Monday
May032010
Smartly Dressed
Monday, May 3, 2010 at 8:43 PM 
Photo by Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
The first lady attended the National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C. today, where she posed the final round of questions to contestants. While there, Mrs. O announced that the White House would host a Science Fair for students from around the country. The New York Times has the full scoop, here.
Style wise, the first lady turned to a minimalist grey pant suit, paired with silver ballet flats and an oversize pin at the shoulder.
Update #1: Mrs. O's light grey silk/wool suit is a Narciso Rodriguez creation. No word quite yet on the absolutely splendid brooch.
Update #2: Mrs. O's brooch is an Erickson Beamon creation. Fabulous!
tagged Erickson Beamon, Narciso Rodriguez
Erickson Beamon, Narciso Rodriguez
Reader Comments (57)
What else can I say about the first lady of great style?! She never ceases to amaze me. I love this suit and the silver flats. I like that its not a traditional suit still it sends the same professional/business message.
Loves it! The jacket on this suit looks ordinary from the back, but not from the front! I love how she just gets the little details. And the pin is yet another dazzler! Loves me some FLOTUS.
cute, cute, cute!!! Love the pin.
If you were someone in the public eye that could be photographed at any (good or bad) moment, wouldn't it be your worst nightmare!!!!!! If you put yourself out there, as a public figure, I guess you just have to put up with the fact that the camera just doesn't always catch you at your best, re these photos of the Michellster. I don't think that anything works here....but I wouldn't want anyone following me around with a camera on a good or bad day!!!!
oh how adorable! both her outfit and the kids =)
Here's the detail of the pin:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/03/michelle-brings-back-the_n_561455.html
I love this look.
It looks like a martial arts uniform sans the belt ironically. lol
Zen! Love this suit and the jumbo brooch.
I like the shoes.
This is a lovely classic suit (dare, I say a bit serious) but the brooch adds a playul touch to it. Michelle really knows how to add a little twist to her outfits to make it her own. Her hair looks healthy and shiny.
BTW, Mrs T did you manage to get the designer details for the breaktaking floral dress that Mrs O wore last week ?
i also love this suit.i have a skirt suit in this color by calvin klein.
I think this is a beautiful dove grey suit. I am usually a huge fan of brooches, and especially some that Mrs. O. has worn, but I just don't care for this one. It's not pretty and it's just too large.
I love it too!
Wow, LOVE the suit . Very smart,very polished, yet very professional.
Love the oversized pin.
Very nice, I love the look of the jacket I have never seen one like that before.
I could be wrong, but I feel it has a very asian feel to it, a hint of the kimono dress. Almost a nod to the Secetary of Energy. Anybody sense that, or is it just me?
Love how she never wears a simple pants suit. Mrs O hits the mark again.
Oh my gosh, her hair is extremely gorgeous!!
I've seen other things I like better on her, but this is a great suit and about 1000 times more chic than the suits you see on most women in politics.
She looks great in this outfit...I love the colors of the fabric.
I like this pant suit. Nice shade of grey.
I love that she's wearing suits but really cute whimsical ones. Simply lovely. And of course, the hair and makeup is on point, ok!
I have dubbed this outfit: "Scientifically" Chic!
"Beam her up, Scottie!"
Michelle's outfit today is very nice and appropriate for the occassion.She has got the figure to pull it off so smoothly making her look so polished and classy. A black pair of shoes would have just been fine as well. She is adorable.
Mrs. T, can you tell us a little more about the pin? I've never seen anything like it.
This suit reminds me of a Moschino suit that was I saw last year on Bergdorf's or Saks' website. That brooch looks like something by St. Erasmus......everything here works! FLOTUS looks really nice in this color (can't think of a color that does not work for her). The fit of this suit is spot on.
Good job, contestants! Congratulations on a job well done!
Love mrs o Gary suit and flat shoes and brouch very nice.
Oh-h-h-! The First Lady, the pin, and the pant suit! A look of fashion 'ensemble' delight! The young people are the focal point here, and I've noticed for sometime now while perusing this site and others, that Mrs. Obama selects colors and clothing styles that are appropriate for each occasion. I will conclude that she stands out, regardless of the color(s) or who she's wearing!
Love the color of the suit, the cut of the slacks and that the jacket is very much a suit jacket but not a blazer.. traditional yet stylish....jury still out on the brooch. While I think it's very much the First Lady, the colors seem to be too muted for this color. me. I think the FL looks her absolute best in vibrant colors. Nevertheless, she looks good in the ensemble. Makes me proud everytime I see her.
Liz...you are so astute. I didn't catch it but now that you mention it, there may be something to it. If that is indeed the case, Mrs. Obama is the most thoughtful person I've ever met....and you are the smartest.
Not my favorite look on her; the gray doesn't set off her skin tone as well as the lovely jewel tones she typically favors.
I like the suit and I too feel the Asian /karate-like look to the suit. Hair was on point as usual.
I found video of her from yesterday. It's hella long, but if you skip to around the 2 hr mark or more, you get to see Mrs. O and she asks the bonus questions for the kids. Then skip to the third hr and you can hear the little speech she gave.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAjYMjTqlq4
not diggin it at all im not sure that she looks great in pants am i alone on tis
not diggin this look. i am not crazy about the first lady in pants.
This is a terrific outfit and Michelle Obama looks good wearing it. I find nothing wrong with the suit, the color, the brooch (adds a splash of color) or the shoes (adds some shine). In my opinion, it's a classic style and befits the occasion.
Out of all the outfits for Mrs. O not to belt... I usually love her use of belts, and I think a belt with this suit would've looked smashing! I love the brooch too. As usual, FLOTUS looks so classy.
All seasons colour, is that not great. A neutral colour tone that works with many things. Looking good, pants can be worn separately with other tops. Silver flats brightens and blends in beautifully with gray. Pin is a good choice, adds a little glimmer.
To my Spanish speaking friend, I know three sentences in Spanish, so that was a good lesson – google is great, got instant translation thx
I agree with Charlene - the first thing I thought about the pin was St. Erasmus. Though it's a little less open than most of their work. It will be interesting to learn more. It is very much her style - playful and bold.
I agree with others about not loving the suit. But she's adorable. .
For those thinking Mrs O wore an Asian inspired suit because Secretary Chu is Asian...I can't tell you why she wears what she wears, but Secretary Chu is Chinese American and the kimono (which is the style I assume peopl are are referring to) has roots in Japan, so that'd be an odd reference for Mrs O to make if indeed she did.
I love the pin, I often look to Mrs O for inspiration for business attire, but I always forget that that looks great in her situations, but showing up to the boardroom with that (awesome) pin may not work LOL
Miss Mica, you make a good point, but at the same time a "casual gazer" would not know the depth of the Secretary of Energy's background.
Also, I said asian feel, Japan and China are in Asia so I stick to my wording. A lot of the children are of asian descent as well. She usually "speaks" with her clothes and wears "cool" clothes for the kids. Anyway, we can disagree without be disagreeable : )
Lately I've been wondering...just how big is FLOTUS' closet??? Can you imagine how much space she needs for all her clothes?!
I love this suit's great, subtle style. Perhaps most importantly, it fits Mrs. O perfectly!
Very nice indeed. That's a great grey for Mrs O in a suit. I really didn't like it on the grey trousers she wore recently (with floral cardigan) but this is too stylish, sleek and elegant. Especially with the touches of silver.
I've just watched a fair chunk of that video that Nyon posted the link for, and I have to say - some of the questions they gave her to read out were horrendous!! And of course she coped beautifully. Some of those words aren't easy when you ARE familiar with them!
If you go to 2.57ish, she's shaking hands madly with people (instead of standing somewhere at the back and not talking to anyone) and having her photo taken with the other judges. Later there's a very funny bit about the President liking nerds (that's at 3.08).
When I first viewed this suit, I thought "clniical." Then I thought it was really nice, fit really well, flattered FLOTUS. Then I wondered why I was hesitating. Then I wondered how it would look if the plain curved neckline had extended into a graceful shawl collar instead. Then I thought that the glorious pin was a tad too much--not for the suit itself, but for the paleness of it. I found myself hoping that it didn't cost $15k. Then I thought about how much I don't like ballet flats unless they are on tiny ballerinas. I hold metallic shoes in a special "don't like" category.
Then I thought about FLOTUS, the person, and the stunningly terrific way she presents herself to everyone each and every single day--so aptly represented here by her interactions with yet another group of kids. I love fashion, always have, even though I am most comfortable in my threadbare, gardening clothes. I love having a site where we can come to talk about the fashion avenues of the lovely Michelle. She truly is one of a kind. I regret all of the tangles and outbursts that seem so often to happen here otherwise.
Cinco de Mayo. It is a gorgeous day in my neck of the woods.
Mrs.O, Dr.Biden and the President! i love this picture. It just projects confidence and knowledge.
http://www.daylife.com/photo/07JbeMPgM344D?q=Michelle-Obama
some additional pics, including her at the USAID
http://www.daylife.com/search/photos/1/grid?q=Michelle-Obama
i just finished watching Mrs.O at cinco de mayo reception. i think she is wearing a Thakoon resort 2010.. it is pertty much safe to say that she is into floral and print for this spring.here is the link
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/complete/slideshow/2010RST-THAKOON/
Cinco the Mayo. full-length picture. i love her yellow strappy sandals.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama#photoViewer=/100505/ids_photos_ts/r979906324.jpg
another full-length pic. this time she is standing still.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama#photoViewer=/100422/480/urn_publicid_ap_org3fe009ead3884c9babe1eee57c03be7e
sorry.wrong link. here is the pic.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama#photoViewer=/100505/ids_photos_ts/r3881553367.jpg
Chrystelle,
The 2nd link you posted shows 3 or 4 children pointing (possibly from the day MO and Bo met with children at the White House) not the full l length picture of the Cinco de Mayo dress.