Mrs. O Goes Abroad

What is it about first ladies and travel abroad that excites us so? My initial interest in Jacqueline Kennedy could be summarized by an image of the first lady dressed in an Oleg Cassini apricot silk dress during a boat ride on Lake Pichola in India during March 1962. A print of said image was taped to my dorm room wall throughout college, always offering a sense of wanderlust for a time, place and style I did not know, but felt deeply inspired by. I've wondered how many moments captured this past week, as our First Lady Mrs. O charmed and enchanted India, might also take on a lasting, iconic effect.

The Obamas' recent trip to India and Indonesia represents the highest peak of traffic to this blog since the president and first lady traveled to Europe in April 2009. Prior to this trip, it seemed that public interest in Mrs. O's style had waned to some extent. "If you're tired of hearing about Michelle Obama's style, you're not alone," began a recent BlackBook Magazine story. Though the community here remains strong, the broader public seemed tired of a story that has been told and retold in the American media, most times superficially, to no end. Yet, this past week, in India, the fervor and excitement suddenly returned.

Mrs. O's wardrobe was undoubtedly a focal point of the trip overseas. Ensembles were thoughtfully chosen to suit occasions and mood, from somber to playful, casual to the utmost formal. Designers and aesthetics honored Indian and Indonesian culture, resulting in shining moments for American designers Rachel Roy and Ranjana Khan, both of Indian heritage. A lace tee from J.Crew offered accessibility, while back to back pieces from Belgian designer Dries Van Noten delivered an element of the unexpected. And, of course, there were pride-inducing moments of high glamour, as Mrs. O once again elevated the notion of American sophistication on a global stage.

Ultimately, though, the clothes played second fiddle this time. The moments that endeared and will endure were those when Mrs. O interacted with the children of India. Ballet flats came off for hopscotch; a dress felt less important as Mrs. O danced to Bollywood music. The first lady came to life in these moments, offering a profound display of her genuine nature and ability to galvanize. The clothes tell their own rich narrative, but the real power is in the woman who wears them. This is something we already knew, but never has it been more palpable. I'll leave you with a few favorite photographs taken by White House photographer Pete Souza.

P.S. The title of this post is inspired by Mrs. Kennedy Goes Abroad, a truly magical children's book. 

Official White House Photos by Pete Souza

Hidden Gem

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Thank you to the various readers (Christina, Cheryl and Danika) who emailed to share this hidden and fabulous photo from the Os trip abroad. Above the president and first lady greet children during a meeting with the U.S. Embassy staff at the Shangri-La Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia. Now, who made Mrs. O's beyond gorgeous dress??

Serving in Style

Photo by Alex Grimm / Getty Images

Traveling back to the United States, First Lady Mrs. O made a special stop at Ramstein Airbase in Ramstein, Germany today to speak with military personnel and their relatives on this Veterans Day. In addition to her pretty fall floral cardigan, Mrs. O donned an apron to serve dinner to the military staff. A quick survey of the past few days certainly speaks to the breadth of the first lady's roles and responsibilities, not to mention her diverse wardrobe!

Update: Mrs. O wears a Rose-print cashmere cardigan from Talbots, available here. Thank you to the various commenters who spotted this! 

Honoring Culture and Custom

Image by Charles Dharapak / AP Photos

Image by Jason Reed / Reuters

The president and first lady toured Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday morning. As is custom, Mrs. O wore a head scarf and stocking feet to tour the grounds, paired with a Stephen Burrows matte jersey pant suit. (The first lady wore the same sunrise yellow pantsuit by the Harlem-based designer in July 2010, here.) Mrs. O's head scarf, in animal print, with teal fringe and gold bead trim, puts a modern, fashion-forward spin on tradition -- demonstrating, once again, that no sartorial detail has been left untended!

Update: Mrs. O's scarf is the classic Prova “Sandinista” silk scarf fringed with three layers of fringe, a teal fabric fringe, a short gunmetal glass-beaded fringe and a pale lemon yellow pom-pom fringe. As many will recall, the first lady wore a Prova scarf on another trip overseas, during her trip to France in June 2009, here.

Dressed for Dinner

Images by Jason Reed / Reuters

The president and first lady are attending a state dinner at the presidential palace in Jakarta, Indonesia this evening. Consistent with Mrs. O's approach to style throughout this overseas trip, the ikat-like fabric of the first lady's Derek Lam dress appears to be a thoughtful nod to the culture of her host country. Per Indonesia Now, there are at least 6,000 distinctively different designs of ikat (pronounced ee-kaht per a bit of blog research) across the 17,000 islands of Indonesia, ranging from the abstract to the realistic. A gorgeous Bib necklace by Ranjana Khan completed the state dinner look.  

P.S. Seated next to Mrs. O in the bottom photo is Indonesia's former president Megawati Sukarnoputri.