Posts with tag MichelleObama

This one-shoulder gown by Jason Wu was seen around the world. Proving her fashionable prowess, the newly-appointed First Lady boldly chose a dress by the relatively unknown designer. Knowing what works for her body, she eschewed anything too dowdy or cleavage-baring and instead focused on her favorite asset - toned arms.

Mark Wilson, Getty Images

Many a critic found Obama's Junya Watanabe cardigan rather unsettling. The controversial piece, worn over a teal full-skirted Jason Wu dress, should get points for blending brown and blue if nothing else. At least her clothes fit better than poor Sarah Brown's, wife of the British Prime Minister.

Joel Ryan, WPA Pool/Getty Images

While we're the first to embrace Mrs. O's style, we must admit that these clothes look like they spent too much time in the dryer. In comparison to the buttoned up Dr. Jill Biden, Obama's ensemble is more play school than preppy. Clearly, the argyle detail on a sweater is a recurring favorite.

Mandel Ngan, AFP / Getty Images

While walking through a the White House rose garden on April 28th, Obama showed her love for a new designer, Sophie Theallet, in a full-skirted 1950s-inspired day dress. WWD reported that the First Lady was introduced to Theallet's clothing vis-a-vis her personal style consultant Ikram Goldman, and not Azzedine Alaia, for whom she used to work.

Mark Wilson, Getty Images

Another day, another argyle cardigan by Junya Wantanabe. We don't think that kids would mind as much as we do this particular ensemble. Love the colors but, in the words of Tim Gunn, "make it work!" The belt has an awkward placement and the shirt bunches in all the wrong places.

Tim Sloan, AFP / Getty Images

For her visit with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, Michelle Obama wore a black-and-white Isabel Toledo dress, an Azzedine Alaia cardigan, and pearls. Some thought the cardigan was not formal enough.

John Stillwell, WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Obama's first Easter egg roll on the White House lawn drew a record crowd. For the casual affair, mama Obama looked ready for spring in cropped light blue pants and a kelly green top with a sensible navy jacket.

Ron Edmonds, AP

Stepping out for church services with the President on Easter Sunday, Mrs. Obama wore a pretty floral frock from Peter Soronen accentuated with her go-to accessory, a double strand of pearls.

Aude Guerrucci, AFP/Getty Images

The First Lady debuted her spring wardrobe at the G20 Summit in London, pairing classic styles with light, airy brights. In Germany, Mrs. Obama wore a custom Thakoon floral silk jacquard dress with black kitten heels.

Christof Stache, AP

The First Lady poses on the red carpet at the NATO Summit in a black Azzedine Alaia dress full skirt dress.

Getty Images

THE ARGYLE SWEATER
Michelle Obama donned similar asymmetrical cardigans by Junya Watanabe - the pink version for a "Take Your Child to Work" Day event on April 23, 2009, and the blue version during her G20 trip to London. Her first pick by a non-US-based designer, the fashionably daring sweater was critically acclaimed by MO style-watchers.

AP | Getty Images

THE BOW SHIRT
The First Lady first debuted this white bow blouse by Moschino on April 2nd in London. She then recycled it for a "Take Your Child to Work" Day event on April 23, 2009.

Evan Vucci

THE INAUGURAL CARDIGAN
We imagine most First Lady's would wear their Inauguration Day ensemble once, then lay it to rest. Not our Michelle. The pale yellow Nina Ricci cardigan she dressed up with a diamond brooch for her husband's swearing in ceremony has become a wardrobe staple - most recently seen on St. Patrick's Day, paired with cropped gray trousers.

AP | Getty Images

THE GREEN SHOES
Who knew that emerald pumps could get so much play? Michelle first donned these colorful J.Crew clickers on Inauguration Day, and wore them again during the G20 Summit in London.

AP | Getty Images

THE BLACK BELT
A master of the belt-over-cardigan look, this black studded belt by Azzedine Alaia is arguably The First Lady's favorite accessory. She's been photographed in it many times - here, twice during her recent trip to Europe.

Getty Images | AP

The Inaugural speech may set the agenda for a Presidential administration, but the Inaugural wardrobe sets the tone. Think of Mamie Eisenhower's exuberant pink frocks in the can-do post-War '50s; Rosalynnn Carter's recycled gown in the down-in-the-dumps '70s, Jackie Kennedy regalness in the everything-is-possible '60s. And Michelle Obama's citrus daytime sheath from Isabel Toledo and light-as-air Jason Wu evening gown in fresh-start 2009. "I wanted to pick a very optimistic color, that had sunshine," said Toledo, who created the day outfit. Click back on the revealing (and mostly red, white or blue) Inauguration choices of America's modern First Ladies to see how Michelle's choices stack up.

At the Inaugural Balls, the first couple twirled to the song "At Last," which resonated on many levels – at last Obama's two-year quest for the White House has ended with his swearing-in; at last America has overcome its racial divide; at last we have a First Lady who's not afraid to take fashion risks. No Oscar de la Renta here, Michelle Obama has made it clear that she'll use her new visibility to highlight younger, edgier American designers, and her Inaugural Ball gown underscored the point. The one-shoulder dress was made by 26-year-old designer Jason Wu, who found out the First Lady had chosen his gauzy creation when he saw her on television. Asked in December whether he might be an Inauguration Night contender, he shrugged it off. "Oh, that's a long shot," he said. Now, as with most Inaugural gowns, Wu's dress will be displayed in the Smithsonian Institution's century-old First Ladies Collection. Clearly, with Michelle Obama at America's fashion helm, nothing is a long shot anymore.

Michelle Obama's swearing-in outfit looked like spun gold, but it was actually a lemongrass-colored wool lace coat and dress by Isabel Toldeo, with a cardigan and scarf to fend off the Inauguration Day chill. But besides the dress's touch of formality, what was most surprising about the pick was that it wasn't the work of old-line White House favorites (Oscar de la Renta, Carolina Herrera, Ralph Lauren) or of better-known young designers (say, Narciso Rodriguez or Tracy Reese). Perhaps Mrs. Obama, like her husband, is signaling us to expect the unexpected. Toledo, after all, is a Cuban-American, with 30 years on Seventh Avenue, an avant garde reputation and very little name recognition: She doesn't advertise, she doesn't stage massive runway extravaganzas, and she's sold at just a handful of stores, like Barneys New York (which sent out a "We Love Isabel Toledo" email to customers the day after the Inauguration) and Ikram in Chicago (where Michelle shops). Red carpet? Toledo is hardly a fixture -- but we're willing to bet that, by Oscar time, all those pretty-young-Hollywood-things will be clamoring to wear clothes.

Getty Images

Just as the outfit was an unexpected shade of is-it-yellow-or-is-it-green, so were Michelle Obama's accessories a pleasant jolt. Her olive green gloves were from J. Crew, while her olive pumps were a tad more upscale -- Jimmy Choo's "Glacier" kitten heels.

The biggest shock of the 2000 Presidential election was, of course, that it took the U.S. Supreme Court to decide it. The second-biggest shock: that Laura Bush -- after two decades in one of America's shrewdest political families -- would wear such a dowdy ensemb to George's first Inaugural. Instead of bringing in one of Seventh Avenue's big guns -- Arnold Scassi primped up Barbara Bush's style -- Laura chose Michael Faircloth, a little-known Dallas designer who had been turning out her safe (and sorry) public-appearance clothes back to the 1999 Texas inaugural.

Before his stint dressing Laura, Michael Faircloth's claim to design fame was creating outfits for the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, so perhaps it's not surprising that his Inaugural gown was all about fireworks. Though Mrs. Bush preferred a tad more coverage than the pom-pom girls, her satin and lace gown, laden with Austrian crystals, was far too matronly for a 55-year-old -- even a 55-year-old ex-librarian. br/>

Is it any wonder that Oscar de la Renta has become something of a house designer for modern White House occupants? After earning his Washington stripes (and stars) transforming Hillary Clinton, he was tapped by Laura Bush for the 2005 Inaugural. The results: different party, same polish. For Bush II, de la Renta turned country-club Laura into a D.C. swan with a delicately beaded ice-blue gown that accented her curvy body and creamy skin.

Chic, simple and with a hemline that flattered, Mrs. Bush's 2005 oath-of-office outfit was a stand-out winter-white coat and dress by Oscar de la Renta. However, it took a village to dress the Bush clan for all the events: Carolina Herrera made a taffeta shirtwaist for the hot-ticket Black-Tie-And-Boots gala; Peggy Jennings created a crystal column for the Candlelight Dinners, and Badgley Mischka turned twins Jenna and Barbara into saucy but sexy First Daughters.

Even before Hillary Clinton got to Washington, she (and her ubiquitous headbands) made it clear that fashion was not at the top of her agenda. And how. Her 1993 Inaugural designers were a raft of Arkansans who earned unanimous not-ready-for-prime-time reviews. Her first transgression: the dizzying plaid suit by Connie Fails for the swearing-in. Bad enough that it violated every keep-it-simple rule, but Hillary topped off the outfit with a decidedly un-Jackie chapeau that many compared to a flying saucer.

If she had known that Inauguration Day would be a metaphor for her early years as First Lady, Hillary Clinton might have re-thought her gown. For her highest-profile star turn, she chose an overwrought crystal-covered confection by Arkansas designer Sarah Phillips, done in a shade of purple last seen lining the royal family's robes. It got more pans than her health care plan.