Happy Labor Day!

Image by Saul Loeb / Getty Images

The Os spent much of this Labor Day weekend away at Camp David, returning home to the White House late yesterday afternoon. First Lady Mrs. O kept her look classic chic with a simple black sundress and sunglasses, and her haired pulled into a sporty ponytail. Is it just us, or have there been quite a few little black sundresses in Mrs. O's wardrobe as of late?

Hope everyone had a wonderful and restful long holiday weekend! (Our internet was down for 24 hours, so apologies to those whose comments were stuck in the queue.)

Mystery Persists

Official White House photo by Pete Souza / Flickr Creative Commons

One of our favorite Mrs. O looks of recent months remains a mystery - the divine red dress above. Just today, another person emailed to ask if we knew the designer, and sadly, we don't. If you have an idea of who might be behind this gem, please do tell.

The photo above is a recent addition to the White House Flickrstream. And if you didn't already see it in the comments (or on the Today Show), there is another photo that can't go without mention. Click here to see Ms. Sasha Obama sneaking up on her dad, our president, in the Oval Office. Not Mrs. O fashion, but too adorable to pass up!

Fashion Forward Footwear

Image by Mandel Ngan / Getty Images 

Mrs. O and family made their way home to the White House yesterday, after a week away on Martha's Vineyard. Of great interest was Mrs. O's choice of shoes as she exited Marine One - a pair of asymmetric, toe loop Maison Martin Margiela sandals.

Margiela is a Belgian designer, known for his minimalist, avant garde designs. His name is relatively low profile, but widely celebrated within the inner circles of the fashion industry. The choice is an exciting new addition to Mrs. O's fashion repertoire (the first lady is also rumored to have acquired a white Margiela tuxedo). For more detail on the sandals, see here.

From Crocs (worn in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, below) to Martin Margiela in a single week's time, we love everything about this combination of footwear; it's unexpected and delightfully contradictory.

Image by Jewel Samad / Getty Images

Honoring Senator Kennedy

Image by Jewel Samad / Getty Images

Image by Jewel Samad / Getty Images

First Lady Mrs. O and the president joined in ceremonies to honor the late Senator Edward Kennedy this weekend in Boston. For funeral services held at the Basillica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Mission Hill, Mrs. O wore the same Moschino bow blouse she wore to visit The Vatican earlier this summer. Arriving at Boston's Logan Airport the evening before, Mrs. O wore a Sophie Theallet shirtdress, first seen this spring, belted with her famous Alaia.

When Betty Went on Vacation

Betty Ford never expected to be First Lady. Her husband, Gerald Ford, had been a congressman from Michigan for almost 25 years when, in 1973, he became the first person appointed to the vice-presidency under the 25^th amendment. The next year, Richard Nixon resigned as president, and Ford assumed the presidency, serving from 1974 to 1977.

Mrs. Ford was a vivacious person who had had an early career as a dancer trained by the legendary Martha Graham, a leading figure in American modern dance. As First Lady, she achieved a balance of remaining her outspoken self while graciously performing her White House duties.

The Fords liked to vacation in Vail, Colorado, but Camp David quickly became their number one choice for relaxing. These photos, by David Hume Kennerly, offer us a welcome glimpse at life behind the scenes at Camp David, a now favorite off-duty spot for the Obamas, too.

In the fall of 1974, Mrs. Ford, the President, and their dog Liberty enjoyed the pool at Camp David. The First Lady is wearing tailored pants and a jacket, accented with a chiffon scarf tied around her neck. Mrs. F was always true to her own style, favoring extremely tailored clothes. She liked shirtwaist dresses, pants suits (although the first First Lady to wear pants in public was Patricia Nixon), menswear white shirts, and sophisticatedly pared down jackets and skirts. This unassertive clean-lined look, reintroduced in recent years by Prada, was a new fashion statement at the time—a refreshing reaction to the fringe, graphic patterns, and sartorial excess of the late 1960s.

Relaxing at Camp David in 1975, with her husband and daughter Susan, Mrs. Ford was confident enough to be photographed in her hostess robe. Interestingly, this most casual item shows more feminine flare—with bell sleeves and ruffle trim—than the First Lady’s day time wear.

In 1976, the Fords strolled through the wooded Camp David grounds. Again, Mrs. Ford embraces her beloved tailored silhouette, this time with a tone-on-tone light palette for her unfettered windbreaker, shirt, and pants. We love the confidence that Mrs. Ford shows in her fashion choices and her ability to always appear at ease. She showed a true ability to wear the clothes (rather than the other way around), allowing her personality to always shine through.

All photos via Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and Museum