Wednesday
Jan192011
A Fashionable Crowd
Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 4:26 PM 
Image by Evan Vucci / AP Photo
Also in attendance at this evening's state dinner ...
"Watch Anna Wintour Arrive at the State Dinner" [NYMag]
Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at 4:26 PM
Reader Comments (24)
I know I will never work at Vogue now but, Shame on Anna for wearing a short dress to a state dinner!! I don't care how cute it was! DISRESPECTFUL.
Can you believe Vera Wang is 61 years old?!
Wow! Anna Wintour looks amazing. I'm not so crazy about Vera Wang's outfit , but hey, it's Vera Wang at the White House! Only the Obamas could pull off such a star-studded guest list.
I need Anna Wintour's suit and jacket in my closet right now, thanks.
I can see inviting Vera Wang as a prominent Chinese-American, but what's the thinking with Anna Wintour?
Anna Wintour recently hosted a DNC fundraiser ... perhaps that scored her the invitation?
aha...thanks, Mrs. T.
I agree that Ms. Wintour's short dress, while fashionable, is completely inappropriate for a state dinner. I am an avid Vogue subscriber and would think that she would know better. I know that it's important to push the envelope, but this is not in the right direction given the formality of the occasion. I wouldn't expect Ms. Wintour to wear such an outfit to a dinner with British heads of state. This just seems careless.
Anna Wintour just needs to retire. Agree with the other Kathryn
Vera Wang is one designer who has never known how to dress herself. She needs to punch up the color (after all, she is a "winter") and wear some flattering makeup.
I love Vera Wang's designs but this dress is really unattractive on her. I think it's the palette rather than the design, the understated pale make-up and her hair really age her.
I love Anne Winotaur's ensemble but probably more for a cocktail party than a State Dinner. And sorry, but I also think her hair is very tired.
After reading this excerpt from Robin Givhan's piece in the Daily Beast "In Mrs. Obama’s considered fashion message, her full-skirted dress, from a British design house worn in celebration of a Chinese president, struck a blow for creativity. In grand and sweeping terms, one could argue that it symbolized the ability of a designer’s imagination to cross borders, connect different cultures, and ultimately express itself in a singular moment of beauty.
I was reminded of PBS Mark Shield's comment this week on the shootings in AZ, "Last week we saw a white Catholic male Republican judge murdered on his way to greet a Democratic Jewish woman member of Congress, who was his friend. Her life was saved initially by a 20-year-old Mexican-American gay college student, and eventually by a Korean American combat surgeon, and this all was eulogized by our African American President"
Unity seems to be the theme of the week and how befitting as we celebrate MLK
I have to disagree with the consensus and say that I think Vera Wang's dress is gorgeous and is very flattering on her small, thin frame. If it didn't have the plum/grey details, it would be too pale, but the delicate combination of pale and dark colors in such a lovely fabric is a beautiful and simple winter dress. Surely, she wouldn't want to outshine Mrs. O, but be comfortable and confident for the night. I love it!
Vera Wang's make up could be more flattering. And I agree that Anna Wintour's cocktail dress is out-of-place.
Okay, I will get catty here, please forgive me.
Ugh, Vera Wang looks bad on so many levels: She's too skinny & emaciated for someone her age-it's like she's trying to look like a runway model.I'd ask WHY would she think it looks good to have the body of a 12 year old. Also, the dress hangs on her like a sack, and the color just washes her out. And, finally, please put some lipstick on.
Anna Wintour has a beautiful suit on, but as far as being inappropriate, I think she is subtly trying to make a point that she is ANNA WINTOUR for gods sake, the fashion world worships at her feet, and she will not get dressed up for mere mortals. I read her biography--very enlightening. Regarding her hair, I think by now she is just trying to cover up her wrinkled face.
Michelle Kwan had on a short dress that she looked fabulous in, but she is younger and can get away with it, and the dress was very dressy.
These two women stick rigidly to a tired, cliched personal style despite having made millions influencing others on how to be "fashion forward." But maybe icons can get away with that -
Edith Head and Coco Chanel clung to the same look for decades.
Their choices here are unremarkable but they're being true to themselves. Playing it safe doesn't detract from their accomplishments as brilliant businesswomen and accomplishments in the industry.
I don't like their choice of outfits and I find they're too skinny. I watch Vera Wang for the first time, didn't know who she was before reading your posts.
As for one of the key figures of the fashion world, Anna Wintour, she is dressed like a business woman, not more, note less to me. It's not really ugly (oh not at all) but really inappropriate. How could I say ? Actually she seems going to a cocktails-events with her tailleur and with a print for very flat women.
Both women look their age, sorry but that's the truth. As for the dresses, nothing special for
either one. Women of that age cannot look 47, no matter what they do. I would think with a
White House invitation they both could have done better for the State dinner, proibably the only one they will attend in their lifetime.
Char from Seattle
The First Lady is glowing! Love your synthesis Valerie.
both of these ladies need some serious carbohydrates!
Anna Wintour just never looks any good to me. I mean the grooming is impeccable but oo la la she is predictable. I don't think I have EVER seen her at any event and said "oh YES" about how she looks. The hair is boring, the clothes are boring. She has access to the most incredible designers all over the world and I have NEVER seen her look fantastic. I think that's a tragedy. It's a WASTE.
Vera Wang has never yet designed a dress I have liked so I have never understood the hype about her either, but I do like this dress. I agree she looks like a coat hanger IN it, but it's a lovely dress.
wow! what negativity spewing from the mouths of all you subscribers!
these women look great! these are two women who have stuck to a very particular personal style for years; styles that look great and fit each woman's image and personality.
as for Anna's dress being too short? IT'S 20-fucking-11 PEOPLE! with the first black president (who also happens to be liberal) in office... times are changing! get with it people!
Thank you screaming, I mean sharing Maxwell....now, now
Vera Wang's dress looks like a shroud to me, which is somewhat apropos as she looks skeletal. Anna W.'s dress is not appropriate for a State Dinner and as an arbiter of style she should have known better.
Maxwell I adore you. Can I also say that "Mrs. O" looked to me like "Mrs. Oh no you didn't."
I feel like the last few times I have seen her, they have her dressed like a house. She looks heavy to me. Maybe she is pregnant and they are trying to cover it up. Not sure but her fashion sense was not working. Yes the dress is beautiful but I feel like her stylist forgot who is wearing the dress.