Wednesday
Apr012009
Mrs. O Sparkles at Downing Street
Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 5:44 AM 
Photo by Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
While yesterday we saw not one, but two grown-up dress and coat combinations, Mrs. O has brought out her youthful charm today, dressed in a J.Crew ensemble that has the promise of Spring. Here she arrives at the Prime Minister's residence, 10 Downing Street, dressed in J.Crew's Crystal constellation cardigan embellished with beads, rhinestones and sequins, paired with J.Crew's Dazzling-dots pencil skirt in mint green jacquard.
Reader Comments (285)
This UK tabloid praises Michelle's oufit to the skies and compares it (favorably) to Sarah Brown's outfit: http://www.ok.co.uk/celebnews/view/8979/Michelle-outshines-Sarah/
So far, the fear that she would be getting negative press for this look seems to be unfounded.
This is absolutely perfect! What better than a classic beaded cardigan for an informal breakfast event and a hospital visit? The criticism of informality or too "bling bling" mystifies me - I've been using beaded cardigans for formal, informal and the office for fifteen years, so I don't know where you all have been!!!!
For a visit to a cancer centre I think Michelle looks perfect - it's upbeat and easily visible, warm (it's still quite chilly here), fresh and approachable. Lots of trademark texture and detail - no belt! - and completely lovely. Also I love the fact that she's worn J Crew - I would imagine the men and women in that cancer centre appreciated meeting someone who wasn't wearing thousands of dollars worth of suit. That would have been highly inappropriate if you ask me.
Now, I've been reading a few comments about the British press. First of all, the British press do not routinely do a hatchet job on visiting dignitaries. Secondly, Michelle is seen (and reported as) an exceptionally bright woman with great style here. Thirdly, no-one with any sense takes the Daily Mail seriously at all. They have a slightly frenzied approach to everything, and they write from the perspective of a conservative (small c) vicar in the depths of the Home Counties, circa 1947, who's not sure his daughters ought to be doing more than sewing and reading the piano. So let's not worry about them too much, eh?
Yay to Michelle for remaining true to herself on this trip. THANK you.
Our Mrs T featured on The Today Show regarding the fevor pitch excitement of Mrs O fashions while in Europe:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/29988600#29988600
"And trust me when I say…those other first lady’s want and need Michelle’s workout plan. Had Michelle had a Kangaroo Pouch like the Prime Minister’s wife; all hell would’ve broken loose in these United States. And the trolls on Mrs. O would be tearing Michelle to pieces."-Mojo
I cosigned to everything you said. When I read some of the criticism of Michelle clothing choice. I said to myself surely Mrs. Brown must look like a knock in her outfit today. But then I saw both women standing together and I simply burst into laughter at all the haters directing there venom for no good reason tearing Mrs. Obama apart and completely ignoring that god awful outfit Mrs. Brown had on. I can only sum of up the negative of the trolls as being sore losers who still can't aspect the fact they lost the election of 2008.
P.S. The control pants issue. Why shouldn't Michelle be wearing them???? They are the key to looking good ALL the time, no matter what. I wear them as often as possible, with jeans, dresses and skirts, for formal and informal. Unlike Sarah Brown I believe that it's a criminal offense to have your underwear on show, so Gstrings and control pants are the way forward. There is also the option that they were hold-ups and not control pants at all.
DON'T get me started on properly fitted bra's. We'll be here all night.... British women and bra's is just.... criminal... why... WHY?
Mrs. O looks absolutely stunning and totally appropriate for the morning's events. Sarah Brown is a lovely woman, but if you compare her to Mrs. O in that side-by-side photo (http://www.daylife.com/photo/0czv9XK8m5f8T) it's like night and day - or 20th century vs. 21st century! There's Mrs. Brown in a boring, dowdy shirtdress, navy hose, and (gasp!) black patent leather shoes (which not only look old-ish, but don't match the navy outfit). Meanwhile, Mrs. O is young, fresh, and hip. She reflects the new philosophy and trend in fashion.
"So far, the fear that she would be getting negative press for this look seems to be unfounded." -Jenna
Fear of what the outfit looked wonderful on her and not frumpy. She looked happy and slim in her clothing. Most of the people picking apart Michelle have personal issues. I think she looked alright today.
she looks beautiful, youthful yet put together. this is perfect for a day of visiting hospitals and school children.
No, no, no...No sparkles during the day. What is this Vegas? Miami Beach? She is meeting the British PM and wife for heaven's sake and attending a cancer center. Lose the sparkles and also check the fit of the clothing, it looks off the rack.. Come on recession or no, I want her to represent.....
Donna, thanks for posting that!
Mrs T, congrats for being featured on the Today Show! That whole segment was really amazing. And it's such amazing exposure for this blog.
Everyone should click on Donna's link above. They had some really great shots of all the fashions from the last few days.
Re. the glitz in this sweater: Michelle is promoting the fashion industry by picking up on trends featured in all fashion magazines. A trend for this season is sequins and other glitter, no matter the time of day. While no one wants to be a slave to fashion, it's fun to incorporate something new and different into what you're wearing. Michelle clearly enjoys it. And if designers and merchants sell some glittery sweaters for day because they see Michelle looking great in one, then that's business for a lot of folks. And business and jobs, of course, are really needed now, in all industries.
I also like the thought expressed above that Michelle's look is a cheery one for the kids in hospital she visited this morning.
This is my first post. I love mrs-o.org!
WOW! I exclaimed upon opening the Mrs O site this morning and gazing on the above photo.
Mrs o asserts her unique and chic fashion presence w/ this charming and elegant ensemble. I cant believe how perfectly each element work together - from the embellished cardigan to the sheen of the skirt to the necklace and bracelets - beautiful, and yes, filled w/ the lightness and freshness of spring.
I will say it again : WOW.
It's a cute outfit, but the sweater is not flattering to her figure. By leaving the hem unbuttoned, it looks like some of my sweaters that fit me 15 pounds ago but not now. She has a flat stomach. Why wear something that makes it look paunchy?
Another thing we have in common: the Spanx line across the thigh. Nothing wrong with wearing Spanx -- even skinny models and actresses do, but when walking, this thigh line can show. Don't know the solution to that when you're wearing a pencil skirt.
I hope that she is dressed more formally when they meet the Queen. Yes, she should be herself and keep to her style, but as we've seen, for example, from her Air Force One outfits, she can do that while dressing a bit more conservatively. In this situation, Her Majesty sets the tone and her visitors should follow.
I love watching her wardrobe choices. She's got a real eye.
Whao! So many varied opinions! This is why i love this site.
I am going to buy this skirt, the more i look at it, the more i'm loving it.
Re the comment above about the buttoning of Michelle's cardigan - never put a horizontal line across your widest point. Round neck cardigans always benefit from the bottom two or three buttons being left undone. You get a flattering V at the neck and a flattering inverse V at the bottom. Creates a longer vertical visual line and avoids any horizontal lines, which, as we all know, are very tricky to pull off unless you are a straight-up-and-down person. It just looks younger and the cardigan sits better.
She is stunning and can do no wrong in my book! I look to her as inspiration these days!
Just a little reminder... when Jackie Kennedy met the Queen 40 years ago she wore a sleeveless dress!
This is actually something that I learned just now from the Today Show segment, but in case Michelle chooses to go sleeveless, the sleeve patrol should know she certainly is not the first.
I notice that J Crew has already sold out of the sweater. They show it on their site with jeans. I will bet that we see Michelle wear it that way too.
I think I like it. It certainly got our attention--and she looks pretty.
Not wearing sequins during the day is an old fashioned fashion rule. It doesn't really apply anymore, like white after labor day etc.
I would have to agree she IS absolutely stunning and I don't think she can do any wrong either! I absolutely love her and this blog!
This is my first comment and I'm certain there will be more!
The more I look at this morning's outfit, the more I like it. I can see myself wearing this ensemble; and that's the message that seems to speak out of Mrs O's fashion philosophy. Her clothes are accessible to the average woman. On the other hand, I'm not sure it was formal enough for her first visit to Downing Street so she wasn't dressing for that. She had the women's cancer center in mind, I think. Lovely all the same!
The sparkles and yellow (and in general, her choice of lighter, brighter colors) are a concerted attempt to lift our collective spirits. C'mon people! It's not rocket science. She looks fab!
Naki@StyleChile
www.stylechile.blogspot.com
Mrs. Obama is short waisted and needs to leave behind the belts and high waisted skirts that 'cut' her look (unless she balances the look with a longer sweater). Longer sweaters/jackets and no belts will accent her long legs and 'balance' her body. Long and lean. Love that she shows off her arms and love her soft sweater dressing - very feminine.
Here are a few close-ups of her make-up today. She looks amazing. Very dewy, youthful but not overdone, with a grown-up pinkish lipstick.
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/07xjer9gRS4bB/610x.jpg
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0fGXe8B3BB6rD/610x.jpg
'Mighty Michelle' wows London before G20 summit- this is the headline for TurkishPress.com:
http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=335258
"Michelle Obama dazzled London with her signature classic style Wednesday, leading one newspaper to dub her "Mighty Michelle".
Oh, how pretty! Completely appropriate for a daytime meeting. I do not know anything about Sarah Brown, so I am going to assume that she is a lovely person. However, for those commenting about appropriateness, compare and contrast. Her dress and stockings are too somber and funereal (and the dress's fit doesn't suit her figure).
Looking at the cardigan on J. Crew, it's interesting to see how it's dressed down and casual-looking on the model. I guess I just don't have an eye for styling, but it's amazing to me how someone paired it with that skirt and made such a dressed-up look with it.
Yemi, when I worked in retail, we had the "three button" rule for cardies: three buttons open at the top, three at the bottom.
When looking at this photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/downingstreet/3404333282/
I do still think the cardigan is a bit too tight/small.
And on this photo:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/downingstreet/3403255799/
the hem of th skirt shows.
Oh well.
@ valdivia: I was NOT suggesting she should wear them at all. I merely said that it looked from that photo that she was.
@ Posh Tater: I am not taking the Daily Mial seriously, merely posting the links for the pictures.
Anyway, as I have said before, overall it is a great outfit, and she looks radiant.
I have to say I think Sarah Brown looks lovely too. Yes, it is a completely different style, and she might not have Michelle's figure, but it is still very elegant and appropriate.
Looking at pictures on Yahoo news of the Queen greeting other heads of state, she's wearing a pale green shiny suit and... a lot of bling. Channelling Mrs O, obviously.....!!
Hey, when is the meeting with the queen happening?
What some people don't realize is that Michelle is young, soIcanunderstand the mix color and glitter. She looks great. I like it and I think its appropriate for the day.
Jenna, It's in 1/2 hr @ 12:35pm
"Late afternoon" is the only detail I can find. I would guess around now.... unless they have it before the evening reception.
I love how the sweater is sold out already! :D
I'm so glad they're here in Britain- we love them!
I cannot believe you people worship this stuff!!
Get a life... :)
Get Jesus :)
Politico's calendar has the meeting with the Queen at 12:35 Eastern.
Not much use here! Is that half past five? Hmmm... Mrs O may very well have to change twice in a hurry then! Once for the Queen and then again for the Downing Street dinner.
Just saw her on C-Span's live feed! Looking GREAT!
Hmmmm. Lively, fun, attractive--yes. Classy? Not so sure. I appreciate the lightness, but would rather have seen casual elegance rather than just casual.
She and the POTUS arrived at Buckingham Palace. She's got on her pearls, I think, and a lovely black coat. It was difficult to see the dress, but it looked pale in color, and I think she might be going sans sleeves! Once again, difficult to tell with the coat on.
They showing it on TV
This outfit is absolutely Gorgeous!! She is a stunning lady! I love to see a grown woman who knows what looks good no her!.... Man I want that sweater!
She looks stunning! They are both stunners. Geeze! There was never any doubt that our intelligent and graceful First Lady would dress appropriately for the Queen.
yes a beautiful black coat pearls and what seemed like a white dress.
and thanks above for the response re the spanx. I don't think she 'needs' them but kudos to her for wearing them.
Got a glimpse of Mrs O arriving to meet the Queen wearing a long black satin swing style coat, over a white bandeau style dress with the pearls she wore earlier.
Her hair looks interesting, top bit worn up, with some loose strands left onn the nape.
Will pictures of First Lady arriving at Buckingham Palace be shown soon?
Hmm...just saw the Brown's arriving. Sarah had on a bulky jacket and a full dress that cuts her off at the widest part of her knees.... sigh.
I have been anxiously refreshing the yahoo news photo page. No doubt they will pop up really soon!
"bandeau style dress" is it too early to assume that Mrs O is SLEEVLESS as some predicted. Can't wait to see the pictures.
Posh Tater, I am sorry to hear that! Sarah Brown is actually so pretty. She has amazing skin and beautiful hair and a curvaceous body. She really just needs a little bit of help with her style to look her best.