Jazz at the White House
Monday, June 15, 2009 at 2:43 PM 
Photo by volume12 / Creative Commons
Mrs. O will kick off a new music series at the White House today. The first performance will feature members of the Marsalis family, including Ellis, Wynton (above), and Branford, who will play jazz for 150 students, according to the New York Times. More to follow!
Photo by Jewel Samad / Getty Images
Update: For the event, Mrs. O chose a white pencil skirt, pink blouse and Erickson Beamon floral brooch. The brooch, from Erickson Beamon's Victory Garden collection, was last seen during the final presidential debate last fall. Cinching the first lady's waist was the white version of her famed Alaia belt, visible here. Mrs. O finished the ensemble with her Jimmy Choo Lantern heels (which are quickly becoming Mrs. O's shoe of the season!). Meanwhile, we are very excited about Ms. Robinson's pink and navy top, far left.
A detailed view of Mrs. O's Erickson Beamon brooch:
Alaia, Erickson Beamon, Jimmy Choo
Reader Comments (95)
WOW
That call and response segment was incredible! Those young jazz cats were great. Thanks for the link, Janelle.
Oh, MrsO looking fab as always. I'm so glad, cause I saw that pic on HuffPost where she was walking Bo and it was not good to say the least. It looked like someone else :-(
White is very becoming on MrsO. Love the flower bin. Loving both the look and the Jazz music. Good times.
That Erickson Beamon brooch is such an amazing piece. J'adore!
Great outfit today. I love the simplicity - two colors, no contrasting belt across the middle, but the jazzy shoes just to shake things up a little. Someone asked about the color of the blouse and suggested dusty rose, which is a good choice. My grandmother would have called it "ashes of roses," which has always been one of my favorite color names. Beyond romantic!
What I love about this woman is her ability to move herself and her clothes comfortably between so many worlds. I didn't love every aspect of all her outfits on her vacation (especially in London), but I did love the glow on her face throughout every stop. She looked like a happy woman on vacation, reveling in the company of her husband and children - with a few heads of state thrown in for variety. And today, she looks like a well-rested woman, back at home, enjoying the other side of her life.
Welcome home, FLOTUS!
Mrs O is back!! She looks great!
She looks really great and I loooooove the white Alaia belt. I have come to pretty much dislike the black version because it can so often look clunky in some outfits. The white one completely avoids that effect. I hope it becomes her new favorite and she will give the black one a little rest!
I guess, since we see so many pictures of her every week, it's kind of impossible not to notice when she gains weight. And yes, she obviously has. But I don't really think it's such a dramatic change and I am quite sure she is not pregnant since she has repeatedly said her family is done expanding and it seems odd, at her age, to change her mind about that.
Anyway, she looks great and this seems like it was a great event! I always learn of these things long after the fact. I would love to livestream it one day.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/06/15/michelle-obama-walks-bo-t_n_215692.html
Michelle Obama Walks Bo The Dog Sunday in Madras Shorts (PHOTOS)
Perfection!
Is that the Michael Kors pencil texrure skirt she wore to lunch w/Mrs Reagan? It's a beautiful fit. Here you have the classic, elegant, summery, look that goes so well with cool jazz....everything is right, just a few accents -- blouse, pin, shoes to die for - perfect makeup and hair.
She looks so great in white!
Lovely!! Signature Michelle Obama style.
Va va va voom.
marabout40, come on. She looks beautiful.
Listen everyone, it is highly unlikely she is pregnant. However, she has just been in London where both the water and climate are soft and dewy. I've stayed in the UK for extended periods. My skin glows after only a few days there. People don't talk about "English Rose" complexions for nothing. Many English women have great skin. My sisters-in-laws who live in Northern England are in their late 40's and early 50's and you would never believe it.
Thought you might be interested in this very nice piece that Andre Leon Talley wrote on Style.com on Mrs. O. on Monday June 15 in advance of her CFDA award.
http://www.style.com/vogue/voguedaily/2009/06/michelle-obama/
Love the delicate and intricate brooch. This is a nice outfit, not too showy, but still eye-catching.
I love this look, as she always looks angelic in white. And the shoes really are the accessory of the season. I like that she used a darker lip color and how cute are those girls?
Her kids.They are bored! lol! She looks great, as always.
I've really enjoyed the clips and news stories of this event. Too cool.
Had to laugh while reading the nice Washington Post write-up. These poor (male) reporters are just too funny when they add a note re her outfit: "Michelle Obama... wearing a white skirt and sweater." Yup! Too cute.
Lovely lady, lovely kids...brilliant musicians oh what a heartstopping mix!
This outfit is absolutely marvelous! ALL OF IT!! Gorgeous. Back to her classy "old self". Great shoes. And I am so happy she is getting her hair done again, after all those shots in Paris and London with her hair pulled back.
I really like this outfit.These sleeker, simplistic looks seem to flatter her more than some of the fussier outfits she has worn.I do love the makeup and the hair and are almost always on point. But this look does remind me of the critism of her clothes by the fashion establishment. And as much as I love Michelle Obama, I think people like Oscar de la Renta and Vera Wang and some of the mainstream designers have a point. I would really love to see her in some Carolina Herrera pieces or Cynthia Rowely if she wants to go with a more avant garde low-key designers that are not necessarily known to the average women out there but are still "established". And truth be told, designers like Ralph Lauren would mesh well with Michelle's image; which is all-American, classy and sophisticaed. But I will concede that there are alot of these designers who ordinarily would not be clamoring to dress a woman like Michelle. Most of them are doing it for their own financial gain and I know rhere are some who say she should not wear the well-known designers because they don't put black models on the runway, however it would force them to if she wore them
Anyone who is interested: Fashion world honors new stars Rodarte — and Obama. You can find out more at:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090616/ap_on_en_ot/us_fea_fashion_cfda_awards_2
I know she's said there would be no expansion of the Obama family other than the dog but that doesn't mean it couldn't be a surprise baby! Some women who are her age think they're done because they may be starting the change and then end up getting pregnant.
I'm glad she didn't go to the fashion designers award thingy last night. To me it seems like just because she is the first First Lady in a long time to like fashion, the fashion industry for whatever reason thinks she owes them something. All they do is sit around and whine about her not wearing their clothes.
I think she looks fantastic. I love the color of her blouse and the broach just adds a wonderful flare to the entire outfit. This is why wrong or right , good or bad I don't want to see Michelle with an established designer. Then all her fun and creativity would fly out the window. Fashion should be fun and personal, not perfect. That is why I love Mrs. Obama's fashion be it perfect or even her misteps.....regardless she brings fun and joy back to fashion. I feel the fashion establishment would stick Michelle back into the "ladies who lunch" bunch with their perfect fit and shoes that match. Let Michelle make her mistakes and let her shine with her own personal style. Unlike the Fashion establishment, she makes women like me intimidated by them feel that I can also have my own personal, special fashion mark.
Canyongal, I'm not speculating about her weight gain and possible pregnancy out of malice. I would be very happy if she had a Barack Jr. :) You must not have seen where I also said she looks lovely.
I love this outfit! Mrs. O's hair and make-up are spectacular. It's spring-like, soft, and glamorous. What a lovely classy event. I am loving this new social and dynamic white house. We are blessed to have a first family that takes their time and resources to enrich the lives of students and the community with these beautiful, diverse events.
Oh please. Please please please can we not have endless speculation about pregnancy. It's so rude! If she is, they'll tell us. Until they do.... she isn't. End of conversation.
Love this outfit. Fresh, summery and high spirited. Mrs O looks as lithe, lovely and SLIM as ever to me, and like she's having a great time bringing all kinds of different music, performance and activities to the White House - and then sharing them with everyone she can squeeze in there!
And that kind of achievement is enough to make anyone bloom.
Hello all,
The site is in French, but under "photos Michelle Obama" (left column) is a wonderful collection of images. Enjoy!
http://www.purepeople.com/people/michelle-obama_p1658/photos/1
Lovely, she's back in town and back on track.
Fashion Lives !!
Mrs. O's WH Garden Event is to start at 2:30 pm ET at www.whitehouse.gov/live. Soon to start speaking....
This jazz series Mrs. O is doing for the children is such a good thing! The Marsalis family are perfect teachers as well as incredibly talented musicians! And the icing on the cake..Mrs. O and her girls look fabulous!
I sure would love to know more about that rose blouse? Looks very light and perfect for summer!
Oh! I also love how she's bringing back the sexy pencil skirt! Mrs. O is definitely a "Hottie Mommy!"
While we're all waiting, did anyone see how fabulous Kathleen Sebelius has been looking lately? Most of us first took note when she wore that green, grecian-style gown to the Governors Ball, but I'm very impressed with her day-to-day looks, as well.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//090616/480/b437aa563b994b41b675117a935618cd/
Sorry for the long link!
Lovely. But there she goes again - another belt. Please please - an outfit without a belt :-)
She's wearing the top and cardigan that she wore to have lunch with Nancy Reagan at the garden event!
Chicagoan,
Thanks for the link. Ms. Sebelius looks terrific in all the photos. She has great style and is a lovely woman. I particularly liked her in the tweedy, light grey suit.
...oops, it looks pink and not red tops that's she's wearing. Could just be the lighting from the livestream. Her makeup is so soft and great looking. All I can see is from the waist up (darn podium). But the top and her pretty makeup and hair makes her look like a bouquet of roses. Go Mrs. O.
Ha...caught the rest of the outfit. She has a layered white tee under the cardigan and hot pink pants so I believe the top was pink and not red. So she probably got another color from the Gap in pink. She looked very cute and happy for her audience, the kids. Plus she was outside in the garden at I think picnic tables.
i actually like the flower and strip on herfrom the video stream, pops and skin tone just beautiful for me. I guess the pic with nancy just came off differently..
I like it and i guess she is sending a message to folks by wearing it again..
"...and then sharing them with everyone she can squeeze in there! "
Posh Tater, thank you for always capturing the essence of it all...
Thanks for the link Francesca!
Link of Mrs. O earlier this afternoon talking to the volunteer organization DC Cares (very busy today)---can't see the whole outfit, but she looks beautiful in a hot pink blouse, overlaid with an interesting black and white jacket. She has a clear belt over the jacket that is purple/pink(?). It's the purple version of the belt worn on the cover of O magazine. By the way, her makeup in particular is gorgeous! Ingrid can really throw down.
http://www.politico.com/largevideobox.html?bcpid=14146694001&bclid=1201016315&bctid=26527705001
Thank you for that link to Politico.
Woooow. LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE. Probably my favorite outfit of hers in several weeks. It's actually a very uncharacteristically glam. That make-up is almost like an evening look. At these types of events she is generally more toned down.
Also, I feel like it's been some time since I heard Mrs. O doing some public speaking. She is INCREDIBLE. Not to disparage the President in any way, but she really is more natural than him. He has an amazing voice that probably hides what is an often robotic delivery. He's obviously an incredible speaker. But he really lacks her humanity and warmth.
I think Mrs. O looks lovely, and I appreciate so much her continued effort to not only bring music and poetry to the White House, but her constant inclusion of students in everything she does.
I notice that this thread lists 87 comments, but I can only access the first two pages -- or 50.
I wonder if this is true for anyone else. Unless this changes, however, I won't see my own comment, or anyone's response.
Oops - I do see my comment, and this does add up. 89 comments would fit on two pages -- if there are 50 comments per page.
Some part of my brain was stuck momentarily back where this site first showed 25 messages per page. :->
Sorry.
I use to think my mom was the only one speculating about her being pregnant, apparently I was wrong. I think she probably put on a few pounds is all. If you are living in basically a palace with a fully stocked kitchen and chefs waiting on your every craving, I think you would gain a little weight too. But I think part of the speculation has to do with all the lovey-dovey vibes the Obamas give off. It tends to lead people to think that they are "practicing" so they might actually have babies. And people also want a "John Jr" 2.0 thing. That's why everyone is wishing she has a boy.
Here's a another link of Mrs. O in the garden with the kids. As Jenna just said, she really has a definite warmth with people and children. She looks like a regular Mom in this link, and she can really connect and be approachable---I think her clothes with the kids make her accessible. Her makeup and hair are still glammed up, but her clothes and demeanor make you feel comfortable.
http://www.politico.com/largevideobox.html?bcpid=14146694001&bclid=1201016315&bctid=26532340001
I love this site.
Marabout40 - yes, I missed that. My bad.
Let's all get off the baby train. The FLOTUS is lovely just as she is. The POTUS has eyes only for her and that's a beautiful thing.
Wow, that is a very pretty ensemble. She is lovely.