Mrs. O: 2008 in Review
Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 2:07 PM Mrs. O sits atop many a "Year in Review" list, including ours of course. To close out the year, we thought we'd highlight our top 5 Mrs. O style moments of 2008. And in the spirit of fashion democracy, please be sure to add in your picks too.
#1: A Thakoon Finale When asked what made us decide to start this site, we always point to the DNC. Mrs. O's wardrobe through the course of the DNC week was a true inspiration. And no moment was greater than on the final night, when Mrs. O dazzled in Thakoon's floral Radzimir silk dress, worn with a trio of Erickson Beamon brooches pinned at the neckline. Thakoon and Erickson Beamon were just two of the new designer names Mrs. O introduced to the American public this fall. 
Photo used with kind permission from photographer Bill Burke, Page One Photography
#2: The Belted Sheath Wearing her favorite hometown designer and the color of the year, Mrs. O made a signature style statement in her purple Maria Pinto sheath dress as Mr. O clinched the Democratic Primary in June. While the stylish sheath dress deserved praise in its own right, fashion heads really turned when it was revealed that Mrs. O's waist cinching black belt, a regular accessory in her campaign trail wardrobe, was an Alaia. If ever it had been doubted, it was now clear that Mrs. O was a woman with an astute appreciation for fashion and style. 
Photo used with kind permission from photographer kayakbiker2000
#3: Making History in Narciso Rodriguez Mrs. O's election night dress was quite the polarizing force. Fashion critics revered it, while much of the public expressed a strong distaste. No matter what your opinion, it's a dress and a moment we're bound to remember for the rest of our lives, one which will leave a permanent stamp on our social history. The designer of this red and black frock was Narciso Rodriguez. Mrs. O turned to Rodriguez for several high profile appearances throughout the campaign, and we expect him to a be a regular in her White House wardrobe as well. 
Photo credit: Flickr user Barack Obama via Jeffrey Katz for Obama for America / Creative Commons
#4: The Bow Debate The More magazine cover earns a spot on our list in part because of its backstory. While Mrs. O looks lovely in a punchy pink Maria Pinto dress, adorned with a purple satin bow, and complemented by her enviably toned arms, it's what happened behind the scenes that made the greatest style statement. Understandably, More was after a knockout cover shot for their October issue. In the midst of the mounting economic crisis, Mrs. had a slightly less glamorous, but more fiscally responsible H&M dress in mind. Ultimately, the two sides compromised, agreeing that Mrs. O would wear a dress she already owned, direct from her personal closet. On the day of the shoot, however, a new style issue arose: the bow. More wanted to drop it, Mrs. O wanted it to stay. A woman with a strong sense of her own style, Mrs. O prevailed. The bow was kept, adding a distinctly personal and feminine touch to Mrs. O's cover look.
Photograph by Matthew Rolston
#5: The Face of Fashion Democracy We debated whether Mrs. O's J. Crew ensemble from her Tonight Show appearance or this H&M dress worn on the campaign trail in late September should garner our final pick. One way or another, Mrs. O's championing of high-low fashion certainly deserved a nod in our top 5. At just $34.90, this H&M striped dress, accessorized with a black patent leather belt, won out. If ever there was a moment that Mrs. O proved true style has very little to do with a price tag, it was here. 
Photo credit: Flickr User Barack Obama / Creative Commons
And there you have our top 5 Mrs. O style moments for 2008. Though hard to choose, each one says something distinct about Mrs. O's style. We will wait with bated breath to see what sartorial delights Mrs. O will deliver in 2009, perhaps the most exciting to come in January. Here's to a fantastic year and our modern style icon in the making, our future first lady, Mrs.O.
Alaia, H&M, Maria Pinto, Narciso Rodriguez, Thakoon in Outfits
Reader Comments (25)
Only one small quibble--I would have included the turquoise Maria Pinto she wore at the DNC vs. the Thakoon. However, a nice overview anyway. Cheers!
I like the Maria Pinto at the DNC too.
and the Bolero Black in Texas.
Mrs O rocks the sheath dress like nobody's business. This is the first time I'm seeing the striped H&M dress you chose for no. 5. It's excellent. Mrs. O is both my fashion and mothering inspiration. :-)
It was a choice between numbers 1, 2, 4 or 5 for me. I really didn't think much of the Narcisso black/white number, but it didn't strike me as bad as some made it out to be. I just felt she could have done better for the setting.
Number 5-that H&M was brilliant. I'm in the Detroit media area and when they showed her on the news and I heard Barack saying he didn't mind if she just sat there and looked cute, I understood where he was coming from. That dress complimented her skin tone and body shape like none of the others IMO. For such a price she got her money's worth and then some. The black leather belt was the piece de resistance and shows how perceptive she is when it comes to picking accessories.
I enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at the making of your blog!
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/31/business/media/31adco.html?_r=1&hp
The purple sheath (your # 2) was definitely my favorite! and then followed by her yellow J Crew outfit on Jay Leno (who would have though you can look so expensive on J Crew!)
looking forward to a great year of bloggin on Mrs. O!!!
Love the purple sheath, the Target stripes and the Narciso, though I think she neutralized the greatness of that dress w/a cardigan.
My faves from the year:
--The incredible floral Black House/White Market dress Michelle wore to The View. She really looked amazing. Almost like someone in their late 20's with those toned arms and long figure.
--The purple Maria Pinto sheath included in the post above because it was so chic.
--The aquamarine Pinto she wore to make her convention speech, which is probably my all-time favorite look of hers. I will never forget that night! I was basically sobbing over this incredible speech she was giving while alternately drooling over that awesome body-hugging dress!
--The black suit she wore to the Daily Show because I just love her use of the belt.
--The amazing dusky-gray purple ensemble she wore for her 60 Minutes interview last month...another Maria Pinto masterpiece.
--All of three of the dresses she wore to the debates Barack had with Mccain. Especially the last one which was such an underrated, quirky look (the blue dress with the patterned brooches), and also the first one which had that fierce pattern.
--The very, very underrated orange dress she wore to one of the primary nights. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?? I think it was the night of the Indiana/North Carolina primaries. It was a bright orange dress, quarter sleeves, suit material. It looked amazing on her.
I'll stop here, although I'm sure I will think of other looks I loved as soon as I hit the "Submit" button!
#3 is my favorite!!
Adored the deep turquoise dress on her first appearance on the Colbert show. Michelle was exceptionally telegenic and charming that night, especially when she sang along with Stephen.
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/16/michelle-obama-charms-colbert/?apage=3
My all time fave is the Democratic convention dress. She looked radiant, sexy, confident and I loved the starburst pin.
Funny, I would put that striped H + M dress as my least fave because I didn't think the horizontal stripes were the most flattering for her figure. I appreciate that you gave it some love, different stripes, uh er, strokes for different folks.
Love this blog, a little daily sweetness for us all. Thanks!
I personally find it somewhat appalling that this site,that I once that of as a breath of fresh air in my day of stressfull work and hap-hazard life ,is nothing more than a sham to make us my the clothes of your designer clients.When were you guys going to let all of us true fans of Mrs.Obama in on this little secret of yours?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/31/business/media/31adco.html?_r=2&hp
I really don't know what to say but to stae that I feel as though I was used like some school aged kid by some corner hustler.
For shame on u
At Jenny- this website is definitely not a "sham" if you read the article in full you would see that the idea was sparked by an employee interested in Mrs. Obama's style but found that she couldn't find anything about the soon-to-be first lady's fashion sense. So she approached her employer that was looking into innovative ad ideas (which many agencies are doing to date). In addition, most of the designers mentioned are not even represented by the ad agency. It was an employee with a genuine interest and a brilliant idea that had an employer that was willing to fund the site. I think the website is fantastic with wonderful descriptions of Mrs. O's pieces and a truely unique take on her fashion choices. Cheers to Mr-O and to another great year! Happy New Year!
I meant at Tiffany not Jenny- sorry about that.
Tiffany...did you read the whole article? It was started by someone who wanted to write a blog like this one and reached out to her employers to help her.
I will admit that I was surprised as well. But I don't see how it's relevant. This blog is so well-written, has such a friendly little community of commenters, and discusses a subject that I so much enjoy reading about. So it seems like a pretty great blog and I don't think there's anything sinister about how it came to "be", so to speak.
Thank you very much for this blog, i have been following it for some time now and i have to say well written. I am writing from Malawi and have been enthralled by both the Obamas but i find my self following more the Michelle fashion as i identify more with it. By following this blog i have found out i am now fashion conscious and always referring to these conversations on this blog. i guess we are lucky to have your employers giving you time to research and learn more and in turn enlighten us. Thank you and jeep it up
Hello there, Siku! It's really nice to see that you're enjoying this blog as much as many of us are. It is just fantastic isn't it?!
I now can't imagine ever having to do without it, and am immensely grateful to all involved for putting together a blog as entertaining, insightful, information packed and fun filled as this one is.
My fave, and the outfit/post that got me hooked on this blog, was this one:
http://jbu.phuzzymath.net/2008/11/14/the-new-mrs-o/
(Sorry for linking to my version... I know I saw it here and then linked to my own site, but now I can't find it on here!)
Kristan
http://jbu.phuzzymath.net
One more vote for the Pinto dress at the DNC, but I definitely agree that the Thakoon dress is the winner. BTW, has anyone tried his Target line yet?
Also, that NYT article was surprising but I don't think it taints the editorial content of the site. I'm just glad Mrs. T got her boss to foot the bill!
a little honesty goes a long way. this site is great but still why are we all lying to each other in this country?
it doesn't inspire confidence in each other when we keep little basic truths from each other like the funds for a great project.
wow, some people are really just making a big do about nothing!!
Anyone who has been following this site knows that Mrs T and other writers has shown a true passion for Mrs. O, and a real interest in her style, and the great things that mrs O does
I love the work, and i fully appreicate all the work this site does!
BRAVO MRS. O!!!
Is it me, or are the purple dresses in #2 and #4 different?
#2 seems to have a V-neck, while the one on the cover of More has a jewel neckline. Yet both appear to be of the same fabric.
Maybe I'm just seeing things?
@ H in Chicago
They are different, but same designer (Maria Pinto)
I absolutely loved the coral/red Maria Pinto dress that Mrs. Obama wore during the first visit to the white house after the election. I am still coveting that dress. She looked positively gorgeous in that dress!!!!
She is a hero that is needed. If women all over the world could careless about brand names, price tags for showing off, the world can be a better place. No more nagging debts as a result from conspicuous consumption.