Friday
Jun122009
We Love
Friday, June 12, 2009 at 7:12 PM 
Photo by REUTERS/Richard Lewis/Crown Copyright/Handout
Thank you to those (IVA!) who directed us to this lovely photograph of Mrs. O and Sarah Brown walking through the gardens of 10 Downing Street in London. The photo was taken on June 8, but just released today. A wonderful way to start the weekend!
Reader Comments (155)
Here is the repost, Ms. G. Thanks for appreciating the comment.
I just had to chuckle at the comment about the hair style. Obvioisly, many still have a lot to learn about the hair regimen of a black first lady. First of all, when we black women put our hair in a ponytail or a bun, most of the time it is not by choice; more often then not we are managing our hair between appointments. If Mrs. O did not have her hairdresser at hand--which she probably did not since the rest of her trip was a private vacation and she perhaps did not see the point in spending the extra money--then she HAD to come up with a low-maintenace solution for her hair. Black hair + damp rainy Paris and London weather = bad frizzy hair day. And believe me when I tell you, this "severe hairdo" is just black women's version of easy hair grooming to carry us over to our next hair appointment. And you can do absolutely nothing with the hair unless you get it styled again (blow dry, flat ironed, etc). I truly hope that all this styling for official functions does not damage the strong healthy mane of our beloved FLOTUS.
Not feeling this outfit, as it makes Michelle Obama look much larger than she actually is and pretty dowdy.
Are my eyes deceiving me? Sarah Brown is actually not dressed in a glum color for once?
Queen Elizabeth & Mrs. Obama appear to have quite a friendship. The British press reports that Mrs. Obama and the girls got a private tour of Buckingham Palace the other day, for Sasha's birthday. They also correspond through letters, and possibly by phone:
www (dot) telegraph (dot) co (dot) uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/michelle-obama/5523623/The-Queen-and-Michelle-Obama-forge-firm-and-affectionate-friendship (dot) html
call me crazy, but i think mrs. o actually looks quite nice. the dress looks to have a pretty pattern, and i like the color of the cardigan she chose to pair it with. i won't even get into the disgusting commentary about her weight; she's a middle aged woman, not a starlet or a model; personally i hope i look that good when i reach her age.
Not the most flattering dress, and I'm a little tired of "that belt" also, but look at her! Her face looks so relaxed, serene and beautiful, like maybe this English vacation is doing her a world of good. She's on vacation, Ladies, let's cut her a little slack . . .
DISCLAIMER: Before anyone have my head, the post below does not, in any way, shape or form suggest that Mrs. O wears a weave. I posted the link only for the benefit of seeing new pics of Mrs. O. I myself stumbled upon the pictures on a site I was browsing about African American hairstyles. Also, given the recent uproar about her London flower tunic, she is wearing another tunic in those pics. That being said, just enjoy the pictures. Here is the link.
http://jonetics.com/publications.html
What a nice story, Mara, thanks for sharing it -- also, you don't have to put (dot) in your URLs any more (assuming that you've registered) -- they won't automatically go to moderation.
Now, if we can just make them "hotlinks" (so we can click directly on them) we'll be set!
What happened to my post from a few hours ago?
Yes that was a nice story in the link you provided, Mara, thanks. Sounds like Sasha had quite a memorable birthday! I'm excited to see Mrs. O back in the States, though...
'Strongforu', Let's not kid ourselves, "we" do not all "love" Mrs O.
To pretend "we" all do is pretty disingenuous - Don't you agree?
I bet "jjpg" and several others agree too...
Ms. G, did I call you a hater. I was not even talking to you or about you. Matter of fact, I didn't even know you wrote anything about her weight. And I didn't call everyone who said she gained weight a hater, I just said that they were eager to point it out. As far as the hater, I was talking about somebody specific and I chose not to put them on blast, eventhough I am sure we all know who the haters are.
Hi...been out of town and missed the launch of the new site. Looks Great!! I can't seem to get registered and Log In. I'm pulling my hair out here! Any suggestions??
Thanks Christina, I knew I could count on you to bring me down to normal breathing! You are truly a Zen Master.
I love it, Mara, to find out that the Queen and Mrs. O are in communication. Mrs. O touches people from all walks of life, it seems. That's so cool.
Kudos, Moja31, I think Mrs. O looks pretty damn good too.
Nyon,
No, you did not call me a hater, and thank you for that. And I did not make any comment about Mrs. O's weight because I think that sort of crosses a line. Discussing what one chooses to wear is one thing; commenting on someone's body shape, etc., is something else again. It just sounded to me as if you were making a general statement that observing someone's weight change suggests a lack of respect for that person. And I said that there is no correlation between a person's weight and who the person is; so saying that MO has gained a couple of pounds (which I did not do!) is not the same as saying that she's any less admirable a person.
Sorry that I misunderstood you.
It's all good, MsG.
Audrey -
You rock my world on this thread. I have to confess that I decided I have been too snarky lately, but man oh man, I wanted to hit the high notes earlier this afternoon when I read jjpg - and realized some good soul would express the idiocy of it all far better than I ever could in the state I was in.
Who does not get it that Mrs. O. is a real person in real time, and that she is a real woman? I hope jjpg is perfect in every way, and contributes to the betterment of humanity on the scale that Mrs. O does. Otherwise, "check please"!
Nyon, you were being kind not mentioning names. I am not so nice. By the way, I love your chat topic.
Thanks Bevi and I loved the post you added to the thread. Also, Happy Anniversary and I hope you and your hubby had and continue to have a beautiful day!! I figured I did not have to call them out because they know who they are.
P.S. I hope that I have the right day, either way it goes I wanted to wish you a Happy Anniversary!!!
Thanks, Nyon, you are sweet. I will share in the details in "your" chat room ;-)).
During the first trip to London, Michelle took a group picture with the other first ladies for British Vogue. I didn't like that particular outfit when I first saw it, but months later in this picture, I like it.
http://blacksnob.com/snob_blog/2009/6/13/first-wives-club-in-julys-british-vogue.html
Thanks Audrey for calling out the meanies. I too suspect that this JJPG person is some bitter, pathetic, miserable, frustrated and very unfulfilled faker who holds a very narrow and dim view of life and things in general and has a major gripe with happier, well-adjusted and functional people.
Strongforu isn't fooling anyone either.
And if callousness is an acceptable form of expressing love, hope they all fully experience it in their lives from those who love them.
Come to think of it, these are probably the same women who argue that their lovers hitting them is only an indication of how deeply they care.
Twisted!
Show me anyone that is not anorexic looking good in pleats. Black and white small print doesn't show right on tv and should be avoided, besides making the wearer look older.
Shopping Alert!
Garnet Hill is selling a fancy cardigan reduced from $99 to $69. They are very pretty with beaded embroidery, and they come in 4 great colors.
They may be too frouffy for some, but they are gorgeous and seem to be the perfect summer night coverup with a nice dress, pants, or skirt/blouse.
I can't seem to paste the link, but go to the Garnet Hill website. The sale is on until this Tuesday, June 16.
I actually am starting to get tired of Michelle's normal bob hairdo. I would like to see her embrace some soft curls. Sometimes to get the "straight" hair look, her hair at her forehead goes up a couple of inches before it starts to sweep. I would love to see her in soft bangs. Again, I think soft curls would look great on her. And, yes, I too am definitely tired of this layered belt look she uses a lot. I love our First Lady, but I would also like see her take some more chances on a softer hairdo than her normal bob. And the severe pulled back look is harsh, but I understand why she uses it sometimes. She wore a soft ponytail type do in Paris and it was lovely.
Bevi, regarding the Queen, you wrote: "Mrs. O touches people from all walks of life, it seems. That's so cool." Did you mean that both literally and figuratively?
I had to smile remembering all the "outrage" that Mrs. O touched the Queen. Not only did the Queen not mind this warm gesture, she apparently liked it!
A few things: Here's a cute picture of Mrs. O from her first trip as First Lady to London.
http://blacksnob.com/snob_blog/2009/6/13/first-wives-club-in-julys-british-vogue.html
Also, I didn't hear the entire thing since I was cooking and not paying attention to the news, but what I caught is that the Queen is now gardening - first time in a long time for her. She's doing it to promote people gardening...hahaha seems like her and Mrs. O are on the same page here!
I love the story about The Queen and Michelle's friendship. It should be noted that the queen just started her own palace vegetable garden. I bet they talked about gardening when they met. I love how the media tried to create and issue between The Queen and Michelle but the royal palace goes out of it's way to dispprove the naysayers. I also note that the press tried to create controversy between Carla and Michelle but they both issued statements about not wearing fur. Something I'm sure was coordinated between the two camps. The press is so eager to write Michelle's narrative as an angry black woman but it's not working and that makes the press even more angry.
IVA, the Queen has always
IVA, the Queen has always been a gardening aficionado, well before she met Mrs. O. That is why she loves going to her country estate, Balmoral Castle. If anything, her love of gardening the created an extra bond between her and Mrs. O. FLOTUS is the newbie here.
Sorry, I'm "BELT Hating" again. Love the colors and the overall concept without the belt. The belt is just too heavy for what looks like a silk dress combo. The sweater also cuts across the most unflattering part of ones butt.
@ Lilly O - if you read my comment carefully, I wrote that the Queen is gardening for the first time, in a long time. I didn't say, nor imply that the Queen is a newbie. It was pretty clear from the segment on the news that the Queen has gardened in the past, but it was notable because she has decided to take it up again and for reasons of promoting the idea of people gardening in their personal spaces. As you said, I'm sure that she and Mrs. O have a special bond with this issue.
I agree that this is not the most flattering outfit I've seen Mrs. Obama wear. The wide belt, accordian pleats and thin material of the cardigan don't flatter her figure. I also agree that pulling her hair back so severely isn't vvery flattering, either. Having said that, she's on vacation and relaxing with a colleague. And we all have off days when we don't look as good as we might or can!!
Dr. Marilyn
Touche, IVA. Next time, I'll read more carefully. Also, can u put a link to the article. Thanks
Yes we know the queen is a gardener but new reports state that this is the first time in many years that a vegetable garden has been planted at the palace. I also know that Prince Charles was one of the forerunners to organic gardening, I remember how the press would tease him because he talked to his plants.
@ Lilly O - Unfortunately it was something I overheard on the news this morning, on MSNBC. I was cooking and not really paying close attention. It was a quick segment on her new garden.
Tess and IVA... thanks for sharing that link of Mrs O from London! That black and white picture is gorgeous. She looks so timeless and chic. It really makes me appreciate that outfit much more. Anyway, I'm normally a fan of the larger belts but she really could have left it off this go round. Her hair is neatly pulled back in a bun. I don't see a problem with that. And I know about the in between appointments to your stylist. Also, as someone stated earlier, I'm sure her hair needs a break...heat on it everyday for the next 4- 8 years, and she won't have any hair.
Clearly Mrs O has picked up a few lbs which no one has noticed up until this pleated dress because all the others were able to conceal. She has always been a 'curvaceous' woman --and good for her! She's demonstrating you don't have to be a size 0 in order to be sexy! AND, she's probably wearing her hair pulled back because she is either a) giving it a rest as many African American women do from all the stress of heat tools and styling!, b) it may have been a high amount of moisture in the air where wearing it down may have caused frizzies or c) she just felt like it! The bottom line is...whatever the reason..SO WHAT...it's her choice!! It's so easy for all the armchair critics to sit back and say she needs to do this and she needs to do that. Have you ever stopped to think what your own life would be like if YOU were under a microscope 24/7/365??? Michelle Obama is doing it HER way and we all just need to sit back, some of us need to take notes and all of us need to enjoy the show!
More importantly, I am loving how she is befriending all the women of Europe and the feeling looks to be mutual-- all the way from Carla Bruni-Sarkozy to The Queen!
Amen, Veevee! I couldn't have said it better. I don't envy Mrs. O the 24/7/365 microscope at all, and I feel fortunate to be along for this ride as an observer. If her fashion misses the mark every once in a while, so be it. Good points about the hair also. Read and be educated! :)
Amen, Veevee! I couldn't have said that better myself. I don't envy Mrs. O the 24/7/365 microscope one bit, and I feel fortunate to be along for this ride as an observer. If she misses the fashion mark every now and then, then so be it. Good points about the hair also. Read and be educated.
Huh. I don't know if it's so "clear" that she's picked up a few pounds -- not that it matters to me one way or another, but she looks the same as she ever did, to me.
That hair style has got to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did you guys know that Life magazine has an entire issue dedicated to Mrs. O for sale. It profiles her from when she was younger until now. It has some nice pictures (most I've seen, some I have not). Just thought I would let my fellow Mrs. O'ers know.
No one is commenting on her weight, they are commenting on her self-awareness and judgement. She has a job to do--she is First Lady--there are no vacations--she represents the US abroad and at home. Any woman in that line of duty needs the intelligence and might I say humility to dress in what she looks good in and not wants she wants to look good in. Call it naive, willful, arrogant, innocent, whatever you want. But she looks fabulous one day, and terrible the next. This suggests lack of judgment and that is a character trait, not a sign of weight gain. Maybe she is surrounded by yes-women, adoring staff, or whatever. She cannot afford that. As I said she has a job to do, for the young designers in fashion industry she wants to help, as well. No one whose clothes she is wearing these days can feel she is a helping them....Coming off the plane her first visit to the UK: what was that amazing yellow and black outfit. She looked so great in that. People who look great in clothes don't look like they are trying too hard, they look natural. They are wearing the clothes, they clothes are not wearing them, as the saying goes. She needs to stop trying so hard and wear a few simpler things. These small things are all expressions of character to the strangers, and the young women, watching and learning.
Thanks, Nyon.
Debra,
I meant it figuratively, but it's pretty clear that Mrs. O likes to hug, pat and generally make people feel at ease with her physical touch. It's touching that the Queen in her dotage has found a new friend In Mrs. O., and largely due to a pat on the back! ;-)
Hey Bevi, what's up with the details, I thought you were going to share them on the thread?
Thanks Nyon for the heads up on the Mrs O issue of Life magazine; I'm off to Borders to pick up a copy-
In the interim, here's an article from todays New York Tiimes; It's not fashion-related, but it's incredibly pertinent as it carefully details words, attitudes, effects and consequences as we've often and continually discussed it all on this site...
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/opinion/14rich.html?th&emc=th
Thanks IVA for the link to the British Vogue photospread...
Mrs O looks absolutely stunning and elegant - what a regal woman! And that awesome Junya Watanabe cardi looks absolutely superb-
Years from now, this fashion-forward look will be loudly hailed and admired by those who really understand...
Could you kindly let me know what was wrong with my last post? Thank you. I already registered as a member, so I don't understand.
Hi...I'm so happy to be registered and Logged in! Went on a mini trip and come home to find this new beautiful site. I'm still learning...so, don't fuss just yet!
I'm so happy to be logged in that I think Everything about the picture is Beautiful.
Mrs. O, Mrs. B, London, Gardens of 10 Downing...
Just in case some of you haven't been reading the older threads lately, check back and take a look at the current discussion on the "London Flower Power" thread. And just in case some of you don't like what I have to say, take solace in the fact that this is the last time you will ever have to read anything from me.
As I have said so many times before, I have been coming to this site for a few months because it was fun to chat with people who share my interest in fashion and my admiration for the President and First Lady. I have also commented that the discussion here has been thoughtful and intelligent. I have weathered the cat fights and the too-long-between-new-topics sparring, and I too have called out those who have forgotten their manners and crossed the line into inappropriate areas. But this new twist has taken all of the fun out of this site for me. In fact, to be honest, it's downright creepy!!! There is no rationale that justifies comparing people who dislike a cardigan or a belt or a tunic to a cold-blooded, psychopathic murderer!
It's one thing to "call out the meanies"; it's something very different to read evil motives into their remarks and to psychoanalyze one's fellow bloggers. Even when I have mentioned someone's bad manners, I don't believe I have ever based a psychoanalysis of that person's character and personal life on a few rude comments. And I would never under any circumstances make any comparison between a fellow blogger's motives and those of a psychopath! All of this stuff about people's motives "seeping through" and "couching" hate in innocent fashion chatter gives me the creeps! And the bigger question is WHY anyone feels the need to read evil motives into other people's comments. I'm afraid I have to strongly disagree with the compliment to one of the self-appointed site monitors that your "sh-t detector" is finely tuned, because I think you're detecting it where it doesn't exist and allowing mountains of it to slip through where it does exist! Oh, I'm not naive; I'm sure there are people who come here for the wrong reasons, but when the topic of discussion becomes the other bloggers--and some very personal accusations about their private lives--rather than the person to whom the site is dedicated, it's messed up!
At any rate, this is no longer fun. It's creepy. And I can't imagine that the people you all claim to admire and protect would be even a little bit pleased! I leave you now to roast me and psychoanalyze me to your hearts' content. I will have no further comment.