Category Archives: Michelle Obama

Chic in Chicago

Posted on October 14, 2010 | 3 comments
Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama at polls in Chicago (John Gress/Reuters)

First Lady Michelle Obama stayed in Chicago once again today, visiting the Early Voting Polling Place. She kept her appearance a bit more casual for this event, opting to wear a multi-print blouse paired with a blue cardigan and black trousers. Her waist was cinched in by a black, oversized belt.

This look definitely says “Michelle.” The oversized belt paired over a cardigan has been Mrs. Obama’s signature look since her time in the White House. I think pairing a belt and cardigan is a great idea! However, why does the cardigan always go under the belt? In my opinion, Michelle’s ensemble would have looked much more becoming if the belt was wrapped around her blouse and the cardigan was placed on top of these two pieces. As far as the belt goes, the term oversized does not seem to describe how huge this belt really is. It looks extremely uncomfortable, and is distracting to the eye; people will be looking at Michelle’s outfit instead of her.

What do you think about this look?

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Posted in Campaign Trail, Michelle Obama

Michelle in Milwaukee

Posted on October 13, 2010 | Leave a comment

Before visiting her home city of Chicago on the campaign trail today, First Lady Michelle Obama first visited Milwaukee, Wisconsin. On her visit, she spoke at a campaign event supporting Senator Russ Feingold. Feingold will be running against Republican businessman Ron Johnson in the November elections. This trip marks Michelle’s first campaign trail in nearly two years.

Michelle Obama (Morry Gash/AP Photos)

For this event, Michelle wore a sleeveless, bright pink dress from Talbot’s. She then accessorized this look with a colorful St. Erasmus necklace.

Fabulous! This look is stunning. I am much more a fan of the first lady’s campaign attire than her everyday grub. First ladies should always care about their appearance, and I think Michelle should dress in the style every day. She needs to be aware that the paparazzi will constantly be taking photographs of her. She should not change her lifestyle for the paparazzi, but she could choose to dress more elegantly in her daily wear. It is looking like her husband will only be in office for one term, so in my opinion, she can deal with the style change for four years. Keep up the looks like this one, Michelle!

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Posted in Campaign Trail, Michelle Obama

Fashion on the Campaign Trail

Posted on October 13, 2010 | Leave a comment

Earlier this afternoon, First Lady Michelle Obama started on her campaign trail. After speaking in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the first lady traveled to her home city of Chicago. In Chicago, she appeared at a campaign fundraiser supporting Alexi Giannoulias, United States Senate candidate. Giannoulias will be facing Republican Congressman Mark Kirk in the November elections for President Obama’s former Senate seat.

Michelle Obama speaks in Chicago (Jeff Haynes/Getty Images)

For this special occasion, back in her home town, Mrs. Obama kept her look simply classic and elegant, perfect for any first lady’s approach to style. She chose to wear a sleeveless, black dress with boat-neckline. Finishing off this ensemble, she added one of her signature pieces, an Alaia belt.

Thank you, Mrs. Obama! This outfit looks absolutely amazing. As Coco Chanel would say, “A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous!” And that you are, Michelle! Although I do not agree with Mrs. Obama’s politics, this look is outstanding. Mrs. Obama looks best in simple and chic ensembles.

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Posted in Campaign Trail, Michelle Obama

Michelle’s Big Bad Brooch

Posted on October 10, 2010 | Leave a comment
Pres. Obama and Michelle

President Obama and Michelle(Mandel Ngan/Getty Images)

Last Wednesday, October 6th, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attended another Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House. This ceremony honored the bravery and courage of Staff Sergeant Robert Miller, a soldier killed in Afghanistan in January of 2008.

On this occasion, Michelle chose to wear a tomato colored sheath dressed designed by Maria Pinto. The intricate, inverted pleats at the neckline of this dress (very similar to this dress worn by Michelle last week) add weight to Mrs. Obama’s top half of her silhouette, evening out her figure, forming a gorgeous hourglass shape.

I love the shape of this dress, and am even beginning to warm up to the color a little, however, why did Michelle feel the need to add this hideous brooch at the neckline of her ensemble? I think the dress would have been perfectly fine, and much more sophisticated without the pin. I cannot delight in the style of the dress, because my eyes are constantly being drawn to this hideous pin. It is just positioned in a very unusual and awkward place; it looks like it could strangle the first lady. Don’t get me wrong, I love brooches, but in my opinion, they belong on jackets and pinned at the shoulder.

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Posted in Faux Pas?, Michelle Obama

Kristen Jarvis: the Woman Behind Michelle Obama

Posted on October 6, 2010 | Leave a comment

Kristen Jarvis with Michelle Obama (Getty Images)

Kristen Jarvis, the special assistant for scheduling and traveling aide for First Lady Michelle Obama, refers to Michelle as her “big sister.” This 28-year-old woman is the reason Mrs. Obama always looks calm and collected. Jarvis even prepared Michelle for the campaign trail last year, telling her what to pack, item by item, down to Oreo cookies and hand sanitizer.

Kristen Jarvis is a graduate of Spelman College, a prestigious historically black women’s college, located in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been with the Obama family for five years, giving her a unique advantage to help the first lady in every way possible. Jarvis even tried to make the transition from Chicago easier by introduced the Obama family to some of her favorite restaurants in Washington, D.C.

“Change is good. She’s very low maintenance,” Jarvis stated, referring to the first lady. Kristen Jarvis agrees that the hours of a White House special assistant are long, but emphasizes that the Obamas have become like her new family.

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Posted in Michelle Obama

Chic in Chartreuse

Posted on October 5, 2010 | Leave a comment
Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama (Leslie E. Kossoff-Pool/Getty Images)

Earlier this afternoon, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted the Diplomatic Corps Reception held in Washington, D.C. At this event, the couple welcomed many foreign diplomats into the East Room of the White House and the president used his speech to address several topics, ranging from economic growth for the nations to peace in the Middle East.

For this occasion the first lady stunned in a Jason Wu chartreuse satin sheath with inverted pleat bodice detail, a custom design. This dress looks impeccable on Michelle! This gorgeous color brightens Mrs. Obama’s gorgeous complexion, while the perfectly fitted pleats accentuate her womanly curves. In addition to this, Michelle’s short, teased bob looks stunning; thank goodness she pulled away from her tight bun she has been recently wearing.

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The Great Monochromatic Mistake

Posted on October 2, 2010 | Leave a comment

First Ladies Chantal Biya and Michelle Obama

I’ve heard that the so called “monochromatic” look is in (Read more about it here from Vogue), but really? I believe this look is a little extreme for first ladies. I am all for the first ladies trying to follow in the famous fashion-forward footsteps of our beloved Jacqueline Kennedy, but Jackie never made a clown out of herself.

Just last week, the First Lady of Cameroon, Chantal Biya, toured Stone Barnes Center for Food and Agriculture with Michelle Obama. The tour was an outing for several wives of those at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. However,  what on earth is she wearing? Yes, this style might look good on the runway, but in my opinion, it is way too bright and showy for a first lady. But then again, maybe she was just trying to imitate Mrs. Obama’s style.

Just a few months earlier, Michelle Obama wore a similar suit as she spoke at the 90th anniversary of the Women’s Bureau at the Department of Labor in Washington, D.C. and highlighted (no pun intended) the progress made by women working outside the home. At this event, Mrs. Obama was dressed in head to toe papaya. Now, Michelle has always been admired for her daring spirit and bold, colorful fashion choices, but orange? Michelle went above and definitely beyond the call of fashion by adding a matching papaya brooch, shoes and even papaya lipstick. I think bright colors are stylish, however, not in abundance.

Who knows? Maybe these first ladies are setting a new trend that will catch on across the states. Or perhaps, they have made a great monochromatic mistake. What do you think?

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Posted in Faux Pas?, Foreign First Ladies, Michelle Obama

Fashion Faux Pas …Again?

Posted on October 1, 2010 | Leave a comment

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

A new official White House photo of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama has recently surfaced, picturing the couple with the Uruguay Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luis Almagro. This picture was taken last week at the United Nations General Assembly, located in New York City, at an event taking place at the Natural History Museum.

Jewel Samad/Getty Images

For his occasion, Michelle chose to wear a Alaia maple colored dress, rather similar to her hideous blue gown, also designed by Azzedine Alaia, worn last December to the Nobel Peace Prize gala in Oslo.. You would think that she would have learned not to wear this designer after the first fashion faux pas. The v-neckline and shorter, cocktail length do make this dress slightly less of an eye soar compared to the blue gown. However, overall, come on, shouldn’t the first lady be dressing a little classier? The brooch pinned at the center of the neckline just makes this whole ensemble look cheap.

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Posted in Faux Pas?, Michelle Obama

Michelle Mimics Mamieamie Eisenhower

Posted on September 29, 2010 | 1 comment

Mamie Eisenhower (Frank Scherschel/LIFE)

Michelle Obama has constantly been seen mimicking the styles of former first ladies. From being reminiscent of Jacqueline Kennedy in her inaugural gown to the likeness of Nancy Reagan in her chic cardigans and preppy casual garments, Mrs. Obama is a follower of the fashion icons before her. However, the one first lady’s style and essence she most embodies is that of Mamie Eisenhower.

Mamie Eisenhower had an outgoing personality and charmed the public while in the White House during the 1950’s and early 60’s. She particularly appealed to the modern housewives, who felt they had something in common with Mamie. She was also one of the first presidents’ wives to bring the First Lady of the United States into the role of a fashion icon, as well as a hostess of the White House and role model for American women. Her well-known “Mamie look” was typified by her one-piece dress with a full circle skirt ending just below the knee. Her dresses usually had material cinched tightly across the waist, just below the bust-line, highlighting her womanly hourglass figure.

Michelle Obama (Getty Images)

Mamie was fashionable and known for many people copying her style, and like Michelle Obama, Mamie would often mix in costume jewelry with her look. Recently, while at the herb garden, Mrs. Obama was seen wearing a 50’s style Chinoiserie print dress, similar to the style of Mamie Eisenhower. Mamie knew her signature dress would accentuate any woman’s natural curves. If you want to create an hourglass silhouette for yourself, here’s the dress for you!

I love this vintage style, and think every woman should own a dress like this!

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Posted in Former First Ladies, Mamie Eisenhower, Michelle Obama

Chicken Coop Chic

Posted on September 27, 2010 | Leave a comment

Michelle Obama (Hiroko Masuike/Getty Images)

Last Friday afternoon, First Lady Michelle Obama met with students to tour a chicken coop and herb garden at Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, located in Pocantico Hills, Westchester County, New York. The spouses of several other political leaders happened to be in New York at the time for the UN General Assembly and joined Michelle on this tour, a promotion of her healthy eating campaign.

For this tour, Michelle wore a Tracy Feith wisteria print dress with cinched waist, in the style Mamie Eisenhower. She paired this look with silver flats and kept her accessories light, wearing only a simple pair of small dangle earrings.

Do you like this “teatime” look on Michelle?

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Posted in Michelle Obama