Monday
Sep212009
Taking a Stylish Stand (Update)
Monday, September 21, 2009 at 2:17 PM 
Image by Win McNamee / Getty Images
This morning Mrs. O spoke in support of health care legislation at the White House, dressed in a boldly printed black and ivory skirt, ruffled blouse and muted green cardigan - all belted at the waist, of course.
Click here to read Politico's coverage of Mrs. O's speech, including a video.
Update: Thanks to the tip in the comments, we've discovered Mrs. O's skirt is Diane von Furstenberg, the Bhare Skirt in African bands from the designer's Fall 2009 collection, seen here.
tagged DVF
DVF
Reader Comments (135)
Mrs. T., I'm afraid that the hostility that we see in "regular life" politics is seeping into this site. I don't know if there's anything that can be done about it, which is sad because you work so hard to make this a fun place for all. But we've always had these dustups here.
Maybe things will calm down after the health care bill is taken care of. I don't know.
I found this beautiful picture of Michelle, but there's no full length version. If anyone knows where to find it please post!
http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/a-michelle-obama-fashion-statement/
Melcy"
This is not full length, but it does show more of the dress:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://z.about.com/d/beauty/1/0/z/q/obama13.jpg&imgrefurl=http://beauty.about.com/od/fragrance/ss/michelle-obama2_5.htm&usg=__PNfc1bHSFjR5p3khEyaDE8gol70=&h=3000&w=1910&sz=901&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=gZIxxfN_NxJ1OM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=96&prev=/images%3Fq%3D36th%2Bnaacp%2Bimage%2Bawards%2Bmichelle%2Bobama%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1
I like everything about this outfit, except the belt. I like Mrs. O in a full skirt, and I like this length better than her above-the-knee things. I don't find the ruffle distracting, but rather a balance to the full skirt. The muted green sweater provides a good contrast, and brings life to the black, white and brown pallet. With the brown that circles the skirt at the top, the broad belt looks odd to me. A narrow belt, or none, would have pleased my taste better. But she doesn't dress to please me, and my guess is we're all grateful for that! ;-)
Mrs. O's joy and comfort in her own skin always overshadow what she wears. She's enjoying that wide belt, so more power to her!
Mrs. O is branching out. I do wonder if she is sending Diane von Furstenberg a thank you and a smile for the honor she received from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. DVF is the president of the organization.
Michelle looks great. She is a woman who does her own thing. I would not dream of doing that combo myself but she has the amazing ability to pull things together and make them work. Colours and fabrics can contrast they don't have to be matchy matchy and Michelle pulls it off. I find myself being a lot more experimental with my colours and clothes and have had much compliments for it. Thanks Michelle
Let's hear a cheer for full skirts like the beautiful one in this picture.
Full skirts are comfortable and easy to wear. No ripped kick pleats getting in and out of cars in straight skirts and sheath dresses. No embarassing leg cleavage when you sit down on an easy chair. And if you happen to have great legs like the first lady, they still look great in a full skirt.
@ IVA
I'm calling it like I see it. Her comment reminded me of something a child would say. Sorry I dont have a nicer way to put it.
To see an interesting picture of this skirt, look at P. 89 of October's Vogue magazine. It will be fun to see if Mrs. O pairs this with a black, ruffled blouse as shown in the DVF ad.
Char
Someone might have already mentioned this but I did not see it -- there is a feature at www.dailybeast.com that has a gallery of side by side comparisons of Michelle and her influence on the recent fashion week.
There are 20 comparisons and it is wonderful to see these all pulled together. Some favorites from the last year -- including the yellow sheath dress and the white outfit she wore to jazz music afternoon -- along with some I hadn't seen.
I liked this outfit above -- shows two of her most impressive fashion touches - the feel she has for texture and pattern, and her bold use of yellow and green.
I am looking forward to the G 20 festivities when she will have a chnce to shine as hostess.
DVF's recent show (Spring 2010) was a bit of a let-down, but her Fall 09 collection is simply marvelous and show quite a few looks that would be fabulous on Mrs. O.
(click on the full-screen view for the most fun)
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2009RTW-DVFURSTE/
I LOVE this outfit. As a Wife. Mother and Attorney there is not much that FLOTUS does that I don't approve of. I am 5'10 and a size 12-14. I love to see Mrs. O stepping outside the box fashion wise. She inspires me to get away from the regualr BORING 9-5 suits I wear. People are going to bitch and moan no matter what she wears. Sleeveless or in a "Snuggie" some people are going to find fault regardless. She has a superhot bod and makes me proud!
The Project Rungay boys weighed in on this outfit. It appears that she's wearing one belt, and what looks like a second belt in the picture is a part of the skirt.
http://projectrungay.blogspot.com/2009/09/shelley-o-dvf.html
Wow! I just love this outfit! The skirt especially is wonderful and really sharpens up the soft green. Love it love it love it. She looks taller and leaner than ever. How wonderful.
(Can't comment on any of the other comments because I read about four of them and thought "oh here we go again"..... and skipped all the rest.)
I agree with Julie and Sheryl comments. Thank you Mrs. T for the removal of that
distasteful comment on Mrs. O.
Christina: I looked up the link you posted. You and a few others may honestly not like this look and many respect that, but it is important not to discount the fact that there are those who use sites such as this to register their politically and ideologically generated hostile feelings towards Mrs Obama.
I don't believe for a moment that many of these anonymous posters screaming blue murder at Mrs Obama's 'sexy' look (horror of horrors!), at a 'memorial service' (which it wasn't by the way), have well-intentioned fashion discourse in mind. Honestly?!
The twisted and contrived outrage about just about anything the Obama's do is getting really, really old and silly.
But there's no denying that there is this concerted effort to demonize and diminish this woman and her husband in any and every way possible; And many of those pushing this ridiculous effort are getting that much smarter and sneakier about it.
They aren't out and out hostile anymore, rather relying on subtle seemingly 'harmless' arguments about absolutely nothing to raise the furor.
Note the attempt at linking Mrs Obama's dress choice to the suggestion that she has no respect for slain soldiers or the sacrifices of military folks and their families - bottom line? Unpatriotic. Loads and loads of dangerous subtext.
These malcontent persons come on sites such as this, pretending to participate in 'fashion chit-chat', while insidiously planting their seeds of ill-will.
Again, for many of these folks, this is not idle harmless chit-chat about fashion like many here would have us believe (and to ignore them and their dangerous assertions would be horribly irresponsible);
And for those who still think it is innocent fashion blather, I have a 3rd world country brimming with oil wells I'd love to sell you.
Well, tomorrow Mrs O lands in NYC to begin her G-20 hostess duties. If her outfits are anything like what she was wearing this past week, she's gonna knock 'em dead!
I'm hoping for a sleek form fitting look and lots of color.
This outfit is a great combo - perhaps a J-Crew cardigan - but please, please, please loose the belt!
Photos. Gazillions of 'em.
PHOTOS New Official Photos (Sept 22)
Posted by Jackeens in General Discussion: Presidential
Tue Sep 22nd 2009, 07:58 PM
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Jackeens
Boazwife,
Thanks for the link to Jackeens. I haven't been there recently.
There are two pictures that really struck me in the first group.
# 7, where Obama looks like he's praying before delivering his speech. I think he prays a lot before decisions, speeches, etc. He's the best.
# 13 shows the genuine and deep empathy the Obamas feel for anyone who suffers. They are so wonderfully warm and real.
Yes Willow you're right, #13 is touching. Have you seen this prayer photo:
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://ybpguide.com/wp-content/uploads/barack-obama-and-black-pastors.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ybpguide.com/2008/08/06/another-1000-words/&usg=__9PHdL-DtkaTM5N9XMACV2_gZmWs=&h=421&w=643&sz=272&hl=en&start=2&um=1&tbnid=3S5oQemWrJHxaM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=137&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dblacks%2Bpraying%2Bfor%2Bobama%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1
Boazwife, thanks for sharing that picture with me. It moved my heart, and put a lump in my throat. How moving! It's very powerful to see all these people with their hands on him, praying for him. Thanks so much.
Dear Mrs T.-
If you are going to delete responses to posts that insult Mrs Obama, it would actually look more balanced if you actually took the time to delete the offending post that originally elicited the response.
I notice that most posts that take offense to the insulting posts by folks such as Christen, Beegee etc. have been unceremoniously deleted, while the original posts by Beegee and Christen remain.
I've never asked for a post to be deleted because a suitable response to any post can always be found.
But when sound responses to posts many of us do find offensive are deleted because the author of the original post and a few supporters mount an offsite campaign against said response, then something is rotten in Denmark.
If responses to posts are uncomfortable, then maybe some of these posters should reconsider their posts which insult Mrs Obama and make many of us extremely uncomfortable too..
Someone answer me this simple question......
If a person you admire makes a habit of wearing belts, does it enrich your life and make you happy to complain about every belt that appears?
(It just strikes me as a bit odd to leap up and down and scream blue murder against every belt Mrs Obama wears. Me, if I see something I don't like, I often don't comment. Or I'll say "I wouldn't have done that, but Mrs O looks lovely in it." Partly because I think there's enough in life to be genuinely upset about (sexism, racism, homophobia, famine, war, ice caps melting, for example....) but getting annoyed when a lady who likes belts WEARS one, seems to me a colossal waste of positive energy. Call me old fashioned but if you can't say anything nice, shut up.)
I know that when one mentions Mrs. O's influence like with cardigans and belts it gets shot down because Michelle needs GUIDANCE, however belts are everywhere this season and I KNOW this will get shot down but it is partly Mrs. O's influence.
Yay! She's going to be in NYC today, my city!
Around 7 tonight she and the President will be hosting a reception for heads of state.
Then tomorrow and Friday she will hold a Summit Spousal Program for the wives of the G-20 leaders in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
I found this pdf document outlining the activities for the next few days.
http://www.pittsburghsummit.gov/documents/organization/129679.pdf
I didn't know Pittsburgh was so beautiful and it's very cool that they will be visiting the Andy Warhol Museum.
I like all the individual pieces of this outfit (except the belt) but I think there's a bit too much going on. I think Michelle likes to have a bit of an edgy style, and it can work well on certain occasions, but this is one where there's too much time spent looking at the outfit, not the person wearing it and listening to the important message she had to deliver. She's just a great person, but I do wish sometimes she would choose dresses and suits (yes, suits!) that would emphasize her stature and striking good looks - - this outfit seems to be wearing her.
It's a plain cardigan and skirt with a white shirt. How in cake's name can that be wearing her???! Now, if it had been a Thierry Mugler white skintight one piece with a metal motorbike corset I could see your point but a cardigan and skirt? Please.
This site has morphed into one in which the commenters spend more time analyzing each others comments than contructively analyzing Mrs O's fashion choices. Sad.
Back on topic- love the skirt, not keen on the belt but if she is happy, heck, I'm ecstatic!
Go on the DVF site and look how they styled the skirt. I think some people should pay attention to how stylists work an ensemble and not stray too far from the intended look. Otherwise they risk this unfortunate end result. However, she redeemed herself wonderfully today in the red Michael Kors.
Love your comment Audrey. (Whoo Hoo!)
Dear Lord,
Please let me be able to afford this skirt.
Amen
I love this full skirt and the color combination is great. A safe look. Michelle looks great in fuller skirts too. I love the pattern.
SO CUTE!!! I need to lose a few pounds so I can wear something tucked in and belted. *wink*
Someone wrote that our FLOTUS is a plus size woman. Are you out of your mind? When did sizes 8 and 10 become plus size - especially on a woman who's 5'10" tall. Sheesh!
Talk about your unrealistic and impossible expectations. I'm sorry if this is away from the topic of MO's outfit but go read about how women are literally starving themselves to get those Size 2 and Size 0 bodies.
Dangers of Detox: http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100243701
Article on Mrs. O's workout: http://health.msn.com/fitness/womens-fitness/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100244596