Elegance Epitomized

Photo by Getty Images / Pool 

President Mr. O and First Lady Mrs. O hosted a celebration of country music in the East Room of the White House this evening, including performances from Charley Pride, Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss and Union Station.

Mrs. O has absolutely wowed in her white summer dress. She looks every bit the part of a modern first lady - and we do love the soft swept updo (or is it a new cut?). What does everyone think? More fabulous photos here and here.

Update #1: Mrs. O wears a dress by Michael Kors, in embroidered white cotton batiste.  

Update #2: InStyle has confirmed that Mrs. O's 'do is simply that, not a new haircut. Click here to read. More detail from Johnny Wright here.

Papier Mache Brooches

1960s era papier mache brooch from the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection

We have to admit, we were delighted to see Mrs. O bring the brooch back into her wardrobe mix for her recent trip overseas. Our hands down favorite was the green papier mache flower pin the first lady wore in Rome, acquired through Ikram in Chicago. The pin is a rarity, for both its scale and apparent pristine vintage condition. Another such beauty is the vintage 1960s era brooch above, from the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection.

For our fellow brooch lovers, we've done a bit of digging and turned up the following, which we thought might be of interest.

- A DIY guide on papier mache brooches by Cathy of California in Craft magazine, here (with a Mrs-O.org mention no less!)

- More inspiration from a class taught by Cathy of California, seen here and here

- And if crafting isn't your thing, there's always this lovely gem available on ebay, here  

A Closer Look at SUNO

When Mrs. O traveled to San Francisco a few weeks ago we got several inquiries about her heart print tunic, but not until later did we discover the designer (via a Mrs-O.org tipster via New York magazine, thank you!). The top is from a new label called SUNO, formed in 2008 by Max Osterweis, a film director and screenwriter turned designer.

The inspiration for the collection came after Mr. Osterweis spent more than a decade collecting textiles from Kenya, where his mother had built a house on Lamu Island. (The collection is named after her.) Wanting to do something positive for Kenya after the country found itself in political turmoil in 2008, Max decided to put his collection of fabrics to new use.

He started SUNO -- a company that employs local Kenyan talent and is committed to treating workers fairly. The overarching aim is to affect positive and lasting economic and social change.

Design for the SUNO collection originates in New York City, where sample and pattern makers construct the first pieces for the collection. The patterns and samples are then sent to Kenya, where the garments are produced in small artisan workshops. The first SUNO collection for Spring/Summer 2009 consisted of 1,000 individually numbered, one of a kind pieces made from Kenya kangas. (Kangas are large rectangles of printed cotton that come from coastal East African tradition.) The pieces are then finished with touches of silk charmeuse, used for piping, binding, pockets and collars.

Mrs. O's top is a cotton tunic by SUNO, made at a small fair-trade workshop in Kenya from a vintage kanga. The top was purchased from Ikram in Chicago. With such a substantive background and lovely, interesting pieces, we are not suprised that SUNO has found its way into Mrs. O's wardrobe. Fingers crossed there is more to come! To see the SUNO collection, click here. For further reading, click here.

 Photo by Kimberly White/ Getty Images

From the Desk of Jenna Lyons

Count us among the long list of those spellbound by Ms. Jenna Lyons. This piece from the Huffington Post is a must read, featuring a look at the J.Crew Creative Director's desk. Particularly endearing is a handpainted note, now framed, from Isabel and Ruben Toledo post-inauguration. We do just love Mrs. O's remarkable line-up of designers!

Update: Thanks to desertwind for pointing us to this piece by Booth Moore of the LA Times. 

Update: Oooh, we have just discovered that the Cotton Sateen Gateau skirt (the skirt Mrs. O wore in Italy) has returned to final sale at J.Crew for $29.99.

Welcome Home

Photo by Saul Loeb / Getty Images

The Os returned home from their week long trip that included stops in Russia, Italy and Ghana. Exiting Airforce One, Mrs. O wears a floral print shirtdress by Moschino -- last seen when Joe Biden was announced as the vice presidential running mate last August.