When in Rome (Updated)
Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at 10:53 AM 
Photo by Alessia Pierdomenico / Reuters
As the President and First Lady arrived in Rome, Mrs. O dazzled in a yellow sheath dress, accessorized with an oversize green brooch at her shoulder. We love that Mrs. O has mixed two of her signatures - a classic sheath and a statement brooch - while introducing a fresh play on color.
Update #1: Mrs. O wears a Jason Wu canary yellow silk faille custom sheath dress. The pin is a rare 1960s vintage piece in paper mache, purchased at Ikram.
For the afternoon, Mrs. O changed ensembles to visit the Coloseeum with her daughters, wearing a white sundress with an Erickson Beamon turquoise brooch pinned at the neckline. The brooch was first seen in August 2008, as Mrs. O opened the Democratic National Convention.
Update #2: Mrs. O wears a white cotton silk dress by Narciso Rodriguez.
Photo by Tiziana Fabi / Getty Images
Erickson Beamon, Jason Wu, Narciso Rodriguez
Reader Comments (108)
An article on Malia in Rome
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1198393/Miss-Obamas-peacenik-T-shirt-sends-message-G8-leaders.html
Fabulous outfits all around...Mrs. O., Malia and Sasha. Love the white sundress with the colorful, beautiful brooch. Maybe they ARE back!
Hello, long time reader but first time poster here. I just wanted to let you ladies know that Ms. Bruni will be attending, she will just be arriving fashionably late. There were questions raised for awhile as to whether she would attend as she received a letter from Italian academics calling for a spouse boycott of the event--primarily due to Berlusconi's attitudes towards women. However, UK papers did confirm this morning that she will attend. I can't wait to see what she arrives in!
I absolutely love the yellow dress on FLOTUS, by the way. It looks simply stunning on her and the accessories are dead on. I love how the bracelet seems to reflect the same shade of yellow that appears on the edge of the floral brooch. Does anyone know the bracelet designer?
Love the pins-she's inspired me to dig some out and start wearing them.
Any idea where the green brooch is from?
I think Mrs.O looks great in both outfits, as she always does whether she's wearing belts, cardigans - or what have you. I've noticed that she has been wearing more of those bracelets. I really like them.
OT: It's funny Willow, because I find your comment about Mrs.O's posture more insulting than the endless, albeit annoying, speculations re: whether she is pregnant. After all, Mrs.O is not a child to be told to stand straight. I can perhaps understand such a comment directed at Malia, but her 45 year old mother....Not so much.
@ toscanaremi
I know it's wrong to say this. I know it's wrong to say this. I know it's wrong to say this. But I checked your link and holy moly, Malia is one good-looking kid! You almost can't believe she's 11 -- I don't know if it's just the look on her face in that moment, or the sunglasses, or what. Whew. Okay, enough about that.
I'm just going to put this out there: I love Michelle's brooches, I really do. But the green one frightens me and I DON'T KNOW WHY! It's like a giant cabbage on the attack. Seriously though, I know it's pretty even though it gives me the creeps.
@ zila, but this 45 y/o woman does have terrible posture. What's wrong with wishing she'd stand up straighter? Own that height! Slumping doe not make one look shorter (I know, I'm her height), it just makes you look...well...slumped.
Malia is going to be a knock out. Right now, she's still a baby. :-)
Love It!!! The yellow sheath looks great on her. Love the Brooch and Bangles. She really knows how to 'pop' in the First Ladies Club photo. Most of them playing it safe with black.
The white sundress also a great hit with the brooch. She and Malia rocking those shades! Sasha also very chic! PO has three stylish ladies!
Christina, I know what you mean about her not looking 11. I think it is because she is so tall and her quiteness makes her seem more mature, but when she interacts with Sasha that's when you see her age come through.
I think MO looks great in both looks, but I absolutely love the white dress. She just looks so cool, fresh, and summery. She looks like she is having fun, plain and simple. I also like the flower print top Sasha has on; very chic for little girl.
@Christina--I just spit out the water I was drinking as I was reading your post---LOL! It is a pretty brooch but the closeups made it look like if you touched it, it might clamp down on your hand--very lifelike indeed! But it is very intricate and beautiful at the same time. It's hard for me to articulate because I love it too on Mrs. O, but I like all the photos where the camera lens was backed up just a bit more. I have to say I'm a little more timid with my accessories than I am with my actual attire, but Mrs. O is very bold and daring and I still feel it really worked with this Jason Wu dress and made it burst with contrasting color.
P.S. Mrs. O's bangles are slamming--I would purchase it if I knew where she got them--Mrs. T, do you know who is the designer of the bangles?
@ Janelle
Yes! It's like Little Shop of Horrors. I'm afraid to see close-up images. I'm sure you are right though that it is intricate and beautiful AND POSSIBLY DEADLY.
Michelle can find inspiration even in the china cabinets of grand ole southern dames. It's like she plucked the wares (majolica) of some deeply southern lady and placed it with boldness onto that bright yellow dress. She is clever.
@ Christina and Janelle - OMG you 2 are funny with the brooch! It is freaky now that you guys mention it.
I am also in agreement with Janelle - please Mrs. T - if you can find out who makes them that would be awesome.
...the green lotus-like brooch reminds me of a bakelite piece my grandmother had. Although it is large, it must not be too heavy, as it would pull on the light fabric of the dress. I love the layered bangles/bracelets too....
Mrs. O still looking fab after a long day! http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/88903654/FilmMagic
I thought that big green brooch was over the top, too, but didn't have the guts to say so...
It looks like a little majolica plate.
WHITE - WHIMSICAL YET WONDERFULLY WICKED
There is something that is always so totally irresistible about white, and Mrs.O has captured it. It's the essence of purity, honesty and something that is unspoilt and dare I say, MICHELLE personifies this in many ways.
cheers....
Mrs. O looks fabulous in the yellow silk sheath dress. That brooch is fantastic and there are only a few women in this world who could have pulled it off. Luv ya FLOTUS!!!
Re: that second pic - it looks as though TBG has some competition there for hottest Secret Service agent! And who is that in the stunning flowered sheath?
(P.S. There are two "i's" in "Quirinale".)
What I love the most about Mrs Obama is that she doesn't appear to be striving to be perfect every time she appears in front of cameras. I don't care whether she is pregnant or appears to be. What is most compelling to me is that she is willing to be herself, even if she doesn't look "put together.' BTW, I had a dress nearly identical to Mrs O's yellow shealth (mine was Correges) which I wore to a high society wedding in England in 1968. It warms my 60-something yr old heart to see the old become so fresh and new on Mrs. Obama. She is inspiring!!!
I love that she changed to flats at the museum. Maybe it's just my fantasy, but I want to believe she actually wanted to look at the art, and not concentrate on looking "cute" (as PrezO says).
Also, Getty has pictures of her walking down a short flight of steps next to a gigantic sculpture of a nude man. She is completely oblivious to it and just looks lovely and relaxed. But I'm sure every handler in her entourage was fainting dead away. Priceless. I can only imagine the ribbing she is going to get about it from friends.
Love the placement of the brightly colored flower brooches. Such a decadent accessory! :)
Perfect as usual. And the girls look darling.
Adorable pictures on http://Michelleostyle.blogspot.com - especially one of MO and Malia at the Colosseum, with Grandmom in the background. Very very cute.
Interesting - all those bangles at the Colosseum include one with a small , dangling cross on it. When in Rome . . .
Yes - I noticed the little cross in one of Mrs. Obama's bangles. She is a Christian and this is just lovely that she keeps a visible cross with her.
That "scary" (ha) green brooch on the yellow sheath may be a 1960s era piece by Enid Collins. She was known for her unusually crafted jewelled and embellished box bags and for her papier mache brooches.
TBG is packing heat. Check out his right hip area under his shirt.
http://michelleostyle.blogspot.com/
Mrs O is carrying a white bag at the coliseum, has anyone seen a better pictue. It looks really sharp.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama;_ylt=AtGI.2AvVUIpKiYft2w0hHBpaP0E#photoViewer=/090708/481/d705c208bf454b0a8d3d686e223ecbd3
Lovely....both the yellow and white dresses are perfect for the warm Rome summer sunshine. And watch out, Michelle, 'cause Malia is looking quite the rock star!
i saw an article about mrs o in the swedish newspaper. They showed a pic with her talking to the swedish pm wife. Swedish pm wife looked starstrucked, very funny look on her face indeed.
Don't Secret Service agents always "pack heat"? What good would they be if they didn't?
I think we should officially nominate TBG as hottest Secret Service agent. :)
Wondrful, wonderful, loverly, superb! Great yellow dress, it looks stunning on her! I did like the heels better than the flats. Great borche too!
The first lady with another gorgeous yellow ensemble while touring the area damaged by the earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy
click here to link to yahoo pictures
The first lady with another gorgeous yellow ensemble while touring the area damaged by the earthquake in L'Aquila, Italy
click here to link to yahoo pictures
But usually Mrs G they have a suit jacket on to conceal the shape. I agree TBG is so HOT!
She has on the Liz Claiborne cardigan she wore on May 23rd on the way to Camp David, pinned together with what looks like a sunflower brooch. She looks likes she is keeping it cool even with all the bright sunshine pouring down. Her hair is up and it looks so sleek and gorgeous. Aaargh cannot get a good look at the skirt, but I do not think it is one that we have seen before. Mrs O is radiant as usual.
I love it when TBG tries to dress down. "Oh, don't mind me, I'm just a 10-foot tall former boxer with a big-ass gun." Somehow he doesn't quite blend into the crowd.
I wonder why my comment regarding the small , dangling cross on Mrs,. Obama's; bangles did not post. All I said was that it is a nice thing to have a cross visible to all - since Mrs. Obama is a Christian.!
Here is an almost full view of the skirt. It seems to have horizontal shutter pleats and v pleats on both sides of the front to narrow the full skirt. It also seems to be the same shade of yellow as the Jason Wu dress she wore on her April arrival in Europe. I like the look.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/09/michelle-obama-in-italy-o_n_228484.html?slidenumber=7#slide_image
A vision of loveliness! http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/88919618
If you live in, are close to, or will be visiting NYC, be sure to stop by FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) at 27th St and 7th Ave and visit the Isabel Toledo exhibit where Mrs O's inaugural day dress is on display until early September, I believe. It is spectacular up close and personal, IMHO. The dress is in the basement section of the exhibit, which is free.
Pay attention to TBG's eyes. He is ALWAYS on the job. Good for FLOTUS. Check here
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/88919668 and here
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/88919642
He is a tall dude! http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/88919506
Take care.
Mrs. O looks BEAUTIFUL in yellow!
Bella!
(I 'm developing a crush on TBG. It's a good thing for him that I am married.) ;-)
I LOVE the yellow outfit that she wore to tour the earthquake affected area in L'acquila. It is so elegant in a 1950s way.
MJMR: it's on there, at 12:29 a.m., right underneath mine .
MO looks fabulous today. Perfect and appropriate - a well dressed, interested tourist and a fabulous US ambassador at the same time.
It seems like people who haven't registered have a delay before seeing their posts. Also, if you are registered but you don't sign in before posting a comment, there'll be a delay. I know I've come back to a message thread and sometimes there are a dozen new comments that I hadn't seen before.
Mrs. Obama is playing it safe, but those outfits are OK.
Hey you folks.... Michelle, I am sure is not pregnant.... if you have been really looking at her, (And we all have been) she does have a baby bump as she herself has admitted. But what she and others do not realise is that a fitting sheath will highlight that....and even moe so in a birght colour.... If you notice, the empire cut dresses that are not fitting, does not show this at all. Neither does a dress that is cut on her actual waistline...... But she does continue to look great. I love the white summer dress.....
Christina, you're too funny!
I wonder if TBG has any idea how many people have crushes on him. :)