Posted on 03/17/2009 10:03:33 PM PDT by Steelfish
March 18, 2009 Michelle Obama's toned arms spark a trend
Dress designers and Michelle Obama have developed an obsession with toned biceps.
Is this a new kind of low-key status symbol, asks our Fashion Editor Lisa Armstrong
Who knew that when the faintest dimple on the mountain of Michelle Obama adulation manifested itself, it would be incurred by the First Lady's propensity to display her biceps?
It began, as barely perceptible dips in adulation (and concurrent spikes in envy) often do, when she appeared on the March cover of American Vogue. The accompanying gallery, in which the First Lady's fine arms were repeatedly on view, appears to have trampled on some venerable traditions - namely, that First Lady's arms should be seen but not bared.
And when they are on view, they should at least have the good grace to look slightly less buffed and slightly more reassuringly out of condition.
The unease arising from the rude health of Mrs O's muscles simmered into full-on snarkiness when The New York Times's Republican columnist David Brooks told fellow Times columnist Maureen Dowd that the time had come for Michelle to put away her arms. Was this the only powder in the Democrats' muskets, he asked.
And now comes news that Michelle is to star in a comic book.
(Excerpt) Read more at women.timesonline.co.uk ...
Never mind the “toned” arms; what about all of the junk in the trunk?
Not that I really want to look at that woman, but i’d prefer that to bingo flaps.
That looks like the same blouse and sweater Michelle wore with the brocade suit for the inauguration. Now she’s stuck it with a pair of her daughter’s khaki pants.
People, people, think! Bambi is keeping the temperature of the White House at 78 degrees because he likes it warm. And Michelle is at that age where women have trouble regulating their body temperature. She’s probably having hot flashes. Wearing sleeveless clothes in what’s supposed to be cold weather is a common way for women of a certain age to remain comfortable. My office is filled with women in their late forties and early fifties who wear sleeveless tops with a sweater thrown on, just like Michelle, for when the hot flash ends and they’re suddenly chilled.
As for having buff, toned arms: uh, I’m not sure what you’re all complaining about. I have buff arms myself, from doing a lot of physical work. Would you really rather we look flabby and have a flap swinging under our arms?
Sorry I just disagree....almost like an older woman wearing a skirt too short to show off her legs? Sweater too tight? Sleeveless perhaps once in a while, but it’s gotten obnoxious with all the media hoopla. Now the lemmings who watch Oprah are all trying to emulate the arms factor...sad.
Maybe just my experiences, but most offices are not kept to 78 & I have no idea why the Occupant from ChiTown is keeping his that warm—not sure the rest of WhiteHouse is at 78. I don’t think most government offices in Chicago are kept at 78. Just another hypocracy on his part. However, the pics of Michelle are not in his office, they are elsewhere at public events.
Not sure where you live, but in Chicago, we usually wear sleeves from November thru March—very few people wear sleeveless—3/4 sleeves become popular in March and April. There are heavy-weight and lightweight, but sleeves are pretty much what people wear.
I am in that mid-40s+ woman group &
1. I don’t go sleeveless even if flashes & never see friends with sleeveless tho often people wear shells with jacket/cardigan for coordinating outfits. Again, a shell with a cardigan at work in office is different than a sleeveless dress at a meeting.
2. I don’t have flabby arms either, but I am not showing them off everywhere.
It is not fact that she has buff arms as do many in their 40s, Fine she has time to go lift weights—it is the way media is going crazy about it and distracting us “People” from all the other stuff they are doing like the 11 Trillion in debt, HR1388, or fact that the Occupant is the second largest recipient of AIG political contributions.
BTW, I think Michelle would do well to spend more time acquiring some fashion sense and taste as much of the time when she is out, she looks just plain tacky—sleeves or no sleeves. Laura Bush had fairly toned arms, she just did not show them off. IMHO, Laura Bush has impeccable taste and always looks good. Quick google showed no pics of Laura sleeveless tho one semi-sheer sleeved formal from an inaugural ball shows she does have nice arms....
sw
I understand she was helping to build a home but surely she owns a sweatshirt to go with those boots?
Speaking as someone who once lived in the northern Chicago suburbs and now lives in the DC suburbs, I can tell you that tastes are slightly different here, in part because the climate is different. It really is considerably warmer here at all times of the year, and DC doesn’t even have what Chicagoans consider true winter.
Sleeveless dresses are being shown by the top designers all over the world. Has nothing to do with Michelle Obama; she’s just partaking of the trend.
I’m one of those people who is always cold and the HVAC system in our office is erratic, running hot and cold uncontrollably, so I dress in layers, with a sleeveless shell as the bottom layer. Yes, I often wear sleeveless dresses, and on Fridays in the summer I wear a sleeveless silk tank top and a skirt to work. So does my boss, the very old-money president of the company. So tastes vary. There’s nothing wrong with that. In general I would agree with you that Michelle’s tastes in clothes are pretty awful.
I would just like to criticize Michelle for her beliefs and attitudes, not for her appearance. If she were a rock-ribbed conservative espousing the most traditional American capitalist values, I’m sure we Freepers would admire her appearance instead of going on about the size of her backside and the muscle tone of her arms.
It’s really strange. I understand dressing down - I’m about to go to Wal-mart in a sweatsuit and sneakers - but Michelle seems to put on random pieces of clothing in the dark.
She’s not old enough for hot flashes! She’s in her forties!
Michelle Fashion Police ping?
Hot flashes can start at 40. Some women experience it sooner than others so it’s possible. Mood swings may explain her “Aunt Esther” looks too.
That green dress in your post is a lot nicer green than the pea soup sweaters. Ugh!
I would agree except the "news" items such as the one in this thread are being shoved down our throats. Enough is enough.
Yep...look over here...Shelli...get those arms front and center...
Sorry, I beg to differ but she is certainly old enough to be having hot flashes. A little on the young range of the scale but it’s not unheard of.
I don’t care about her biceps. Her sense of what is appropriate for the occasion is what bothers me. Either she has no common sense or she doesn’t care.
“For the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my Country...” explains way more than a hormonal imbalances ever will.
I think you've nailed it!
What is she wearing for shoes?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.