Simply Stunning

Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Time Inc.

We are beside ourselves, our First Lady is so beautiful. Really, there are no words.

Mrs. O is in New York City this evening, to address Time Magazine's "100 Most Influential People" gala.

Update: Red Carpet Fashion Awards reports that Mrs. O wore a simple black sleeveless Azzedine Alaia gown, with a Peter Soronen corset, accessorized with multiple strands of necklaces by Loree Rodkin, and simple diamond stud earrings.

Correction: Mrs. O wears a Michael Kors square neck gown in stretch, double face wool crepe. Photo by The White House

A fantastic slideshow from Talking Points Memo follows here.

REMARKS OF FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE AWARDS New York, NY; May 5, 2009

Thank you Rick for that kind introduction and thank you for including me in tonight's festivities. It is a pleasure to join you all. There are few times in history when the saying 'we are all in this together' would be more applicable than now. Events like this one show how truly connected our world is; how one person's invention can create an entirely new economy; how one person can change how we see the world. The ability of one person to influence the outcome of someone else's life inspires me.

When I made the decision to leave my job to found Public Allies Chicago, an AmeriCorps program that prepares youth for public service, I realized right away that I had made the right decision.There are few things more rewarding than watching young people recognize that they have the power to enrich not only their lives, but the lives of others as well. But careers in public service are not always encouraged. We push our young people to strive for things, an advanced degree, a job title, a big salary. Rarely do we urge them to stop and think about what their passion is, what kind of life they want to live, what kind of neighbors and colleagues and parents they want to be. 

In doing so, we, as a society, often miss out on their creativity, their inventiveness, their resourcefulness- and some really good ideas! We also miss out on the opportunity to inspire a new generation of innovators and entrepreneurs who will direct their energy and talent toward solving their community's - and our nation's - most serious social problems. Careers focused on lifting up our communities - whether helping transform troubled schools or training workers for green jobs or helping low-income families access health care - are not always obvious. But, at a time when our nation is facing unprecedented challenges, encouraging careers in public service and social innovation is more important than ever. Already, we are seeing young people leading the way with their entrepreneurial spirit, energy and commitment to serving their communities.

For example, Charles Best, a former Bronx public school teacher, started an online philanthropic marketplace called Donors Choose to help teachers who were spending up to $500 a year out of their own pockets for basic classroom materials. Through Donors Choose, ordinary citizens can directly fund projects initiated by enterprising public school teachers. Online donations have helped students in San Jose become avid readers through the Dr. Seuss series. An art class in the Bronx had no paint brushes. Now every student has a set.

Rebecca Onie is a social entrepreneur who founded "Project Health" to help break the link between poverty and poor health. I remember meeting Rebecca when I was at the University of Chicago and I was very impressed with her. Rebecca organizes college students to staff Help Desks in urban medical centers, universities and community centers. Students then connect low-income families to other critical community and government resources - such as housing vouchers, supplemental nutrition assistance, and educational support. This year, 600 college volunteers will dedicate 100,000 hours to connect over 15,000 low-income children and adults to the resources they need to be healthy."

And then there is John Alford who grew up in a housing project in Brooklyn, attended college in North Carolina and then Harvard Business School. John recently launched NOLA 180 a 'turn-around' organization for failing public schools in New Orleans. NOLA 180 transforms these public schools into high-functioning charter schools that prepare every student for college. Langston Hughes Academy is the first school to benefit. Students spend 50 percent more time in their classrooms. Parents are given teacher's cell phone numbers so they can call for help with homework. And, in honor of their namesake, Langston Hughes, students receive instruction in persuasive writing, public speaking, debate and poetry. In its first year, Langston Hughes students outperformed the city's public school average in reading, writing and math.

Charles, Rebecca and John. I know they are here somewhere. Congratulations and thanks for all of your hard work. This is exactly the kind of social innovation and entrepreneurship we should be encouraging all across this country.

And that is why tonight, I am pleased to announce that as part of the new Serve America Act, the Administration is creating a Social Innovation Fund to help innovative nonprofit groups and social entrepreneurs, like the ones I just mentioned, expand their successful approaches to tackling our most pressing national challenges. The idea is simple: find the most effective programs out there and then provide the capital needed to replicate their success in communities around the country. By focusing on high-impact, results-oriented non-profits, we will ensure that government dollars are spent in a way that is effective, accountable and worthy of the public trust.

In this room of Leaders and Revolutionaries, Builders and Titans, Artists and Entertainers, Scientists and Thinkers, Heroes and Pioneers, I think we can all agree, we did not get to where we are alone. Our success was made possible with the encouragement of a diligent parent or teacher, a grandparent who told us we had real talent, an older sibling who paved the way and set a good example, a scholarship or grant that created an unexpected opportunity, or a neighbor or community leader who told us to dream big. That's certainly been the case in my own life.

I stand here today because of people who loved me, and pushed me and believed in me. I stand here today because of scholarships and grants and experiences that gave me opportunities I was afraid to dream of. I never imagined that, as a result of all that support, I would be in a position to be a role model for girls around the globe. Girls who look at me and see something more for themselves, more than society expects of them. Girls who now think anything is possible. As global leaders, let's not underestimate the power each of us has to change the world for someone - and let us not be afraid to try.

The Week in Review

Photo by Stefan Rousseau / Getty Images

We honestly don't know how our President and First Lady survived this whirlwind of a week. Six days, four countries, and for Mrs. O , ten (10!) thoughtfully, often symbolically, selected ensembles. Let's recap:

Tuesday (Washington D.C., London) #1 Ivory tulle tweed coat with grosgrain trim by Thakoon worn over a black Michael Kors dress and paired with an oversize rose jewel brooch #2 Chartreuse Jason Wu cocktail dress, paired with a black Michael Kors duster and studded Alaia belt

Wednesday (London) #3 J.Crew Constellation sweater in ivory with beading and sequins paired with Dazzling dots mint green pencil skirt #4 Ivory and black silk crepe dress by Isabel Toledo, paired with a black Azzedine Alaia cardigan, and black satin opera coat by Jason Wu

Thursday (London) #5 Junya Watanabe argyle, asymmetric cardigan, paired with a full-skirted teal dress by Jason Wu and Jimmy Choo "Glacier" pumps

Friday (Strasbourg, Baden Baden) #6 Floral silk jacquard dress with black mesh trim and coordinating, reverse print coat, both by Thakoon #7 Black knit and ruched dress worn with black bolero jacket, both by Azzedine Alaia

Saturday (Strasbourg, Prague) #8 Cropped, double-breasted black jacket with leather detailing at the seams by Azzedine Alaia, paired with black trousers; floral Etro top and white blouse worn underneath #9 Fitted Narciso Rodriguez black knit dress paired with Azzedine Alaia black bolero jacket and black kitten heels

Sunday (Prague) #10 Oversize white bow blouse by Moschino, worn with a black pencil skirt by Michael Kors, black cardigan and studded belt, both by Azzedine Alaia

The genuine multiplicity that exists in Mrs. O's wardrobe was on full display this week. We saw her style oscillate between demure and daring, restrained and whimsical, vintage-inspired and avant garde.  Though already described as a style icon, which she undoubtedly is, we imagine Mrs. O's fashion sense will be known for many things, rather than one iconic image that perfectly encapsulates her style. 

She is a multi-dimensional woman, with a multi-dimensional wardrobe to suit. There was much speculation with regard to what the week would bring style wise. Would Mrs. O embrace a French designer as Jackie Kennedy had in 1961 when she famously wore Givenchy? Mrs. O would, wearing a dress and coat by Azzedine Alaia while in Strasbourg, France (as well as a cardigan and belt by the designer throughout the week).

Would she continue to champion her favorite American designers? Indeed, as ensembles from Jason Wu, Thakoon and Isabel Toledo were all sartorial stand-outs. Would there be any "high-low" mixing? While not exactly "low", more reasonable options from J.Crew again entered the mix, and more than held their own with chic sparkle. Might Mrs. O play it safe? We need not say more than Junya Wantanabe (though we are still practicing the pronunciation). The image at the top of this post, in which Mrs. O wears a black satin opera coat by Jason Wu as she walks into Buckingham Palance, represents our favorite look of the week - radiating a romantic, effortless chic from start to finish. We would love to hear your favorites please.

A Statement Bow

Photo by Attila Kisbenedek/AFP/Getty Images

First Lady Mrs. O visited St. Vitus Cathedral at Hradcany Square in Prague today, wearing an oversize bow blouse by Moschino, a Michael Kors black pencil skirt and her signature Azzedine Alaia belt. The bow blouse, certainly the focal point of the ensemble, is from Moschino's Spring 2009 collection, seen here.

We've seen several sides to the First Lady's wardrobe this week - at times showing grown-up restraint, and at others, modern femininity. We love, then, that one of her final sartorial notes projects a delightfully fun and playful spirit. For the full graphic effect of the bow blouse with black overcoat, click here.

Landing in London

Photo credit: Saul Loeb / Getty Images

The Obamas have arrived and Mrs. O has changed clothes! Mrs. O is wearing a chartreuse silk crepe sheath dress by Jason Wu dress paired with a black coat duster by Michael Kors, cinched at the waist by her signature Azzedine Alaia studded belt. If these first two ensembles are any indication, we have much to look forward to this week!

Anticipation Reaches Fever Pitch (Updated)

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images

With the Obamas scheduled to touch down in London this evening, the eyes of the world are clearly on the outcome of the G20. Yet amidst heated political speculation, Europe’s press are nevertheless finding time to ask, alongside just about every fashionista on the planet: What will Mrs. O be wearing? 

Mrs. O has been a huge hit with the European fashion press. Her fashion-forward approach, her willingness to take risks with her style and her eagerness to embrace designers outside the mainstream have all been lauded by the critics. It's an mark of her extraordinary impact that designers like Maria Pinto, Thakoon, Jason Wu and Maria Cornejo who are not widely available in Europe are nevertheless regularly featured in the style press as faces to watch. Yet if coverage of her Inaugural wardrobe is any barometer, her every G20 ensemble will go far beyond the fashion pages to make front page news around the world.

Commentators usually more at home with foreign policy than frocks will be on the hunt for the “message” implicit in Mrs. O’s style choices. The major UK broadsheets have certainly found time, amidst policy analysis, to ponder the implications of the First Lady’s wardrobe. Among the other logistical hurdles posed by a Presidential visit, The Telegraph noted the challenge of packing “for a first lady who is also an international style icon,” while Rupert Cornwell writing in The Independent observes Mrs. O’s emergence as an international megastar:

"Two months into her husband's term, Michelle is a superstar in her own right. Her every appearance is a major news event; her every move is tracked by an army of bloggers. Her fashions, her hairdos, not to mention her choice of presidential pet, command headlines worthy of Jackie in Camelot's heyday."

Anticipation is further heightened by the fact that Mrs. O will not be the only political spouse on the international stage this week. Fashion journalists are feverishly anticipating the first meeting between Michelle Obama and France’s Premiere Dame, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. While Madame Sarkozy will not be attending the G20, the ladies are scheduled to meet at a European summit on Saturday in what will almost certainly be a meeting of fashion minds. Avid First Lady watchers will remember Carla’s first state visit to Britain, in which the former supermodel dazzled in classic Dior.  Ms. Bruni aside, the world’s most influential political spouses will descend en masse on the UK this week but there is little doubt in anyone’s mind that Mrs. O’s star is shining brightest. To quote The Independent once more:

“The most important person on Mrs. Brown's guest list will be Michelle Obama, the "First Lady of First Ladies." Mrs. O has already scored a diplomatic triumph by securing a personal meeting with the Queen. On Wednesday afternoon – so long as the anarchists haven't forced the Royal Family into hiding – the world's most powerful couple will meet Prince Charles and Camilla before taking tea with Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace. Everyone else will have to content themselves with a brief handshake at an official reception.”

So once again, the eyes of the world are on Mrs. O’s wardrobe, yet we have no doubt she will pull off yet another fashion coup. With her sense of occasion, her eye for detail and her abilty to use her clothing to make subtle personal statements Mrs. O has mastered the fine art of fashion diplomacy. When Mrs. O met HRH will undoubtedly be one of the fashion moments of 2009.  Update: Mrs. O wears a Thakoon custom ivory tulle tweed coat with grosgrain piping. For additional photos, click here (thanks Edwina).