Monday
Jul272009
A Perfect Pair
Monday, July 27, 2009 at 9:03 PM 
Photo by Joshua Roberts / Getty Images
The president and first lady are hosting a reception for foreign ambassadors at the White House this evening, making a grand entrace in the photo above. Their sartorial symmetry, accomplished via bold color blocks of black, white and scarlet, delights the eye. More on Mrs. O's dress to follow.
Politico has the scoop on tonight's event:
"It was splashy affair, held under the chandelier glint of the Grand Foyer, replete with champagne and the music of the Marine String Ensemble. Musicians performed a handful of light jazz songs including Shadow of Your Smile and Come Back to Sorrento."
Update: Mrs. O wear a Jason Wu color block sheath with embroidered bodice, silk faille skirt, and red chiffon cummerbund.
tagged Jason Wu
Jason Wu
Reader Comments (95)
Mrs. T - what about the outfit from Virginia earlier today with the 3 flowered pins? That was another A+ look.
Love the red/black/white combo. What a dashing couple!
This is so adorable! What a great looking pair.
Yowza!
(and a Hubba Hubba, too.)
Wow! Sometimes the matchy-matchy is really lame, but they look SO GOOD!
I LOVE this photo. I have been a Mrs. O stalker from the beginning but I gasped when I saw this photo. They are such a beautiful couple - I tell my man all the time how much I want to be like them. There's something there to see such a strong, PUBLIC bond that isn't tawdry or dramatic nor dowdy and simply "old". This is a photo of a hot couple, still in love, making moves but always together. There's just something so, well, magical that I can only pray to capture and retain in my own life.
I can't wait until someone puts up more links for additional photos!
Absolutely fabulous! The self-belt circling her real waist sets the entire dress off...I love it!
A few pictures...see Related Photos on right hand side of page at http://www.daylife.com/topic/Michelle_Obama
Mrs T, I love your photo selection here. She is definitely rocking this outfit. I am guessing...Narciso Rodriguez!
I like the coordinated outifts! Kind of like the blue/lavender coordination from the other day but more literal.
More pics are at this link -- a few photos show more detail in the outfit, which appears to be a top and a skirt...but it's hard to tell:
http://www.daylife.com/topic/Michelle_Obama/photos
Stunning, can't wait to see more pictures of this reception.
Mrs O has a beautiful figure, but she has a figure. I love the way she knows how to dress with a slimming top emphasizing her small waist and a touch of fullness in the hip area like most of us need. And unlike other first ladies she also tries to add some interest to her wardrobe and not do the usual boxy suits or dress up clothes for evening.
Love it!
This is a great look. What a gorgeous pair! There are a few more pictures you can enlarge on Daylife at:
http://www.daylife.com/search/photos/1/grid?q=Michelle+Obama
So elegant, fresh & classic. LOVE LOVE LOVE!
WOW....the periwinkle blue dress she had on earlier looked AMAZING on her. I like this ensemble a lot....I like how the POTUS and FLOTUS "match"; it's sweet. I like her hair. I even like the placement of the red belt(sash?)....very classy, summery, fresh and current. Does our FLOTUS or do her advisors perhaps read this site? Lately she has looked fabulous!
Black, white and red are such a great combo, and the two of them together look so sophisticated. She looks understated and glamorous, with just that hint of sparkle. Very chic. And I love her hair, how it showcases the earrings. Her red satin sash and his red tie just pop off the screen.
What can I say? GORGEOUS as usual. Classic colors, classic cut, 100% attractive and modern First Lady!
simple amazing,love our first couple
What a great outfit and a great way to send her off for her August vacation. What will we do for a whole month? I'm sure there will be unofficial photos of the vacation somewhere, but I hope they get some alone time. (Long lens shots of the president in swimming trunks anyone) I can't wait until September.
Lady Michelle looks ravishing! Perfect in every way.
And naljagirl, your post was beautiful and spot on.
10's across the board. She could be the chicest woman this side of the Mississippi; I declare.
This is a cover-worthy look with this by-line: "Michelle's Phenomenal Take on the Cocktail Dress"
I don't like the cut of this blouse on her, makes her look too muscular a la tennis' williams sister. Michelle could do better.
Just beautiful! She always manages to look ultra chic with a hint of glamour and still looks like she can do anything in her outfit - a pretty remarkable feat!
More photos please....
Huffington Post has a slideshow here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/28/united-front-first-couple_n_245954.html
This must be one of the greatest outfits that I have seen her wear in a while. Absolutely smashing!!! Cudos to the designer, this really looks wonderful on her!
C'est une parfaite harmonie ; les couleurs sont superbes.
Félicitations !
I'm almost positive it's Jason Wu -- I was admiring it at Nordstrom over the weekend. Gorgeous.
I am very confused by suji's post. Michelle isn't wearing a blouse. suji what photo's are you looking at?
Anyway, back to this evening's outfit. It's PERfect. Perfect fit, colours, length, attitude and POW! Out of the park. I love it. And it's really cute that the President is co-ordinating his suit and tie. We like doing that every now and then, but the rule is, if we end up looking like the sad twins, <<he>> has to change into something different!!! I like that it's Jason Wu too - I was beginning to feel that we hadn't seen any Jason Wu in a while, although I'm sure that's not actually true.
I echo whoever said what are we going to do for a month now that the Obama's are on vacation! My god!
Looking at the Daylife pictures, there's a slight sparkly detail on the top of this dress. Really delightful.
SOME ENCHANTED EVENING
Besotted, Smitten and oh so captivating...
As they come down the stairs I can almost hear the band playing "I've got you under my skin"... somewhere in the distance. Mr & Mrs. O look so ravishing you could just eat them up! YUM!!!
This is elegance personified, and I almost have to pinch myself when I see Mrs.O looking so sensational yet so simple! I've always been a firm believer that "less is more" and this dress proves it. A good form, cut and combination of colours to fit on a good physical structure. And can we just salute those fabulous arms! ARMS - WE SALUTE YOU!
SINFULLY DIVINE...
Simply beautiful!
Pure class
They both look amazing. I like how they pulled of matching without being "matchy". This dress is amazing! And with her hair pulled back, you see her incredible cheekbones.
This is o"Couture!!
@posh tater the pics don't show it very well but there is a sparkly thing going on with the top. Breath taking!
That's a nice style; I have an almost identical dress, much cheaper, no doubt.
Perfect title !! They make a perfect couple !
Exquisite Mrs O!!! I still beam with pride when I see the two of them together! Rocky, your posts are always so well said... I love them!
Rocky, I always love your "headline" posts.
The First Couple looks great together as always.
Twitter = Strongforu
Totally sensational! I love this look.
Very chic!
Posh, sorry about the confusion. That was a mistake I just don't like the top portion of this dress on her, makes her seem too muscular. Muscular might be good on some other type of dress or top, but not this one (for me). I dislike most of the dresses worn by the Williams sisters because they seem to highlight their muscular upper body and the top portion of this dress is having a similar effect. IMHO, if you are too muscular, either go offshoulder or wear a sleeveless blouse that doesn't reveal the shoulder. See the differences here :
Covered shoulder - delicate look http://bp2.blogger.com/_ND920tPjWkA/SHWK6QOyIgI/AAAAAAAAHoA/qwhZW_1xZKk/s1600-h/serena+williams+wrap.jpg
Unovered shoulder - muscular - http://bp2.blogger.com/_ND920tPjWkA/SHWNwbOe0zI/AAAAAAAAHog/zw5I5lK5IL0/s400/serena+red+dress.jpg
Off shoulder - nice look - http://bp2.blogger.com/_ND920tPjWkA/SHWNwDC3M2I/AAAAAAAAHoQ/8Ae4mYFzXwg/s1600-h/serena+black+good.jpg
The outfit is fine, although it does emphasize Mrs. Obama's stomach (which is one of her flaws) as the HuffPo photos show. I like how she and the president color coordinated without it looking cheesy. And for once, Jason Wu has designed a decent outfit! As usual, Mrs. Obama's hair and makeup are on point.
Sorry to sound like your old English teacher, but it's cummerbund, not cumberbund, and it's brooch, not broach. Hey, at least my English degree is good for something....I can spell! It's a constant source of irritation to my kids.
I just don't think that the human form in it's many shapes is or should be called a flaw.
Mara -
I have to admit that I cringe a little when someone points out Mrs. O's "flaws"?
I don't ascribe to the Hollywood ideal that having any kind of stomach is a "flaw". Michelle has the beautiful body of a mature, lean, fit, black woman and mother, and I don't consider her body flawed in any way.
I've been campaigning for years to get women to accept and love their bodies as they are. Michelle seems to have achieved that, and hearing anyone say they think she is flawed doesn't sit too easily with me.
I think it was Mara who once described her body type to be more like Jackie O. Perhaps she is comparing herself to Michelle O and seeing herself as superior. Am I wrong Mara?
Um, this dress was made to have a little 'puff' or 'poof' just below Lady Michelle's waist. That extension of fabric was kinda the point. Surely Mara you didn't believe all that was the First Lady's actual stomach?
I love the look. Lately I have loved everything I see. But it has raised a question in my mind. Perhaps everyone else knows and I've been living under a rock. Who pays for all of these beautiful outfits? Are they donated? Do the O's pay for them (there goes the entire presidential salary on clothing)? Is there a "clothing allowance" paid for by you and me (i.e. the taxpayers)? Does the DNC pay? I'm just curious.
Christen, thanks for stepping up on the spelling corrections! As another English major, I cringe when I see them too. I've corrected the broach/brooch mistake before, but chickened out when it was Mrs. T calling this a cumberbund. (In fact, I'm not even sure it qualifies as one - it's more like an inset belt.) But I see it's been corrected, thanks to you.
Also, I think the blue fabric in MO's Kors dress is actually doublefaceD, not doubleface.
The bottom line, of course, is that her look is fantastic - especially the Kors and Wu this week - no matter how you spell it!