tonight, and if Mrs. O's dress is any indication, the mood is festive! (Does anyone know why the Cinco de Mayo celebrations are happening today rather than tomorrow?)
To see the exquisite hand beading on Mrs. O's dress, click here. To see the volume of the skirt, click here.
Update: The acid green satin dress is from Moschino's Spring Summer 2009 collection. (Thank you Mr. William for the tip!)
A new video from Politico:
Reader Comments (155)
Once upon a time, this used to be one of my fave blogs. There used to be such a positive atmosphere even when people didnt like outfits. Nowadays the hateration is tooooo much. Pple seem to think they own michelle obama to the extent where they get to tell her what is appropriate for her age. Are u kidding me ?????? Seriously, some of you really need to get a life. You may not like an outfit.Cool. But that is no reason for you say infer things about Mrs Goldman or assert that Michelle Obama's choices are not age appropriate. You talk like she is wearing mini skirts!!!!!! She is only 45 years old and not a frumpy old lady. If that bothers you, then it is not her with the issue it is you!
You know what I think is on this issue she can't win! You guys want her to find a first lady "uniform" but postings earlier said they were tired of her wearing argyle sweaters and puffy skirts. If she wore the "uniform" you guys wanted her to wear then you would be on here complaining that she has no variety in her wardrobe and you definitely would not be waiting to see what she wears in a year. I think she dresses great and appropriate for every occasion. I mean she gotta be doing something right, we find her clothes so fascinating that we take time out of our days to comment and sometimes debate about them.
Perhaps Mrs. O wears clothes that she thinks suit the occasion. That might be one criterion of several she uses when picking out an outfit. We commented on her "collegiate. kindergarten, school teacher" look when visiting kids. She put on her gardening clothes (albeit alot different from the garden clothes I wear!) when she was showcasing the WH garden, she wears clothes that evoke cultural dress (last night) or tradition (St. Patty's Day green).
Also, the Obama's fan base dips deep into the youth culture and vote. Maybe she wants to appeal to young as well as older constiuents when she dresses, although many designers and critics mention she dresses for herself.
She does seem to play with color more than her predecessors. Barb Bush was famous for her blue, Nancy Reagan for her red.
Just more food for thought - it's interesting to absorb so many ideas. Jackie
Kennedy was a fan of the "buy one in every color" school of thought, and we've seen Michelle follow suit with the argyle sweater and shoes.
At any rate, she sure gives the world something to discuss at length!
Last thing and then I'll stop! Could part of it also be that we're paying attention more? I thought about this when we were noticing that she has two Watanabe sweaters in the same style, and two J.Crew sweaters in the same style, and that she often wears the same belt, and the same shoes...
Would we have noticed that stuff when she was just Candidate's Wife as opposed to First Lady? I certainly can remember some striking outfits that she wore on special occasions (the purple shift "fist bump" dress, a lot of her DNC dresses.) But I know I wasn't paying as much attention to her on a day-to-day basis.
I really liked a lot of the DNC outfits. I mean, they were gorgeous. But I guess you can't dress like that every day! Especially on the many casual occasions that she finds herself in. That blue convention dress she wore during her speech was out of this world, but it would have looked somewhat standoffish at an elementary school.
I do see what people are saying about her maybe looking too young. I thinks some of that is just her, though. She's hardly ever boring, that's for sure. Even a simple blouse and black slacks can prompt...Tie-gate! (grin)
I certainly think there is a learning curve to Mrs. O crafting her First Lady image, but one thing I'm finding very comforting is seeing just how HAPPY she is. She is doing something right, because every time I see her in public she looks happy in her skin and happy in her endeavors.
I will admit that I get defensive at comments that talk about Mrs. O changing her style because I really don't want her to lose that shine and joy that she has about her right now, and I fear that she will easily retreat into herself, or just simply show up and play the part that's expected, if she feels like the pressure of people's expectations of what she should look like becomes too much.
I didn't follow what Michelle was wearing during the early part of the campaign but did she garner the kind of attention she does now for her clothing choices? I remember the first time I heard people talk about what she was wearing it was the black&white dress on the View,which is not what a potential first lady would typically wear.
I havent seen any pics from NY anywhere yet..*sigh*..I'm waiting patiently
Hey check out getty images. They have pictures of her today and it looks like she is wearing that Tracy Feith dress that she wore to the National prayer service and that open house on the second day of the presidency.
@ Britt,
If you go to cnn(dot)com/live, the NY speaking event at the UN Mission is in progress right now. A picture "should" pop up when Michelle begins to speak---at least I'm hoping it appears soon.
Yeah, a "Twitterer" from New York said that she's wearing the Tracy Feith dress. I say good for her. Now, Sean Hannity and Faux News can shut up!
Secondly, another Twitterer had this to say: "I just saw Michelle Obama. She is very pretty in person. Our first lady is a fox. LOL."
I agree! Our first lady is AMAZING! - No matter what she wears.
I also think she wore the dress because she's gonna wear a knock-out gown tonight for the Time's event.
Forget the dress, which I do not particularly like cause I am not a rhinestones girl), someone please tell me about those gorgeous earrings she is wearing! Otherwise, the outfit is very springy (and I am sorry, I don't think Jill Biden dresses with Michelle Obama's arms in mind; if anything, she should cover her arms because they are not particularly toned). LOVE, the hair, then again, her hairdresser is FABU (And yes, she does chemically relax her hair; the girls don't, she and her mom does. I read it in a recent article). The makeup is nice, although I do not love the lighter lipstick on her. Overall she looks radiant. I think I agree with the poster who mentioned that Ikram is more commercial than media-savvy; what looks good on your client does not necessarily photograph well. Also, during the early parts of the campaign, Mrs. O did wear many suits; they were trying to portray her and Mr. O as the 2 for 1 combo (like the Clintons), but that sort of backfired and when the media really started to pay attention, when he began winning, they realized that it worked better to emphasize her feminity and we saw her in more dresses and softer attires. I say, if it works, then don't tinker with it. Can't wait for the weekend outfits.
BTW, Mrs. T, I am a little miffed that you credited Carmen for the Kennedy Center link when I posted a link to a similar video, which you approved, at least a few hours before she did. Thanks for posting it anyway.
I don't see anything on cnn(dot)'s live link. Anybody?
Lilly, Awe that was the first time anyone ever acknowledged me on any board I post on and I find out you posted the video first.
Well, looks like I missed the speech. Anyway, Mrs. O is definitely wearing what she likes no matter what people think. This particular Feith dress is one of my least favorite but hey, I've actually gotten used to Michelle's taste and I love that she recycles and is comfortable in her own skin. I really don't expect to be "wowed" by her daywear. I do love her evening looks better and look forward to this evening's outfit, but then again she could surprise me as well and recycle.
Remember this Feith dress in the Time slideshow where she was wearing a bell-sleeved black jacket over it the day after the inauguration in the Oval Office? I loved the outfit then. She took it off to greet the visitors. It's a bold pattern and I am less bold. I'm more daring for a top or a bottom but not daring for an entire outfit. To each his own. Today, I'm just a little more interested in what she has to say. As long as she's happy. And her hair and makeup look beautiful.
One more thing and I'll be out of all of your hair: She better wear something superfitted tonight. Otherwise, some will have a field day fueling the "pregnancy" rumors. The shape of this dress, coupled with her great first 100 days capped by this superromantic date might just encourage such talks.
P.S. Shoutout to IVA, who is the MODEL blogger on how to post respectfully and graciously express your differences of opinions! Well done!!!
Christina, I think your comments about Mrs. O's apparel are spot on. I have been thinking her clothes made her look like a participating spouse but not a power player. But now I realize, that's exactly what she is doing. She is conciously shifting away from the Hillary Clinton as co-president model, and also away from Laura Bush's more matronly approach (as is only fitting, since they are 15 plus years apart in age.)
Mrs. O. is there to support the president, and to represent the family side of the WH. Her clothes are getting that message across. She is not trying to be like the women on Capitol Hill; that's why she wore a sleeveless dress instead of a suit to State of the Union. She is not trying to be a ruling monarch; that's why she wore a dress when she met with Queen Rania and a cardigan (a very elegant one) over her dress when she met Queen Elizabeth. Her clothes don't have to read power, because she has power, just by her position.
This is something new for D.C. and for the WH in general. That's why I think D.C. is having a little trouble figuring this out.
Doesn't look like CNN is streaming it.
Videos will probably be up on other sites later.
I am glad that Michelle doesn't wear her old 'lawyer' uniforms. I used to work in a law firm several years ago and I hated to have to put on a suit, hose, and heels everyday.
Considering that Michelle is now in a non-paid position and she has stated several times that her first priority is her children and husband she is dressing how she wants to. I am thrilled that she is not wearing suits all the time because it reminds women that it is okay to dress femininely. I love it when she wears puffy skirts, sleeveless dresses, items with beads/rhinestones/lace, etc.
I hope we will see her in some sundresses in the yard at the White House this spring and summer.
I am tempted to toss out most of my jeans, sweat pants, and suits and fill my closet up with 'I am a woman' dresses.
Here's the link to see UN pics ahttp://www.daylife.com/search/photos/all/1?q=michelle+obamat daylife:
Same Tracey Feith dress from her first day at the White House. She looks cute as usual.
http(colon)//news(dot)yahoo(dot)com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama/im:/090505/480/a81a35ff5f9b44059f70b823ea1d6186#photoViewer=/090505/480/fbe1c24c2bfd4f41b848d7fb04acae8c
Anyway there seems to be an awful lot of dissenting views on here today.
Mrs O looks fabulous IMO. I think the yellow dress is cute and springy and she looks great. In the 21st century age plays very little role as far as who can wear what as long as its respectful and appropriate for the event or occasion and for me Mrs O has not missed yet. The hair and makeup are superb.
I would love it if she wore that "red dress" that we only got to see the back of at tonight's event.
I'm sure whatever she wears some will like it and others will find some fault with it.
Different strokes for different folks.
@ Lilly:
I, too, love those earrings.
According to ThePage/Time some of the guests at the TIME 100 event this evening will be:
Michelle Obama
Valerie Jarrett
Van Jones
Jon Favreau
Desiree Rogers
Ambassador Susan E. Rice
Paul Wolfowitz
Chris Matthews
Andrea Mitchell
Mike Barnicle
John King
I'm just going to say one more thing about Mrs. O's look.
Maybe, just maybe, for the most part she's just wearing what she likes!!!!!!
:-)
and thanks for the shoutout Lilly, I am not always so diplomatic, but I really don't think Mrs. O's clothing is as deep as some take it.
I saw a picture. She wore that Tracy Feith dress she wore at the prayer service the day after the inauguration. I hope she changes into something more glamorous for the Time 100 event.
@ Leah D - Poor President is stuck dealing with the Israeli/Palestinian crisis right now, I'm sure he'd love to be at the Time event. LOL. It seems like it will be fun! Will it be televised?
Some of the posts on here are truly demoralizing for me, an admirer of our First Lady. I cannot imagine what it would be like if she ever read some of the vicious comments that appear here. Thankfully she doesn't care or does not waste her time with the naysayers.
The scrutiny makes it seem as if she is some lab experiment animal being poked, prodded, dissected and gazed at by a class full of snarky students. Sheesh. This is on the level of what Lady Diana went through at the hands of the paparazzi before her sad death except this time we have multiple media platforms to deal with.
One of the glaring raison d'etre for HOW she dresses, which many of her critics miss, is that she is very attuned to FUNCTION, COMMUNITY and OCCASION for her clothing choices.
FUNCTION: Her style choices reflect WHAT she is going to do in the outfit and accessories she wears. So if she is going to be among children in a school or performance setting, then she takes into consideration HOW her body will MOVE with the LEAST AMOUNT OF FUSS in that setting. Hence she wears skirts and tops that facilitate movement. Likewise her sexiest body-hugging, decollete, or bustier styles are reserved for the ENJOYMENT of her husband in an (semi)-intimate setting. In other instances she is sensitive to hint at cultural solidarity. Her outfit at the Cinco de Mayo event spelled FIESTA. How appropriate. In England she chose simple glamor to meet the Queen and the dinner with G20 spouses. The blue quirky argyle cardigan thrilled the young schoolgirls.
COMMUNITY & OCCASION: Michelle seeks to maximize her role as someone who amplifies harmony among the people she encounters. If you notice one thing, Michelle NEVER dresses to COMPETE with any other woman. It means she does not care for the stereotypical catty turf wars between women. That says SISTERHOOD to me. Indeed she tailors her public appearances to augment the overall message of this administration and catalyze the involvement of all of us to help rebuild this country.
Many of the subtle cues that the First Lady navigates are often unknown to mere observers. Perhaps if critics held their fire ever so briefly they would see the sartorial melody she is composing. Hang on we are in for an interesting ride over the next 8 years. Oh, and besides she is human.
She does it her way...
http://www.daylife.com/topic/Michelle_Obama
Zizi
couldn't agree with you more:)
and it's okay for some not to like a certain outfit the first lady has on
but to say that she's not representing America
or that she has not fashion taste
is getting a little carried away
they are just clothes after all
whats important is the woman who is wearing them
I really don't feel like this conversation comes close to some of the really hot ones we've had here. This is mostly a nice discussion of clothing choices and what they signify. I generally don't think that women choose their clothing by accident; we are so intensely socialized to care about appearances in this country.
So the question becomes, what is Mrs. O trying to say to us through the dresses, the cardigans, the flats, etc. She could easily go out in razor-sharp Armani suits for every occasion, but she doesn't, and there's a reason behind it. There's a reasonable dialogue to be had here.
Regarding the Feith dress Michelle wore today to the U.N. event, I don't know if I ever said this before on this website or not but - I like it because it reminds me of the lilacs I grew up with up north and the wisteria that I've had down here in the south.
IVA - I have no idea if the event tonight will be televised, but I betcha there will at least be photos.
It's all good Carmen! As long as we don't miss anythinf, it really does not matter who posts what first. And I'm not really mad at Mrs. T; she works way too hard to keep us updated for me to stay mad at her. And IVA, if you have not always been that wise, you are certainly getting there. ZIt is just very refreshing when we have spirited fashion discussions instead of mean-spirited personnal attacks. Lt us hope more bloggers follow your example (including myself sometimes)!
Someone like Ikram or Ms. Rogers needs to start sending out a daily 'twitter' or something letting us know who Michelle is wearing when there is a new outfit. Anyone have any clue yet about the yellow dress from yesterday?
In addition to going to the U.N. Mission, Mrs. O was did a Sesame Street shoot with Elmo and Big Bird. The show date is to be announced. That should be super cute.
Ambassador Rice called Mrs. O "wicked smart." I agree. Brains and beauty is a lethal combination and boy does she have it all!!
Ok guys!!!! I just got my argyle cardigan in olive from JCrew today!!! Its soft and fits very nicely. I love it!
That was supposed to say "Mrs O did a Sesame Street" shoot with Elmo and Big Bird.
Shock Horror...SHE WORE THE SAME DRESS!! FOR SHAME only not.
I love her hair!
And I'm sure she will wear something appropriate for the Times 100. I dont think we will see anything like the Met but whatever is right.
And Chris Mathews...I hope Mrs. Obama has extra protection.
Wow, it's nastyville in the middle of the posts (I'm too busy to read the whole stream.)
Mrs. O looks great. It's sad and ridiculous to try and make her into a boring Stepford wife, wearing what you think is "appropriate" for a Booorring First Lady. Does anyone remember or care what Laura Bush wore? Not to knock Mrs.Bush, who seems like a decent person, how she ever wound up stuck with George, I can't imagine.
And "age appropriate"?? You'd think she was flouncing around in Mary Janes with her midriff showing. She is a gorgeous, toned, shining woman in the prime of her life, heck she has a way to go to hit the prime of her life. She enjoys clothes, Barack enjoys what she looks like, the kids love her just as she is, and so does over 75% of the country, according to polls.
It's demeaning to suggest she needs someone to "guide her fashion choices."
She exemplifies what feminism is all about, doing her own thing which suits her just fine.
Trudy,
I completely agree with your comments. People may not like her fashion choices but they need to respect the fact she is a full grown woman who lives in a country where women can dress how they please. I find it sicken that women who beat down another just to force her into wearing and dressing how they specifically want.
For ages women have been told by men how to look and dress in public. Thank god for the feminist movement it allowed women to be free to speak, work wide range of professions and to DRESS HOW THE FEEL.
What time does the Times event start tonight?
LOL @ That Other Mimi! He does have a crush on Mrs. O. I bet he gets a picture with her.
Zizi - thank you for spelling out in a coherent thesis what I tried to say - Michelle dresses for function, community, and occasion - and her personal preference.
IVA - congrats to you on receiving your argyle sweater!
Christina - I was trying to remember when I first tuned into the Michelle fashion mystique. I think I was really struck by the beautiful teal dress she wore for her Dem. Convention speech. From that point on, I was hyper aware of her clothing. Her use of jewelry, particularly the brooches, caught my attention. What is Michelle trying to say through her choice of wardrobe? That would be THE question for an interviewer to pose. But I agree with Zizi and I have said this in the past: Michelle dresses for function and, I believe, with an eye to historical reference.
I do admire the fact that Michelle recycles her wardrobe. That's real to me. Many of us can get away with serial dressing - we go to various events where we won't see the same crowd. Michelle does not have that luxury - her daily wardrobe is plastered over every media outlet in the world. She clearly has favorite pieces, and we can all relate to that.
Several posters have commented that they are going to take risks, or get out of their usual clothes to try more adventurous dressing. I like that Michelle has had that effect on women - giving them more confidence to try new ways to dress.
This has been a really civil and friendly stream - it's nice to agree to disagree and being agreeable in doing so.
I know that I absolutely wear/consider purchasing dresses more than I did pre-Michelle. Before that, they just seemed too fussy and difficult to consider.
But now when I'm flipping through a catalog or browsing in Ann Taylor, I give them a second look. I find that dresses nearly always fit me better than skirts do. And I like the way they make me feel "finished."
When someone is in the public eye and is being photographed as much as Mrs. O is, it is not "demeaning" to have a stylist or have someone guide one's fashion choice. It is simply acknowlegding that there is an objective second set of eyes that makes sure that you always look your best. For isntance, that is the purpose of media training in certain jobs where even if one is a doctor or a lawyer, if that person is not accustomed to being in front of the camera (as it can be daunting) that person does the best job possible. Mrs. O has a strong sense of style that only requires that second set of eyes sometimes. It does not necessarily have to be a professional stylist, it can be a family member, a friend, or in this case, Desire Rogers who is a little bit of both, professional and friend. It is the equivalent of asking someone before you leave home for a big night on the town "Do I have lipstick on my teeth?" and have that person respond to you honestly.
Yes, there is something so nice about one piece of cloth that can be a canvas for jewelry, a sweater, jacket, scarf, necklace, etc. with a nice pair of shoes to carry off the whole look.
This is complete conjecture, Lilly, but I wonder if there's some reluctance to hiring a stylist because it might draw negative attention? Look at the comments over the $500 sneakers (of course, if she had a stylist, maybe she wouldn't have worn them.)
I think that if Mrs. O has the choice between a few bad outfits, or being styled but then possibly being bashed as a vain "celebrity," she might choose the few bad outfits.
Another piece of conjecture -- I also wonder if this is one of the few areas now where she can exercise complete control. Her time is not entirely her own, her movements are proscribed, but darn it, she's going to wear what she likes!
I could be spinning that out of thin air, but I can imagine feeling the same way if I were her.
I think I agree with you about this to a certain extent, Christina. One example of this was on date night, as she was about to board the Presidential Limo before Mr. O, as she would have on any other regular date night, she was told to go around and board on the other side, as the President is supposed to board the car on the side closest to the house for security reasons. Sometimes, I do indeed sympathize with her lack of control.
But I also agree with you that there's nothing particularly demeaning in having a stylist, either as a guide or just a second set of eyes. I mean, the woman has an entire STAFF for heaven's sake. But I just wonder if she might end up being derided, as Nancy Reagan was, if she made that choice.
Like I said either in this thread or another one, it's so easy to be a man!
As on most blogs and forums, the same topics come up many times. On the topic of "to have a stylist or not have a stylist," I want to repeat a post from when I first began posting, done in response to one by RickyDee, who disappeared shortly after even though he was a big MO fan (I'm pretty sure he was a he).
The original post was on 28 February, 2009 at 9:55 pm in "The Official Portrait" thread. This occurred shortly after the State of the Union address brouhaha, where I made the only post I've ever regretted. The dress she'd worn had seemed inappropriate to me because it combined lack of sleeves with a plunging neckline and shining fabric.
Posted by RickyDee:
Needed: A stylist with experience managing a full staff and an excellent knowledge of protocol, long range mix of styles and designers, accessories, and how fashion translates across the various media. Mrs O is lovely, but is making the normal near sighted mistakes that one makes when moving into the “Bigs.” This whole sleeve flap is because several sleeveless projects rolled out the same week. She will learn, hopefully sooner than later, that she is over her beautifully coiffed head.
Reply @ RickyDee
It's a thin line. Mrs. O's personality is wonderfully down-to-earth. Most female fans sense that, perhaps at a higher level than themselves, she decides what to wear as they would — by walking to her closet and selecting what feels right for the moment. This quality is not just endearing, it's politically and philosophically important. The Obamas want people to identify with them.
But I take your point. The number of photo-ops this past week -- the number of clothing and make-up changes -- were almost mind-numbing. It would be understandable if by the time she chose a look for the SOTU address, she saw it as "just one more." For me, choosing that many outfits would be a full-time job. And it's hardly the only thing on the uniquely qualified Mrs. O's plate. Compared to Jackie and to Princess Diana, fashion is far down the list for our Mrs. O.
Perhaps she may need a middle way between the amateur and the professional fashion approach you propose? As I see it, Ikram Goldman has a business to run and may not have time or skills to attend to every detail. I wonder if there could be an assistant in the Social Secretary's office who could help Ikram and Michelle? Mrs. O's days of "just walking to her closet" may be over, but she will need to find an approach that feels comfortable, that feels like "who she is" -- the down-to-earth woman who is winning the nation's heart.
i like the range and variety, wouldn't be checking on this site so often otherwise - and she does make every effort to be occasion-appropriate, as per her own understanding and intepretation of what works with whom - nothing wrong with that
Wow, that's such a pretty dress. Pretty colour, pretty beading and although I could never wear the shape, somehow she makes it work. Bet it's comfortable for an evening of great food and dancing!!!
Laughed out loud at the President imitating Manny. HOW great is it to have a world leader who's REAL??!