All in a Day's Work
Friday, December 17, 2010 at 6:54 PM 
Images by Chip Somodevilla and Alex Wong / Getty Images
This has been a full Friday for Mrs. O! Earlier in the day, the first lady took part in a ceremony that honored museums and libraries with the National Medal for Museum and Library Service. One of the recipients was the Director of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, Akemi Kikumura Yano, pictured above.
Following the ceremony, Mrs. O was off to help sort toys donated to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys For Tots program. With the change of venue, came a change of wardrobe. A bow tie blouse and slim black skirt were replaced by a red cardigan sweater belted at the waist, and paired with black leggings and work boots. Festive!
P.S. Was anyone surprised to hear Robin Givhan is leaving the Washington Post for The Daily Beast? More here.
Reader Comments (62)
anyone know where the bow tie blouse is from? thanks.
burberry boots?
LOVE MRS OBAMA RED SWEATER HER BOOTS ARE CUTE THE OTHERV PIC HER BLOUSE IS TO BIG ON HER
The leggings are singularly and categorically inappropriate for any First Lady performing in a public arena.
Man I wish that I could go from one look to another, and not look like my brain is fried from thinking about what I should wear. Some folks may not like Ms. Obama's style, but you have to admire her ability to look so comfortable in whatever she is wearing. That is what I call "being comfortable in your own skin". Both looks are a thumbs up for me. Jay.
Thanks for the beautiful pictures that you provide on a daily basis.
I'm crushed that Robin is leaving the Washington Post. Seriously. I wrote her fan note when she won her Pullitzer & I'll read anything she writes.... But, it'll probably take more effort to find her. And, what does it say about the Post, my hometown rag that I've got a soft spot for?
Oh? And I like what Mrs O is wearing especially for each event.
Love the red sweater/pants/boots ensemble.
When I saw the first outfit earlier today I thought "Ah! Shea dressed like a dressed-up version of a librarian. Cute!"
But I looked at the individual pieces and concluded that those long bow ends are something that would only work on a celeb/Mrs O because I couldn't see a regular professional wear it or even a WH visitor.
Not that that's a problem but so many outfits from Mrs O are great for replicating on a similar average person scale. This one is pure For FLOTUS Only lol!
Loving the seamless transition from one event to the next! Both outfits work well for context she is in!
I love the blouse.....very nice! and that shade of red is my all time favored!!! Mrs Obama looks fab on both occasions.
p.s. @Thumber.....really? *Yawns*. In case you missed the memo....This is MICHELLE OBAMA and she decides what is or isnt appropriate.
Happy Holiday to all :D
That shade of red is gorgeous on her! Lovin' it. Then again she has no problem with vibrant, jewel-toned colors.
Love both outfits....and well-said Stylishgurl!!!!, although I feel that Mrs. O does need to be careful with the leggings. They can have a tendency to little a bit risque and tartish if not worn properly.
LOVE the 1st outfit
Love the red sweater and furry boots. I could totally imagine the girls wearing a similar outfit.
Looked great in both. Love the boots, the sweater and the leggings. She looks fantastic. Just curious, why is the leggings inappropriate for the occasion? And the blouse in not too big on her...check the shoulder line and the sleeves, the blouse fits perfect.
Somehow the sweater and leggings just don't work for a first lady's public photo op. Maybe in the WH residence for a cozy evening without the boots?
http://www.daylife.com/photo/0fYVcFkagQd7d?q=michelle+obama
http://www.daylife.com/photo/08soanm4aQ45d
Like the red sweater and even the way it's belted - LOL! LOVE the little furry boots! Watch out, FLOTUS! Sasha and Malia will be eyeing them!
The other outfit? Not so much. Kind of matronly looking on her. But I like the skirt length.
Those look like North Face boots to me. I like the red sweater, black pants and boots; a nice look
for the Holidays.
Char
Really like the belted look.
LOVE the red sweater, tights and boots! Great look!
@Thumber...I'm in total agreement with Stylishgurl. Mrs. Obama is a grown woman. She looks great in this outfit.
@ Thumjjper,
I'll join the other dissenters and say maybe you're projecting a little bit here. I agree with you, it would be highly "inappropriate" for you to wear this outfit if you were not in shape. You definitely cannot say that of THIS First Lady. She looks great and well put-together as usual. So your commentary makes no sense and may reflect an attitude that since the First Lady is wearing something you cannot wear, well then she shouldn't either, which is just ludicrous.
I think looks stylish in both outfits...the red sweater and leggings is not inappropriate b/c the sweater is long enough to cover her rear end.
If it was not covered then I might have agreed, but she looks great!
To address the posters who attacked my physique: I am in great shape, perhaps even as good as our First Lady, and I can and do wear leggings, but I do not wear them in professional contexts, even with a lot of appreciative Marines. Mrs. O is First Lady, above all other considerations, and needs to fit into that role and context with her style, individual as it is.
I love Mrs O....and love everything she wear's Someone posted it was not appropriated to wear legging I'm not sure of what rule book they are looking at she is still human and has a fashion sense of her own...bravo for being human....and not following the rules of some ole stuffing rule book that dont exist....Dolly Madison was ridicule for the clothing she wore also she never changed her look and was able to save the history of the whitehouse....so Bravo again to Ms O and people read your history before you make crazy remarks about how a person is suppose to dress there's no rule book on whitehouse dressing.....!
Really???
As Molly Shannon would say, "I love it I love it I love it!!"
An alternative view of Mrs. O's outfit is that she makes families feel at home and at ease by dressing stylishly yet with a casual feel. She looks great top to bottom.
I think some of the "Appropriate Police" should either get a life or take a holiday break from their own attitudes. It's boring.
She looks lovely in both outfits. I love the color of that red sweater and the boots are super cute too. I think she also has them in olive green perhaps? The red belt also fits perfectly with the sweater. It looks like the same belt she wore with her Moises De la Renta red dress.
As for the leggings, there is nothing overtly sexual or over the top about them in the context of this particular outfit. You can see the leggings are made of a thick fabric and the fact that she has styled it with a long sweater makes it perfectly wearable. Mrs.O always projects body confidence and with good reason. She is healthy, fit and works hard to keep her figure.
Leggings are absolutely appropriate for a FIRST LADY ;0 She looks amazing as always. I really wouldnt dare to critize her or anyone's style when they wear it so well and confidently.. I wish I could get back that " swagger" She is my inspiration .... peace to all :)
I love it! Man, she looks gorgeous in red!
Remember a lady never leaves the house without her corset, pantaloons and parasol WHAT WAS SHE THINKING?????!!!!
I love both outfits. I especially love that she is volunteering/working with Toys for Tots. I believe the same was done last year and she brought a donation box into the White House for the Holidays.
FLOTUS is a sight to behold or in other words ...a sight for sore eyes.
I visit this site everyday and sometimes more than once.
What I love about Michelle Obama is her ability to wear varying types of clothes and still look so GORGEOUS. The woman is indeed or should be an inspiration to ALL women on the planet.
What bugs me though is the likes of Miss Baker,Thumper et al who must visit everyday and have very little if anything, good to say. It is so tiring. Were it not for the rest of you guys who accept MO for who and what she is (an amazing woman) I would not visit this site but alas there is strength in numbers.
A very Merry Christmas to all and May God's Blessings be upon you throughtout the Season, 2011 and beyond.
BTW trickles of that Arctic blast is cooling the Caribbean to a comfortable temperature - around mid 70s, which is quite cool for us so we are enjoying it.
To those of you in its direct path...snuggle up and keep warm. Peace and Love.
She looks gorgeous in both outfits. Red is definitely one of her colors. Loving the people-to-people activity and caring heart of this woman and the First family. Merry Christmas, everyone.
A full length photo of the blouse and skirt ensemble:
http://www.daylife.com/photo/023Nbeedgm0jd?q=michelle+obama
The blouse reminds me of one I had a few years back - it had those long ties which were supposed to wrap once around the neck, then tie in a bow. Possible reason for extra-long ties?
I'll weigh in: the red sweater is cute, the leggings are yes, gasp, inappropriate. Its not an in-shape thing, it's an age thing. Remember when Jan Fonda was asked in her 40s, so you're in great shape, do you wear bikinis? She said, not in public. Same fo the leggings in this picture; totally cute and totally wrong..
i can't believe someone said she looked inappropriate in the leggings and boots - dude, get hip. jeez. the other blouse is very 80s so not her. don't like that one.
I think the red sweater outfit is great, and it never crossed my mind that in the 21st century, anyone could think leggings to be "inappropriate" for a first lady. (It never occurred to me at all to question the choice of leggings until I read one of the posts.) How much more "inappropriate" could they be than the cigarette cut ankle-length pants that were stylish in Jackie O's day? They are just as slim-fitted, and (perhaps this is the problem), just as sexy and feminine. Do we insist that our first lady be asexual and unaware of the power of the feminine/feminist? Perish the thought!
Again and as always, Mrs T, you do us all a great service by providing for a forum for this "O" community. Thank you!
PS -- And the choice of 'workboot' (akin to a new style shown by cole haan and other designers) drew my eye directly to the smiling Marine behind Mrs O. She was certainly, yet again, in style!
I love both outfits and Mrs. Obama looks good in both!
I was impressed with her wearing high heels. I do get tired of the "kitten heels;" but do understand that with her busy schedule, high heels can be tiring. These heels helped to make this outfit a statement of sophistication. Fabulous!
Mrs. Obama is a young woman - 40-something is not old these days. Therefore, in my opinion, she has the option to wear them The leggings look good with the long sweater.
Besides the clothes, the attraction for me is that both outfits provided a slimming effect - the high heels with one and the leggings with the other. Great choices Mrs. Obama!
Wow! The First Lady looks great in the red cardigan and I want those boots!
"the attraction for me is that both outfits provided a slimming effect -"
"Slimming??"
Mrs O is skinny, with a tiny waist and a teeny behind. She is model skinny! No "slimming" needed!
Also, 47 years old is younger than any other first lady ever! She is totally young and hot! and skinny!
I love the red sweater, leggings and the BOOTS! I've been thinking about chukka boots the last week or so, and MO's boots are a kind of cross between a classic chukka and an after ski boot. I'm hoping Mrs. T can identify them for us.
As for the leggings discussion: these people need to get lives. Michelle Obama is living hers in great style and with thought and sensitivity toward the people with whom she is coming in contact. Anything more First Lady-ish at this event would have been ridiculous for a woman who is (albeit somewhat symbolically) sorting toys for children at a charity. I think she looks wonderful, and she makes me proud every time I see her.
I find it funny that folks are taking issue with a poster's thoughts on a piece of clothing that Mrs Obama is wearing.
Isn't that the point of having a comments section--to comment on her fashion choices?
If folks don't like that person's comment because it was malicious, that's one thing. But I don't think Thumper was malicious and I find comments that amount to reply to a poster by saying "Michelle Obama can do whatever she wants!" something similar is the antithesis to what a fashion blog is about-which is to discuss what you think looks good, what could use some work, and what plan just doesn't work at all.
If you don't agree with the poster then that's fine, but become defensive doesn't seem productive.
There are leggings that are just shy of being tights and then there are *leggings* that are thick and can easily substitute for slacks, if you have the body for it (which MO does). The leggings she's wearing don't seem inappropriate to me, given what she's doing: sorting toys.
She looks modern, comfortable, casual and, more importantly, she fits in with er'ryone else. If she'd shown up in some kind of business casual outfit, with heels, it wouldn't have been appropriate. It wouldn't have been Michelle.
I read Mrs. O and the girls left Mr.President behind to tie up loose ends. They headed for Hawaii. After taking in the collection of photos, I conclude she's been all kinds of busy. She deserves a break.
That red sweater looks extremely comfy. I like the look. She came ready to work.
@ Operafanatic, Agreed...
I'm not sure what Mrs. O was thinking with the blouse - - all I see when I look at her is that enormous bow. The blouse was wearing her. The sweater and leggings looked pretty cute, as another poster said, but I also agree that it looked just unprofessional. If I showed up at work in that outfit - - well, I just wouldn't show up at work in an outfit like that.
I agree with Mica! I go through phases of reading/not reading this site, because I find the attack-replies so unpleasant. I get tired of reading "she can do whatever she wants." That's obvious! But it doesn't mean a person can't have an opinion, and I come here to read a variety of opinions--that's what increases my understanding of fashion.
Silly me. I guess I'm showing my age here, but I thought more of of apre' ski pants than leggings.
Mrs O looks like a happy elf whose beautiful spirit is adored & respected by the other happy elves.
Semper Fi, y'all. Semper Fi.
I second it for Operafanatic! Her outfit is more than appropriate. IT'S PERFECT and I wish I had
every piece of it - I'd be wearing it now! So there! The red is smashing - everytime I look at
the photo the red just captures me. I love how Michelle is sensitive to the situation that she'll be appearing at and at this occasion it's clearly evident that she was.
I love both of Mrs. O's outfits.
The red, belted sweater, and the black jeggings and boots were an appropriate outfit to wear to work with the Marines to help sort toys.
The blouse is designed to "flow" loosely on the wearer; it is not too big; and it looks lovely with the long, single strand pearls, and the skirt and pumps.
I love both ensembles. The color red brings life to do entire scene. KEEP IT UP MRS. O
This is a BLOG, so just as it is someone's right to say that the leggings are "inappropriate", it's someone's right to say "she can wear what she wants". If you don't like what's said, skip over it. I do it all the time.
Anyway, I love both of Mrs. O's outfits. I love that blouse with the bow and long ties. The outfit has a chic and sexy librarian feel to it.
OpFan, I totally agree with you about the second outfit. It's the perfect oufit to do VOLUNTEER work in or anything else in a casual atmosphere.