Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Monday, December 13, 2010 at 1:59 PM 
Image by Kevin Lamarque / Reuters Pictures
Image by Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
The President and First Lady were at Harriet Tubman Elementary School this morning, as the President signed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Per Nia-Malika Henderson of The Washington Post:
"The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act will expand the number of children in school lunch programs by 115,000, increase the reimbursement rate to school districts for meals by six cents and replace the junk food available outside the cafeteria, such as in vending machines, with more healthful options."
Speaking before the act was signed, Mrs. O added:
"While we may sometimes have our differences, we can all agree that in the United States of America, no child should go to school hungry. All children should have the basic nutrition they need to learn and grow. . . . Our hopes for their future should drive every decision we make."
On the style front, the first lady paired a scoop neck gray jersey dress with a lucite flower pin and knee-high camel-colored boots.
And what did the president get for signing the act? A smooch from the first lady of course!
Image by Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
Update: Mrs. O's pin is another gem from Alexis Bittar, while the dress is from the Derek Lam Spring 2011 collection, seen here. Thanks to reader Sandi for the tip!
Plus, a video from the event:
Alexis Bittar, Derek Lam
Reader Comments (45)
keep up the good work, even when it feels like everyone is against you. i feel proud to have elected you.
Great work by our First Lady. They look great as a couple. I just don't like those boots with the dress.
LOVE MRS OBAMA BOOTS LOVE HER GRAY DRESS BUT SHE CAN DO WAY BETTER WITH HER HAIR IT NICE THAT OUR PRESIDENT SIGN THE PAPER FOR THE KIDS GREAT JOB MR PRESIDENT AND MRS OBAMA
I'm pretty sure that's an Alex Bittar pin. I own it in red!
I saw a snip of this on CNN, and they were - as always - very cute together. I am obsessed with how smooth her back looks in a clingy fabric like this. Every bit of that woman's body is toned toned toned.
I'm sure I'll be crucified for saying I don't like this. I like the boots but not with this dress. Although the dress is a nice color on her I think the material (jersey?) flattens her bustline, making her look smaller, and then the cut of the skirt makes her look wider than she is. But it's cute how the Pres is coordinating his ties with her outfits, and the picture of them smooching is sweet.
Love the boots. I would love to see them paired with something more conservative/classic - pencil skirt, turtle neck and blazer or a solid colored suit and a turtle neck.
The dress is okay - the pin looks great with it; but, the dress is not my ideal with the boots.
Gray and camel is so in right now! I have a gray cashmere sweater and camel pants that I never would have thought of putting together, but I'm going to try it now.
I'm loving it! :0)
Could they be any cuter!!! Love her dress and shoes.
LOVE the dress. LOVE the fit on her. LOVE, LOVE the boots, don't like this outfit together.
Love her boots!
Love it from the waist up. And the boot are to die for. But the exposed seams don't do anyone, even Mrs. O, any favors.
You know what I am seeing a tinge of that yellow in the pin...the same yellow as the boots. I guess since grey is considered a nuetral color maybe she was thinking a pop of color....the soothing tones of the colors, speak to me. I like the whole look! Well she is doing what she does best when it comes to her Fashion choices, Mixing things up!
The material of Mrs O's dress is "tough-stuff" when it comes to flattering a woman. The color is so-so, it's clingy in parts, accentuates various curves and body lines, and is, I think, rather unflattering on Mrs. O, especially when Mrs. O has such a show-off figure! Yet, once again, in spite of the dress,(or maybe because of) our First Lady manages to carry it off with her usual grace and elegance, and style. I'll be interested to see if we view this dress again on Mrs O. I think not and vote NO to seeing it again! ;)
Happy Holidays everyone!
I don't love this outfit, but I like elements of it very much. I like the boots, love the pin, I like the IDEA of the dress but maybe not the execution, if that makes sense? Someone was saying they love the top, but it's so closefitting it almost looks like a leotard up top to me. Oh well! I'm still going to see what gray-and-camel combo I can come up with for myself.
A big congratulations to Mrs. O and POTUS for a long and hard won battle for better nutrition for school children. This is really something to truly celebrate. BRAVO!!
That young boy in front of Mrs. O is adorable. I LOVE these ceremonies.
I like the dress with the boots! I think it's chic and unique. Plus, it has a little bit of that chic seventies vibe which is so "in" for fall. I will say that the angle of the pic is not the best, but you know her body is banging! Wonder who makes that dress?
sorry>>>>i'm going to say the same thing i said about the black dress and pumps. this dress and boots don't go together and i understand fashion! who is putting this together for her? the dress is definately azzedine alaia. it isnt a good choice for her body right now!
Love the dress, love the boots, just not together.
I'm with Sildi: Love each piece separately, but not together. The cut of the dress is nice, but there is something jarring about the boots paired with it. And I fail to see how the boots pick up any yellow from the brooch; then again, maybe that's just me. I am of the school of thought that I don't have to find a redeeming quality to every single thing Mrs. O wears; if I don't like a look, I'm sure she'll come back with a knock out style soon enough that I will adore. It makes it that much more appreciated.
I do not really like this ensemble; however, it is very fashion-forward. Merry Christmas Mrs.O and congrats on the bill.
"Had I not been able to get this passed, I'd be sleeping on the couch..." *lol*
I would have gone with a darker grey boot or a pump. When I saw the video I said the boot does not work with that color grey. But congrat to FLOTUS for the passing of this bill.
I think the designer of the dress may be Chado Ralph Rucci, an American designer whose work is known for those delicate horizontal cuts and overall use of cut to flatter the figure. I went through the style.com archives on the designer trying to find the exact dress but couldn't find it, so might be wrong!
Love it. The boots are smoking hot.
Love the boots and the dress too. Mrs. O looks wonderful in both, not many of us can get away with dressing the way she does. I really admire her confidence, it comes through always.
Have to agree with some...like the boots and the dress, just not together. However, she gets big "thumbs up" for being able to carry off that clingy fabric and MAJOR props for getting this school nutrition bill passed. I loved the President's quip about sleeping on the sofa if it didn't get passed!
I think I agree with the majority of the commenters about the gray dress, the boots and the brooch. All are fashionable and noteworthy pieces in their own right--and especially the pairing of the colors (gray and camel). However (and unfortunately), the total outfit is not greater than the sum of its parts.
That said, the outfit is, at least, "alright," as we all seem to really like one or more pieces of it. And more, as far as I'm concerned, the First Lady doesn't have to "hit it out of the park" every time. Who does?The first lady has got style and class in "trumps"--not to mention that bumpin' body! We all KNOW that.
I adore the dress with the pin. Just smashing!!!
why can't we get to the bottom of who the dress designer is?
HATE the boots...LOVE the pin!
Gray and camel punctuated by leopard print is all the rage at this moment. Mrs. O declined the leopard print.
The dress and the boots. Pairings like these is when I feel Mrs. O is most influential. Most would not put the two together. She did and trust me fashion horizons will expand. She has the power.
Those boots are gorgeous and I like them paired with the grey color.
OMG! The dress is Derek Lam!!
I like the dress on Mrs. O. better than the model. I love the dress easy-breezy
iT IS ALL TOO MUCH. DON'T REALLY CARE FOR THE BOOTS, DRESS, PIN OR HAIR.
but I still love our First Lady !
for sure derek lam?? is that true?
Oh, goodness. I am not feeling the love on this outfit. I don't know what it is - maybe the color of the dress? And, while I like the boots, I don't like them with the dress.
@peggy, check out the link above in the post. Unless someone copied the dress seam for seam, it's Derek Lam Spring 2011.
Who is the woman on the left in the group picture? I am in love with the colors in her outfit! She looks so chic, yet very fashion-forward.
I guess I'm in the minority here, but I love the whole outfit!
thank u!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Loving my president! Mr. and Mrs. O are the baddest and best dressed power couple in the game!
I like the boots! Anyone knows what brand are they?Thanks :)
the dress is available at shopbop..com for $1,290.
http://www.shopbop.com/long-sleeve-embroidered-dress-derek/vp/v=1/845524441898950.htm?folderID=2534374302090413&fm=whatsnew-shopbysize-viewall&colorId=11321