Category Archives: politics and fashion

The State of the Union: WWMW (what will Michelle wear)?

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(photo credit: Vogue)

In addition to jobs, the economy, homeland security and housing set to be on the agenda for this evening’s “The State of the Union” address, there is another topic everyone is buzzing about; and it doesn’t have to do with policy.

Instead, it has to do with Michelle Obama’s sartorial choices which to some people, are just as important as the message the President plans on delivering tonight. In her most recent controversial appearance the first lady appeared clad in a red Alexander McQueen gown at a state dinner thrown for the People’s Republic of China president, Hu Jintao- a seemingly good choice until critics accused her of being a communist sympathizer (wearing the color red when greeting the General Secretary of the Communist Party of China is apparently a no-no) as well as being un- American for not wearing an domestically based designer (looking at you Oscar de la Renta).

Tonight’s choice is anyone’s guess. I am pretty vocal about how I do not think our first lady is a style star, but to keep the nuetrality and patriotism I would love to see her come full circle and wear a purple (a non- partisan color) Jason Wu or Michael Kors (because they represent America much more than Oscar de la Renta) sheath.

P.S., now might be a good time to plug my friend’s book, “Power Dressing: First Ladies, Women Politicians and Fashion” available for pre- order on Amazon. I LOVE books like these- it takes an atypical/intellectual/political look at fashion and Robb got Pamela Golbin, curator in chief at the Musee de la Mode et du Textile of the Louvre in Paris to write the forward. SO great!

Michelle Obama wears Jason Wu to the Inaugural Ball (s).

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On her quest to make a relatively unknown designers known, Michelle Obama chose to wear a dress by designer Jason Wu, a 26 year old immigrant from Taipei and Vancouver to the Inaugural balls on Tuesday night. The dress was a floor length gown with flower-like detailing on the bodice and skirt. A spokesperson for Jason Wu said, “We did not know Michelle Obama was wearing the dress until the very last minute. ” It is unclear if Wu will be dressing Mrs. Obama for other events/ galas.

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Photo credit: People.com/ Getty Images

More on Michelle Obama’s accessories.

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loree-rodkin-earrings3

This is a picture of the INCREDIBLE Loree Rokin earrings Michelle Obama was wearing at the “Kids Inaugural: We Are The Future” Concert on Monday night. Here are the deets:

White gold and diamond pave rectangle earrings with 12 green sapphire brios
1.09ct of diamonds
17.40ct of green sapphires

The cost of these little gems is $17,500. And yes, they were borrowed.

Inauguration and Michelle Obama.

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I wrote about this on Twitter this morning but wanted to put it up on my blog as well. For the first time since Michelle Obama hit the media scene, I actually love what she had on- a canary yellow brocade shift dress and over coat by Isabel Toledo and a pair of green Jimmy Choo pumps. For those of you who don’t know who Isabel Toledo is here are three fun facts about her:

-She is Cuban and based in NYC.

-She is married to Ruben Toledo, an artist and collaborator.

-She was the creative director of Anne Klein.

Just to clarify…

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… a couple of you (ok, ok a lot of you) have written in re: my post on Michelle Obama’s Loree Rodkin earrings. I do realize the Obamas probably have some money and therefore CAN afford $10,000 + accessories- but that’s not the point. What I was trying to bring to everyone’s attention is that she has been positioned as the “first lady of the people” wearing all those middle priced outfits (instead of Oscar de la Renta she rocked J Crew and H&M). So many fashion writers, editors and critics (including me) have been talking about Michelle Obama’s foray into fashion, but why did’t we talk about it when she was wearing the stuff everyone else could afford? Aren’t we overstating it a little when we call her a fashion icon  (for the record, I DON’T) and compare her to Jackie O? Do you only achieve “fashion plate” status when you start upgrading your wardrobe $$$ wise, AND if that’s the case, why is everyone giving Sarah Palin so much flack? Just sayin’…

PS thank you for all of your comments. The discussion is GREAT!

When will wearing Obama gear stop being cool?

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It seems like the new fashion trend in NYC is not booties and opaque tights for the ladies and skinny jeans for dudes but Obama gear. Between the “Hope” t-shirts and  “Yes We Can” pins and the Obama/ Biden tote bags, I am experiencing some major fashion fatigue (I am in Zurich right now so no one is wearing that stuff). The lovely peeps (and my former collegues) at Metro the free international daily asked me when I thought Bam fans will finally be over wearing all that election tchotchke. I said after the inauguration in January, but I just logged onto the Barak Obama site and it seems his gear is now on mark down. Maybe the Obama gear fad is going end sooner than I think…

Thoughts?

Malia Obama’s little red dress: $110.

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Malia Obama is ADORABLE,  but WHOA why did her parents Democratic strategists put her in a dress that retails for $110?? Really? In this economic climate?? I love how world leaders (Obama included) try to align themselves with the “working/middle class” but in secret eat arugula from Whole Foods and dress up in ultra luxe wear (PS I am not dissing WF or luxe wear, God knows I indulge in both waaay too often).  This dress sells at Neiman Marcus! ALSO, where are the Obamas getting all of these hi-fi clothes? In this Wall Street Journal piece,  Bernadette Reiss, co- owner of Biscotti (the label behind Malia’s red dress) says she plans to reach out and offer “style assistance” to the Obama daughters. Interesting…

Michelle Obama’s $10,275 earrings.

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I don’t understand why everyone is all over Sarah Palin’s case re: $150,000 wardrobe when Michelle Obama was wearing a pair of Loree Rodkin earrrings on Tuesday night that retail for $10,275! Don’t get me wrong, I am OBSESSED with Rodkin’s designs. During the press previews several of us lo-fi editors put on a couple pieces and pretended they were actually a part of our permanent collection.  And to be fair, It is unclear where Michelle Obama got these white gold and diamond triple dangles (were they given to her? Did she purchase them at ultra luxe Ikram in Chicago? Did she borrow from her sister-in-law or Joe Biden’s wife? ) but they definitely aren’t fake nor are they affordable… well for me anyway.

P.S. did Mrs. Obama hire a stylist? Just askin’…