Mrs. Mentor

Photo by Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images 

Today Mrs. O launched a new White House mentoring program, hosting the kick-off for the initiative in the State Dining room. The first lady and her staff were joined by 13 area high school students, selected to participate in the program. Additional photos here.

Robin Givhan of the Washington Post described the event, here:

Obama said she became interested in the power of mentoring as a corporate lawyer in Chicago. Her office, she said, was on the 47th floor of a downtown building and her windows faced south towards her old neighborhood. Kids who were just as smart and capable as she was missed out on opportunities and successes "by a hair," she said.

And then she got a bit verklempt. "We've got the most powerful seat in the land to be a bridge-builder," she told the girls, her eyes tearing and voice cracking. "And I'm so excited and touched and moved to have you all here.... I can get emotional."

For the event, Mrs. O wore the same printed cardigan first seen a few weeks ago for the Os church outing.

Update: Reader Julie has pointed us to this crewcuts cardigan, a mini version of Mrs. O's! For those curious about Mrs. O's cut-out leather belt, this is not the first time we've seen it. Mrs. O wore the belt with a Maria Pinto ensemble, campaigning in Puerto Rico in 2008, seen here. Mica4Life also reminds us (via Twitter) that Mrs. O wore the belt the week before last for Breast Cancer Awareness month, here.

The Tour Continues

First Lady Mrs. O has resumed her tour of federal agencies, speaking this morning at the Department of Veteran Affairs. We wonder what the current count is for federal agencies visited by Mrs. O? Please help us tally and we'll update the post.

We are holding out for better photos from the event to surface, but from an initial peek, we believe that may be J.Crew's Deco shirred skirt we see.  More to follow.

Update: Hmm, how odd, very few photos from today. The Veterans Affairs website has posted a thumbnail photo that at least gives us another look, here.

Mrs. O Set for "Jay Leno" Appearance

It was late last October that Mrs. O, not yet first lady, was impressing us with her sartorial savvy on the Tonight Show, dressed in a full J.Crew ensemble.

When it was announced today that the first lady will appear on "The Jay Leno Show" this Friday, appearing via satellite from Washington to participate in Leno's 10 @ 10 segment, we couldn't help but feel a familiar excitment.

What will Leno ask? And crucially, what will Mrs. O wear? We would love to hear your predictions.

Mrs. O Takes Miami

Photo by Joe Raedle / Getty Images

First Lady Mrs. O is in Miami today, speaking at the Florida Campus Compact Awards Gala held at Miami-Dade College in Miami, FL. The event is held annually to honor students and teachers from across the state of Flordia for their commitment to public service - one of the first lady's primary issues of focus.

Per the Miami Herald, Mrs. O asked the crowd: 

"How do we show these young people that service is more than what you do once in a while, or for a year or two after college?"

Well chosen for the southern climate and event, Mrs. O wore for a brightly printed floral dress, topped with J.Crew Merino flutter bow cardigan (...and as luck would have it, the cardigan's on sale). 

P.S. Our apologies for neglecting to mention ... the first lady also spent her early afternoon at Eglin Airforce Base (sans cardigan), speaking with military families stationed there. Further reading here.

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.