In Search of Hattie Carnegie

On the day of the Inauguration, there was much intrigue about the necklace - or was it a pin? - worn at the collar of Mrs. O's Isabel Toledo lemongrass dress. Questions would be answered soon enough.

The mystery accessory proved to be a Victorian sash pin, acquired through the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection. The discovery of Carole Tanenbaum's collection, a finely curated, hand-picked selection of costume jewelry has opened up a new world for us.

We now often visit the collection's site to admire the distinctive pieces, or to read updates on Carole's blog (the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection provided jewelry worn in Grey Gardens, which premieres this evening on HBO). The collection has also revealed a few more secrets about Mrs. O's enviable brooch collection.

On a campaign stop in Pittsburgh last October, Mrs. O wore an orange flower pin at the shoulder of her Abstract rose print J.Crew dress. We recognized a similar pin on Carole's site - a rare Hattie Carnegie silk flower pin from the 1960s - and later confirmed that indeed Mrs. O's pin was Hattie Carnegie as well. We were unfamiliar with the designer at the time, but eager to learn more.

In 1904, Henrietta Kanengeiser emigrated to the US from Austria-Hungary at the age of 18. After changing her name to Hattie Carnegie in 1909, she opened a millinery shop on E. 10th Street in New York City called Carnegie - Ladies Hatter. In 1923, the flagship Hattie Carnegie boutique opened at 42 East 49th Street. 

En route, Hattie Carnegie had begun manufacturing a high quality costume jewelry line in 1918, which continued to be sold after her death in 1959 and well into the 1980s. Carole Tanenbaum's collection offers rare Hattie Carnegie pieces of the highest quality and finest condition for the serious costume jewelry collector. For those who don't mind a few scratches or missing stones, and pieces that likely aren't as rare, eBay also has a range of Hattie Carnegie pieces up for auction.

A quick search led us to the following: #1 Bee brooch, #2 Turquoise flower pin, #3 Blue flower pin. The pear pin shown above is a Hattie Carnegie pin (stamped "Hattie Carnegie" on the back), acquired a few weeks ago. It has signs of wear - the paint is chipped in a few places, the closure a bit bent - but we will treasure it, and the hidden connection to Mrs. O, none the less.

A Champion for Public Service

Photo used with kind permission from Miriam's Kitchen

In the past few months we've seen our First Lady engaged in a range of service activities. On the National Day of Service, Mrs. O helped to assemble care packages for military families. At Miriam's Kitchen, a Washington, DC food kitchen known for using fresh, quality foods, she scooped mushroom risotto at lunchtime (photo above). And sporting blue suede hiking boots, Mrs. O recently helped YouthBuild with the construction of a new home.

Public service is an effort Mrs. O is championing as First Lady, in action and now words. Yesterday USA Today published an article penned by Mrs. O, in which the First Lady wrote of her experiences in service, as well as the new opportunities that will arise from the recently passed Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act. More broadly, Mrs. O presented a call to action for America's youth:

"When so many people are struggling to make ends meet, we need everyone pulling together to solve our nation's problems and to lift up our fellow Americans. And this includes our young people. Today, more than ever, we need their energy, enthusiasm and idealism."

Mrs. O continued, recalling her experience at Public Allies, the AmeriCorps program she founded in Chicago:

"There are few things more rewarding than watching young people recognize they have the power to enrich not only their own lives, but the lives of those around them as well."

The full article is absolutely worth a read. While not of a fashion focus, it's an effort quite stylish in its own right.

Hello Bo

President Mr. O: "That's a good looking dog, let's face it" More on the White House blog. Great additional video from the BBC.

A Double Take Ensemble

Mrs. O has resumed her tour of federal agencies, visiting the Department of Homeland Security this afternoon. According to the AP, the First Lady thanked agency employees for their behind-the-scenes work, making special mention of the Secret Service and the time they spend away from their own families, working to keep the O family safe. To read the First Lady's full remarks, click here.

Mrs. O dug deep into her closet for today's appearance, re-wearing a jade green mini-trench and striped purple tee we last saw on October 2 in Detroit, MI. Today Mrs. O paired the jacket and top with slim black cuffed pants and black patent leather flats. Mrs. O embellished the jacket with a crystal bee brooch at the collar. Upon closer inspection, we noticed the visible pocket linings that hang below the bottom hem of the jacket. Surely this detail is the the work of someone with a playful design sensibility - any ideas? The same ensemble (sans bee brooch) worn in October 2008:

Photo by Flickr user Barack Obama / Creative Commons

Update: The jacket is Duro Olowu, from the designer's Spring 2008 collection.

Ready to Roll

Photo by Mandel Ngan /AFP/Getty Images

Today marks the 2009 White House Egg Roll, and a myriad of events are being streamed live on Whitehouse.gov. Click here to have a peek. Mrs. O kept things casual for the festive occasion, dressed in a green tie front knit top by Thakoon, yellow cardigan, navy nylon jacket and pale blue cropped pants. The Easter Bunny, it seems, has opted for the same ensemble from years past.

"Our goal today is just to have fun," Mrs. O told the crowd. "We want to focus on activity and healthy eating...We want everyone to think about moving their bodies...to get out and play." A video of the opening remarks and Egg Roll action from Politico: