The First Lady Tells a Story With Fashion

New York Times ^ | Jan 20, 2009 | CATHY HORYN

[malkee]

No one gets the fascination with Michelle Obama, fashion plate, more than her husband.

Invoking another president with a glamorous wife—that would be, maybe, John F. Kennedy? — President Obama told military guests at the Commander in Chief Ball last night, “I have the special honor of being the guy who accompanied Michelle Obama to the ball.”

That got a big laugh, but it would be a few minutes before the first lady made her entrance, in an ivory chiffon dress. But when she did, oh, what a roar.

It was an amazing day for Mrs. Obama — chic and bone-chilling, and maybe at times her feet hurt. For Tuesday night’s round of balls, she chose a fluffy, many-layered gown by a 26-year-old designer named Jason Wu. The dress had a one-shoulder strap and was flecked with organza flowers and crystals.

If Mrs. Obama is a different and more stylish first lady than the country has seen in a while, she proved it Tuesday with some striking fashion choices. The Wu gown was perhaps not as sophisticated as the coat-and-dress ensemble she wore for the swearing-in, but it still made a statement.

As for her vivid yellow inaugural outfit, it seemed designed to stand out against the traditional red and somber black coats on the Capitol steps.

Here is a bolder woman, a serious woman from Chicago and Harvard who is not afraid to express herself with fashion, and it is the kind of confidence that many women will recognize in themselves. Her clothes tell us that she has an adventurous spirit, as well as a sense of humor, and if some of these garments have almost an old-fashioned womanly quality, then they tell us that she is indeed not your average fashionista.

[malkee]

sorry. should be “sont les mots...”

[Ann Archy]

Devil awful, not God awful.

[srmorton]

Those shoes were designed by Jimmy Choo and probably cost in excess of $500. I think a more subtle color of gloves and shoes would have made all the difference with the outfit. It's almost like she had these green shoes and gloves that she wanted to wear and tried to find a dress that would match instead of the other way around.

[KosmicKitty]

“Tell a Story with Fashion”

Yes, a horror story

[ottbmare]

If you aren't in the Washington DC area you may have missed the front cover of this month's Washingtonian magazine, which has a formal picture of Mr and Mrs. Obama. She looks objectively lovely. She is properly made up, with lipstick in a flattering color. She is botoxed and probably had a little Restylane or other filler. Her hair is nicely done. Her clothes are attractive and in good colors (she looks good in red), and they conceal any flaws in her figure. A professional stylist put that look together, and she looks good.

Very few women look good all the time without benefit of makeup; the camera is cruel, especially as you get into your late forties. Nobody has a perfect figure. Most of us need all the help we can get.

Laura Bush is intelligent and humble enough to accept the advice of people who can view her objectively and give her helpful, objective fashion advice. It's arrogance on Michelle's part not to accept such advice or to embark on silly experiments.

Actually if I poke fun at her it's not Obama Derangement Syndrome at work. I really want our First Lady not to be an international figure of fun and contempt. I want to be proud of her appearance. She's not doing that so far.

[Roses0508]

Right off hand, I can’t remember her wearing anything that actually flattered her. I can remember her wearing many things that did NOT flatter her. I hate her taste in clothing. Don’t understand all the frenzy over her clothing. She is tall, big boned and hippy - those things should drive her clothing choices, but obviously do not. She shows up in too young girlish things one event and things my mother would wear the next event.

[ottbmare]

In your photo is exactly what I’m talking about. Laura chooses these smooth elegant lines and soft colors for her coat and matching dress; Michelle chooses this shiny thing with a lot of busy stuff going on. I don’t mind the fact that she isn’t the most beautiful woman in the world, or that she has a large butt (that can be a racial characteristic) or that she’s carrying a few pounds too many. It’s just the lack of taste and the arrogance of refusing help.

Lady, you don’t wear glittery and shiny stuff before five. Watch Laura Bush. She should be your model for taste, breeding, modesty, and elegance.

[Crawdad]

She’s got a big butt, a very big butt.

[panthermom]

As for the yellow dress, I liked the jacket, the dress however, with the same fabric was way too busy, and the rhinestone neckline was horrendous, you do not wear faux diamonds like that during the day, besides that it did not go with that particular neckline or dress, to me it made the dress look trashy. And I can’t figure out where the idea of green gloves and shoes came from, they clashed.

Now the gown, yuk! It did not look sleek and sophisticated. The over the shoulder strap looked too bunched up and was way too thick, and those things sewn on, what were they? I agree with comments that it looked like an old bedspread. She really needs a new stylist.

[McGavin999]

I wonder who paid for these cloths? If this had been Sarah, there would only be criticism.

You mean that someone actually PAID for that rag? OMG it was awful.

[wolfcreek]

My Wife said it looked like a MOP.

[MinuteGal]

Obama has been attempting to morph himself into Lincoln to distract the masses from the fact he's an empty suit without any iconic attributes of his own.

Now he's busy at work to impregnate the unremarkable Michellemybelle with the ghostly ethers of Jacqueline Kennedy.

He must have had long consultations with the scientists who cloned Dolly the sheep in order to feel confident enough to pull off the double metaphorphis.

This presidency is getting underway on a creepy, surrealistic note.

Leni

[Liz]

The girls wore outfits Michele's fave store---J Crew.

The oufits were from the Crewcuts line.

I though the older girl looked great in dark blue---but the younger's color scheme of pink and orange-red was yucky.

[CAluvdubya]

If Mrs. Obama is a different and more stylish first lady than the country has seen in a while,

There, fixed it. Now it describes the new first wife.

[Mom MD]

She looked like John Belushi at the toga party (Animal House for those of you under 40)

[csmusaret]

Quick. Turn on your TV. She is wearing the White House drapes to the prayer service. Looks like Carol Burnett in her Gone With the Wind skit.

[CAluvdubya]

The dress she has chosen to wear to the Cathedral is just as unattractive as all her other dresses. It's black, sort of, with white mish-mash...oh wait, maybe that's not white. It might be a blueish-green. The pattern is sort of a water color type look

Seriously, this woman should think about wearing solid colors. Even Hillary's blue pantsuit looks better.

[Stand Watch Listen]

Yes, this is a family heirloom…..

passed down by generations…

though modernized from the original concept

In fact we have the more material to make coordinating outfits for our daughters

[IIntense]

It can be a bedspread OR it can be an inaugural gown.
I like versatility!

[IIntense]

She's got a big butt, a very big butt.

So what do you recommend she do about it? Have plastic surgery to reduce the size. Some women with over-sized breasts have had breast reductions. I'm not aware of butt-reduction surgery.

Michelle O. was born with her physical traits, as all of us are.

By the way, do you have a perfect body?