Thakoon, Narciso and Maria C.

While we wait for Mrs. O to venture out in Washington this week, we thought we'd bide time by highlighting a few more Fall 2009 collections from the First Lady's favorite designers.

#1 Thakoon Thakoon Panichgul was the first young Mrs. O designer to win our sartorial heart. Throughout 2008, Mrs. O wore a number of pieces by the designer: notably, the floral frocks for the final night of the DNC and the first Presidential Debate, plus a mix of cardigans, blouses and jackets for less broadcast moments.   So what did the designer have in store for Fall 2009? Thakoon brought his usual femme aesthetic, this season delivered with a bit of disco ball edge. The built-in black bow on the emerald green silk dress (Look 23) and the short, ruffled, raspberry number (Look 33) were instant favorites. The aforementioned disco ball influence came in the form of an exciting and sparkly jacket and dress (Looks 31 and 32).

#2 Narciso Rodriguez Within seeing the first several looks of Narciso Rodriguez's Fall 2009 collection - filled with familiar, khaki colored, divinely tailored wool coats - the link to Mrs. O's ensemble from the We Are One concert was immediately evident. (Though the cut of Mrs. O's coat most closely mirrored that of the yellow wool jacket in Look 11).  While we struggle to imagine Mrs. O in haute camouflage, styles such as the lavender halter dress (Look 22), could be easily modified to suit the First Lady. We were also fond of the metallic leather coat with an exposed zip and epaulettes topping its square shoulders.

#3 Zero + Maria Cornejo We are loving all things Zero + Maria Cornejo lately. (New Yorkers take note: After a decade on Mott Street, Maria Cornejo has moved uptown, albeit just a few blocks, to a new space on Bleecker St. between Lafayette and Bowery). While very unlikely to turn up in Mrs. O's closet, we were instantly charmed by the digital cat prints that ran throughout several looks in the collection from Zero + Maria Cornejo. We were even more delighted to learn that said cat is in fact the designer's own, Grey.  From Style.com:

Fittingly, Fall was designed for a "strong but positive" woman, Cornejo said. The feel-good inspirations behind the collection (her cat, Grace Jones, and drives upstate) may have sounded like a bit of an odd mix, but there was nothing discordant about the image that hit the runway: a lean and elegant urban warrior look, not a defiant one, but a sophisticated and pragmatic tough cookie who needs the protection of a sleek, luxe cocoon.

We've leave you with a nice little behind-the-scenes video from New York Magazine, filmed with Thakoon Panichgul in December. The designer comments on dressing First Lady Mrs. O and gives us a sneak peek at his new annex line, Thakoon Addition.

Mrs. O: 2008 in Review

Mrs. O sits atop many a "Year in Review" list, including ours of course. To close out the year, we thought we'd highlight our top 5 Mrs. O style moments of 2008. And in the spirit of fashion democracy, please be sure to add in your picks too.  

#1: A Thakoon Finale When asked what made us decide to start this site, we always point to the DNC. Mrs. O's wardrobe through the course of the DNC week was a true inspiration. And no moment was greater than on the final night, when Mrs. O dazzled in Thakoon's floral Radzimir silk dress, worn with a trio of Erickson Beamon brooches pinned at the neckline. Thakoon and Erickson Beamon were just two of the new designer names Mrs. O introduced to the American public this fall. Photo used with kind permission from photographer Bill Burke, Page One Photography

#2: The Belted Sheath Wearing her favorite hometown designer and the color of the year, Mrs. O made a signature style statement in her purple Maria Pinto sheath dress as Mr. O clinched the Democratic Primary in June. While the stylish sheath dress deserved praise in its own right, fashion heads really turned when it was revealed that Mrs. O's waist cinching black belt, a regular accessory in her campaign trail wardrobe, was an Alaia.  If ever it had been doubted, it was now clear that Mrs. O was a woman with an astute appreciation for fashion and style. Photo used with kind permission from photographer kayakbiker2000

#3: Making History in Narciso Rodriguez Mrs. O's election night dress was quite the polarizing force. Fashion critics revered it, while much of the public expressed a strong distaste. No matter what your opinion, it's a dress and a moment we're bound to remember for the rest of our lives, one which will leave a permanent stamp on our social history. The designer of this red and black frock was Narciso Rodriguez. Mrs. O turned to Rodriguez for several high profile appearances throughout the campaign, and we expect him to a be a regular in her White House wardrobe as well. Photo credit: Flickr user Barack Obama via Jeffrey Katz for Obama for America / Creative Commons

#4: The Bow Debate The More magazine cover earns a spot on our list in part because of its backstory. While Mrs. O looks lovely in a punchy pink Maria Pinto dress, adorned with a purple satin bow, and complemented by her enviably toned arms, it's what happened behind the scenes that made the greatest style statement. Understandably, More was after a knockout cover shot for their October issue. In the midst of the mounting economic crisis, Mrs. had a slightly less glamorous, but more fiscally responsible H&M dress in mind. Ultimately, the two sides compromised, agreeing that Mrs. O would wear a dress she already owned, direct from her personal closet. On the day of the shoot, however, a new style issue arose: the bow. More wanted to drop it, Mrs. O wanted it to stay. A woman with a strong sense of her own style, Mrs. O prevailed. The bow was kept, adding a distinctly personal and feminine touch to Mrs. O's cover look. 

Photograph by Matthew Rolston

#5: The Face of Fashion Democracy We debated whether Mrs. O's J. Crew ensemble from her Tonight Show appearance or this H&M dress worn on the campaign trail in late September should garner our final pick. One way or another, Mrs. O's championing of high-low fashion certainly deserved a nod in our top 5. At just $34.90, this H&M striped dress, accessorized with a black patent leather belt, won out. If ever there was a moment that Mrs. O proved true style has very little to do with a price tag, it was here.

Photo credit: Flickr User Barack Obama / Creative Commons

And there you have our top 5 Mrs. O style moments for 2008. Though hard to choose, each one says something distinct about Mrs. O's style. We will wait with bated breath to see what sartorial delights Mrs. O will deliver in 2009, perhaps the most exciting to come in January. Here's to a fantastic year and our modern style icon in the making, our future first lady, Mrs.O.

Thakoon Day, Hooray

We've been anticipating the arrival of the Thakoon for Target collection since word broke of the collaboration in mid-October - each thought of the collection delightfully bringing Mrs. O's floral Thakoon frock from the DNC back to mind. We were cautious not to get our hopes up too high, fearful that the collection might not live up to its promise. But live up it does.

Without question, this is the best Go International collection we've seen in a long time, perhaps ever. From the cuts, to the prints, to the quality of the material, nearly every item over delivers. Through and through, the sportswear pieces are chic, wearable and best yet - incredibly affordable. Home for the holidays in Central Ohio, we ventured to our local Target Greatland yesterday to check out the collection first hand. With prime real estate near the front entrance, it had already been picked over by early afternoon Sunday, and for good reason.

As Booth Moore observed in the LA Times last week, Thakoon's line for Target is a near doppelganger for his own Spring 2008 RTW runway collection. The shibori print (inspired by the Japanese resist-dye tradition) and green and navy preppy stripe are instantly recognizable in the Target collection. Even the cyber floral print appears to differ only by its background color: white for the runway, black for Target. Had the resort collection debuted a few weeks earlier, Mrs. O might have picked up a piece or two for her getaway to Hawaii. While the line has a girlish feel - due to many a short hemline - there are several pieces that transcend age.

Thinking of Mrs. O, Thakoon's shibori print top, paired with a signature belt and slim pant, would be fabulous. With a Narciso-esque exposed zip up the back and subtle folds to shape the short sleeves, the top delivers unexpected details and the right punch of pattern. (Some early reviews have criticized the cotton fabric for being stiff. We found that it softened up immediately after washing.) Similarly, the long cotton cardigans and tie waist cotton skirts would have been right at home in Mrs. O's campaign trail wardrobe this fall. As a self-professed Target shopper and devout Thakoon fan, we can't think of a better match for Mrs. O than this collection.  Wearing pieces from the Thakoon for Target line would be the ultimate win for high-low fashion. Here's hoping Mrs. O has been clicking away at Target.com this weekend.

Must Read Mrs. O

A peek inside the January 2009 issue of Vogue

On this frigid weekend in the Northeast, Mrs. O and family have returned to Hawaii for a final retreat before they make their way to Washington. And while the world eagerly awaits the Inauguration, the Mrs. O media frenzy continues.

A few of this week's highlights:

The Washington Post: Gown & Country Robin Givhan, The Washington Post's Fashion Editor, brings us more Inaugural designs from Rachel Roy, Kevan Hall, Doo-Ri Chung, Derek Lam, Tracy Reese, Marchesa, Lyn Devon and Peter Som. While there are a few repeats from the WWD sketches, several of these new additions seem to better embody Mrs. O's signature style. The Rachel Roy asymmetrical gown in ivory silk crepe is perhaps our favorite to date - a sophisticated, modern look for a modern First Lady. The Inaugural design craze doesn't stop here. The Washington Post is taking it a step further, inviting readers to submit their own designs. The grand prize? Robin Givhan's favorite design will appear in the Post's Style section. Layo G., we see you were one of the first to submit a design. Congrats and best of luck!

L.A. Times: A lesson in Thakoon economics From the moment Mrs. O wore Thakoon's floral frock for the final night of the DNC, we've been anticipating the arrival of the designer's lower-priced line for Target. This weekend, the L.A. Times Fashion Critic Booth Moore gave the upcoming Thakoon for Target collection a compelling review. Noting similarities to Thakoon's runway collection, even writing that "Thakoon ripped off Thakoon", fans will have good reason to visit Target on December 28. But the biggest question: Will Mrs. O wear pieces from the line as well? What a coup for high-low fashion that would be.

Vogue, January 2009 The arrival of this glossy paged gem always puts us in a good mood, and January's issue doesn't disappoint. A special feature section in tribute to our new president-elect includes a series of beautiful portraits by Annie Leibovitz. The caption for a striking photograph of Mrs. O reveals it was taken during the June 2007 shoot for Vogue. Mrs. O wears the same Narciso Rodriguez gown seen in the image used for Paris Match, though here it appears in an azure blue and is paired with a sapphire blue wrap. We also took note of the caption's title, "A Lady First", which rang familiar but took a minute to place. It's the title of the excellent memoir by Letitia Baldrige, an accomplished businesswoman who was also Jackie Kennedy's White House social secretary. There is one paragraph from the Vogue feature that we must share here. It offers a succinct, insightful perspective on the frequent comparison to the Kennedys:

"The obvious comparison here is to Camelot. But that would be a mistake. In the matter of iconicity and cultural authority, the Obamas have no need to look backward. On the contrary. Nevertheless, this tribute to the new president and his family echoes a tribute to President Kennedy published in Vogue on January 1, 1961. It's hard to believe that it's been almost 50 years since the country felt so inspired, so happy to look ahead."

Finally we'll end with a new CNN video that covers the Inaugural fashion buzz and takes us inside Maria Pinto's Chicago boutique. (The video also gives this site a brief and much appreciated mention. Thank you CNN!)

Will Mrs. O Go International?

One of Mrs. O's favorite designers is the latest to launch a collection for Target's Go International series: Thakoon Panichgul. “They were very easy to work with,” Panichgul said of the the partnership with Target. “They wanted a lot of prints, and I chose silhouettes that have done well in the past." Sounds like a winning formula for Mrs. O, who has a recent track record of wearing Thakoon dresses, blouses and jackets. The question is: Will Mrs. O wear Thakoon high and low? A fashion democrat through and through, it's not out of the realm of possibilities. While much of the collection for Target has a decidedly younger slant, we think this floral jacket would be a good fit for Mrs. O. In fact, the print is a tad reminiscent of the Thakoon dress Mrs. O wore for the 2008 DNC Finale. Check out NY Mag for more images from the Thakoon for Target collection, here. The collection is slated to debut at Target on December 25, Christmas Day.