Free Republic

As newly minted princess Kate Middleton greeted Michelle Obama in the ornate surroundings of Buckingham Palace Tuesday, it was hard to believe she was wearing a $340 dress from British retailer Reiss — a frock any commoner could buy. (snip) While Michelle Obama has also been applauded for wearing clothes from affordable stores such as J.Crew and H&M, she also favors big-name designers such as Jason Wu and Isabel Toledo. The floral Barbara Tfank dress she wore to meet Middleton this week cost at least $2,000.

<p>"Darling, a sponge fits in anywhere."</p> <p>So went the exchange between Barbra Streisand and the late great Kay Medford in "Funny Girl."</p> <p>BARBRA STREISAND'S admiration for Bill Clinton hasn't wavered, despite the fact that he is no longer president. Streisand was like a giddy school girl at a chi-chi dinner for California's Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, last week in L.A. (At the Pacific Palisades home of venture capitalist David Fisher.) Clinton, still wildly popular with Democrats, attended, and Barbra was starry-eyed, protective and affectionate with him.</p>