Thursday
Feb112010
Sheer Delight
Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 6:19 PM 
Photo by Yuri Gripas / Getty Images
First Lady Mrs. O is dazzling in a black party frock to attend 'A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement' event at the White House this evening. Tres chic!
Update #1: Reader Miss R has brought something quite interesting to our attention. The first lady may, in fact, be wearing a high waisted skirt paired with a sheer blouse. Mrs. O was seen wearing a similar skirt in December 2007, here.
Update #2: 'A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement' will air tonight, February 11th, on PBS at 8pm EST. Of note, performer Jennifer Hudson wore a Mrs. O favorite for the event - a custom cocktail dress with sequin sleeves by Peter Soronen!
tagged Peter Soronen
Peter Soronen
Reader Comments (93)
Lovely outfit, they look great together. I find the photo a little unusual though - it looks like she has both feet off the ground!
Just beautiful!
This dress reminds of cocktail dresses from the late 1960's by Bill Blass or Oscar de La Renta.
@Dr.P:
"I think the dress is cute for a young woman, but I would REALLY love to see our First Lady wearing pantyhose. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Mrs. Obama, but I really wish she would go back to some of the feminine traditions."
Dr. P, I think that ship has sailed. And I don't say that to be mean or snarky to you or anything like that in the least. I'm 38 and I remember when I was younger that my mother told me that pantyhose completed an outfit. Even in the course of my adult life, I've seen that becoming less and less true, and now I barely wear hose myself (only when I'm wearing closed-toe shoes.) Obviously they're still required in some business settings, but I think soon hose will start to go the way of corsets and elbow-length gloves -- appropriate for VERY special occasions, but really not something that is "required." I can't think of the last time I saw a movie starlet in hose that weren't decorative (you know, with sequins or fishnets or something like that -- rarely just nude hose)
As for someone saying the dress is too short, my goodness. Mid-thigh *might* be too short. Above the knee? Meh. I know it's all a matter of taste and such, but on this one, I think that this is a length that has been fully embraced as appropriate for a 46 year old. I've seen Jill Biden looking cute as heck in dresses that are shorter.
Simple, lovely , elegant...very tasteful in every way. How did we manage to get this wonderful woman in the white house, it has been many years since I approved of the wife of a president but my yes I do approve.
Nice dress...here's another view of it:
http://michelleostyle.blogspot.com/2010/02/obamas-celebrate-black-history-with.html
I looked online and found a great closeup of this dress on Huffington Post. A lot of what appears in this photo to be "sparkly detail" on the collar is in actuality a gorgeous jet necklace, although the collar is lovely. Would love details on all of it: dress, necklace and shoes. Jill Biden attended as well. She looks so youthful and energetic.
Mrs O is my rodel model of all times, loves what she wears 99.9% of the time, however this outfit falls in the .1% . The dress is nicely designed but it does not enhance her. The dress is too short and she looks a bit too young it.(late 20's) . The shoes heels are too high , which makes her much taller ,giving the dress a weird look and also she looks like a gaint over the President. I agree she should wear some pantyhose.Saying all this , life would be dull without a beautiful first lady as Mrs O to watch daily.
The only thing I find distracting about Mrs. O's knees is they are not mine!
This dress has a lovely flow to it, and those sheer sleeves are demure and classy.
I feel the dress is a nice length on her, and it really enhances her lovely legs. She does not need pantyhose.
I like the height of the heel as well. Mrs. O is fortunate in that she looks good in kitten, medium, and high heels.
A total out of the ballpark hit for me.
Pretty dress. Looks very versatile and she will get a lot of wear out of it. I need to see better pics of it though. Love the dolman sleeves too. Always looks feminine and elegant on a female.
Dr P.
I tend to agree with you about pantyhose. I have stated this many times on this blog.
Christina:
A lot of people say pantyhose are not needed, but I still see plenty of people wearing them. I for one still wear them and when I go to purchase my favorite brand, most of the time they are sold out. I also observe younger girls wearing them. I also agree with your mother.
What does one do when it is really cold out side? I have never cared for boots (only wear them to work and change into my heels).
I do not follow every fashion trend and could care less what Hollywood is wearing. No offense to my CA bloggers, but most of the time when I venture out to the coast, the fashions are at least two decades behind us here on the east coast.
The not wearing hose is a bandwagon that I will not join. In the summer I can see the need to wear them (I still do). But in the dead of winter, that is not a look that I wish to emulate (with or without boots).
Previous post should have stated: In the summer I can see the need not to wear them (I still do).
Mrs. O looks great! I'm so glad that she's able to remain upbeat and bring our President some joy at the end of a long stressful day. God bless our First Lady.
In case the rest of you bloggers haven't gotten it yet....Mrs. O is going to dress the way that she chooses. There is nothing you can say that will influence her to do otherwise. I think her legs are one of her great features and she knows how to cover them up. As one of the few men on this site, I can tell you that I prefer a lady with nice legs not to wear hose.
Strong Foru:
No one is suggesting that Mrs. O change the way she dresses.
This is a fashion blog. One of the main purposes is to discuss fashion, not to influence how anyone dresses.
I stated my opinion about pantyhose (since I wear them) and you stated your preference. That is actually what blogs are about: difference of opionions.
Can someone please clarify this? I saw Mrs. Obama on C-Span and would like to know if she wears a wig. Her hairstyle just does not look right. It's pulled taut underneath, with something that resembles different as an overlay, similar to the way many wigs appear. I've seen pictures of the new hairstyle and it just looks like not Mrs. Obam's own hair.
@adrian, how would people who watch pictures on the internet know about her hair? why would you ask us?
I don't think it's a dress. It looks like this skirt she wore before during the campaign.
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/78760730/Getty-Images-News
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/78338162/AFP
She looks great as usual.
They are the best at projecting being happy.
@Jerseygirl: I understand where you and my mother are coming from. And, I still wear hose myself. I'm just saying that I think that perception that one *must* wear hose to have a completed look is slowly fading. Not saying that's good or bad, just saying that's what I see among women younger than me (38). Right now I'm on a college campus, and the young women here are just not wearing hose on a regular basis. (well, they're not wearing skirts because it's 20 degrees out! But I was here when it was warmer.)
One thing I do see that's quite popular is tights. Especially in fun patterns like argyle. I see tights all over the place. Opaque hose can be popular with some outfits. But pantyhose, not so much. I personally don't like the feeling of my bare feet in closed-toe shoes, so I wear hose. But obviously it's not a problem for these young ladies, or for Mrs. O. C'est la vie.
Good catch Miss R, I think you might be right. If that is the case, and this is just a shirt and skirt, then this outfit is easy to replicate.
What a deligtful and impressive woman Mrs Obama is. She is beautiful and smart.
love it she dress very cute there family was there last night the show was great i saw the whole thing at frist it didnt come3 out very will and it keep stopping but it went on agian . tthey have a good time at the end mr obama sing along with mrs obama then the gradmother sing sing to but she was not on stege with them she gor a grteat voice just like michelle. there kids didnt know the sing they just shook hands and stannd there taking pices with the stars.
She looks beautiful!
Extraordinary that this is the same skirt noted above. Mrs O knows how to work her closet!
She is just the straight up bomb. She looks SOOOOO amazing! She is on a tear! She has been batting 1000 lately!
hmmm ok. I live in Washington DC. I don't know HOW it was possible for anyone to attend that event at the white house. We had a blizzard here all day yesterday and into the night! I would love to know how they were still able to hold the event! The rest of the city has been parallized.
Beautiful, youthful, and fab-u-lous!
ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! I just adore the top and skirt - so fun too. Easily one of my favourite looks so far. I love the SLEEVES especially....
Those heels are just too wonderful and are perfect.
Love the skirt and blouse-simple and chic, but you know me, the shoes could have been the icing on this delicious chocolate cake.
NO to Pantyhose!!!! This is a argument that I constantly have with my mother, but I am not going to wear them and that is final. If it is too cold then I will just wear pants. Although some young ladies may wear them, I do think it is more of an older lady thing. Like Christina said if my friends wear hose, its like tights or designer hose and if they wear pantyhose, it is usually to church.
BTW, I never commented on this outfit and I think it lovely. As soon as she walked through the doors I loved it. Also, I would like to confess that I can't understand why I get so freaking giddy when I see the Pres and Mrs. O do something that any other loving couple would do. I think that is so ridiculous on my part ;-)
RedBaron, the concert was tuesday night before the brunt of the storm hit you guys.
I watched the livestream and I was waiting for someone to get to shouting or at least scream Amen or something, especially when Yolonda Adams was singing, but I guess that type of crowd was not at the White House, LOL!!!!!!!
Mrs. T,
you must post abut Narciso Rodriguez' more affordable line for eBay. I could see Mrs. O would wear almost all these items.
http://www.stylelist.com/2010/02/11/narciso-rodriguez-for-ebay-collection-first-look/
I WATCH THS SHOW LAST NIGHT IT WAS GREAT I LOVED WHEN YOLANDA ADAMS WAS SING AT THE POTUS PUT HIS ARM AROUND THE FLOTUS. IT IT NICE TO HAVE A LOVING FIRST COUPLE.
You can now see all of the videos for this event up on YouTube. I've just been trawling through them and what a fantastic night it looked to be. So far I've had the hairs go up on my arms listening to Yolanda Adams, I've made a soppy noise when Mr O put his arm round Mrs O, and I laughed out loud when I saw Rahm Emmanuel swaying from side to side listening to Joan Baez, and singing along to We Shall Overcome. (I wasn't laughing AT him, I was laughing at the difference between "I hate you ****ing people" and this. Rahm Emmanuel is fast becoming my hero.)
"Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Mrs. Obama, but I really wish she would go back to some of the feminine traditions. I think it is important for young ladies to see this in our First Lady."
Really??! You want young ladies to go back to being told what was acceptable for women to wear in public? Well well well. Never forget that "feminine traditions" are dictated by religious leaders, government, family and community leaders, bosses. So, right up to about thirty years ago, men. Think about it. Then celebrate that we have a choice. Then be sure we never go backwards.
Mrs Obama's long lean beautiful legs are so stylish here, they are almost an accessory in their own right. Tights would have made that dress look dated and twee. Completely ghastly. As it is she looks athletic, gloriously tall, and sexy. Also appropriate, chic, stylish and a wonderful example and inspiration to all women, everywhere.
Let's face it, pantyhose are just not sexy. She looks great here.
Regarding so called "feminine cough traditions" what could be any more feminine that a wonderful pair of legs. I truly don't get how fake panyhose would make her legs anymore feminine.
Pantyhose, the burqua of underwear.
Totally agree with you, Posh, in terms of how you reacted to the PBS event, and I agree with the pantyhose analogy. I dread those days when I want to wear my favorite skirt or dress and the temp is 20 degrees. That is the only time I will put a pair of those suffocating things on.
@Posh
You said it!
Pantyhose are SO OLD FASHION, I rarely see women wear them. For instance, I saw Katie Holmes in New York with heals and no pantyhose. Too many women are stuck in the old days with the whole fashion tradition there are no rules to fashion!!
If anyone has every seen the award winning HBO movie, Lackwanna Blues, you'll understand this.
"ITS THE SHOEEEEESSSSSS!!!"
I am all smile she with went with a sexy high heel, black from head to toe, and gorgeous bare legs!!! Its the shoes baby.
I believe these are the same shoes she wore in France with that black Alaia number.
THE cutest "little black dress" I've ever seen--I want it! LOVE the sleeves and neckline, and the bell shape of the skirt on her. Possibly the most perfect thing she's worn. Reminds me the NATO summit dress.
GO MO !!!
Mrs. Obama looks absolutely radiant in this beautiful black, slighty above the knee dress! If you've got it, flaunt it (for yourself and your man)! Which she does tastefully!
The things we women buy and go through, just to keep certain manufacturers in business. To hose or not to hose that is the question and the answer! I say,Yes!...to the freedom to go bare and to cHoOSE! LOL!!!