Honor and Elegance
Tuesday, November 16, 2010 at 5:58 PM 
Image by Charles Dharapak / AP Photos
The president and first lady honored Army Staff Sergeant Salvatore Giunta (pictured above) with the Medal of Honor during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House today. Giunta is the first living soldier since the Vietnam War to receive the honor. To read more about Staff Sergeant Giunta's bravery and brotherhood in Afghanistan, click here for a Vanity Fair profile.
For the ceremony, Mrs. O dressed in a red brocade dress, paired with a cropped black cardigan and purple Alexis Bittar gem flower pin. The first lady's dress looks familiar, and yet I can't quite place it. Does anyone recognize it from last holiday season? Update: Thanks to the always fabulous Ari who reminded me of this Time magazine photograph taken by Callie Shell during 2009. Now we just need to sort out who made the dress!
Update: The first lady wears a magenta multi-silk pintucked dress by Michael Kors.
Alexis Bittar, Michael Kors
Reader Comments (54)
Lovely. A classic Mrs. O ensemble.
When I first glanced at the image it reminded me, for some reason, of her November 4,2008 ensemble.
Very different looks and occasions, but the thought came to mind. The colors, I suppose.
Absolutely lovely - very dignified, but also stylish and very appropriate for the occasion. I think this outift is particularly flattering re: her waist looks very slim.
Here is a link to the 60 Minutes ep on Staff Sgt. Giunta.
I've taken a personal dislike to Michael Kors after he and Nina Garcia (Marie Claire) lost their minds this past season and went super-catty on the finale of Project Runway and chose Gretchen as the winner but I do like this dress. And just a side note to Mr. Kors and Ms. Garcia: Heidi Klum was spotted on the red carpet in the Mondo Guerra black and white floor length number you ragged on so much that pretty much everyone else thought was fabulous. Just saying! Not long from now it will be "Gretchen who?"