The Week in Review
Sunday, April 5, 2009 at 3:45 PM 
Photo by Stefan Rousseau / Getty Images
We honestly don't know how our President and First Lady survived this whirlwind of a week. Six days, four countries, and for Mrs. O , ten (10!) thoughtfully, often symbolically, selected ensembles. Let's recap:
Tuesday (Washington D.C., London) #1 Ivory tulle tweed coat with grosgrain trim by Thakoon worn over a black Michael Kors dress and paired with an oversize rose jewel brooch #2 Chartreuse Jason Wu cocktail dress, paired with a black Michael Kors duster and studded Alaia belt
Wednesday (London) #3 J.Crew Constellation sweater in ivory with beading and sequins paired with Dazzling dots mint green pencil skirt #4 Ivory and black silk crepe dress by Isabel Toledo, paired with a black Azzedine Alaia cardigan, and black satin opera coat by Jason Wu
Thursday (London) #5 Junya Watanabe argyle, asymmetric cardigan, paired with a full-skirted teal dress by Jason Wu and Jimmy Choo "Glacier" pumps
Friday (Strasbourg, Baden Baden) #6 Floral silk jacquard dress with black mesh trim and coordinating, reverse print coat, both by Thakoon #7 Black knit and ruched dress worn with black bolero jacket, both by Azzedine Alaia
Saturday (Strasbourg, Prague) #8 Cropped, double-breasted black jacket with leather detailing at the seams by Azzedine Alaia, paired with black trousers; floral Etro top and white blouse worn underneath #9 Fitted Narciso Rodriguez black knit dress paired with Azzedine Alaia black bolero jacket and black kitten heels
Sunday (Prague) #10 Oversize white bow blouse by Moschino, worn with a black pencil skirt by Michael Kors, black cardigan and studded belt, both by Azzedine Alaia
The genuine multiplicity that exists in Mrs. O's wardrobe was on full display this week. We saw her style oscillate between demure and daring, restrained and whimsical, vintage-inspired and avant garde. Though already described as a style icon, which she undoubtedly is, we imagine Mrs. O's fashion sense will be known for many things, rather than one iconic image that perfectly encapsulates her style.
She is a multi-dimensional woman, with a multi-dimensional wardrobe to suit. There was much speculation with regard to what the week would bring style wise. Would Mrs. O embrace a French designer as Jackie Kennedy had in 1961 when she famously wore Givenchy? Mrs. O would, wearing a dress and coat by Azzedine Alaia while in Strasbourg, France (as well as a cardigan and belt by the designer throughout the week).
Would she continue to champion her favorite American designers? Indeed, as ensembles from Jason Wu, Thakoon and Isabel Toledo were all sartorial stand-outs. Would there be any "high-low" mixing? While not exactly "low", more reasonable options from J.Crew again entered the mix, and more than held their own with chic sparkle. Might Mrs. O play it safe? We need not say more than Junya Wantanabe (though we are still practicing the pronunciation). The image at the top of this post, in which Mrs. O wears a black satin opera coat by Jason Wu as she walks into Buckingham Palance, represents our favorite look of the week - radiating a romantic, effortless chic from start to finish. We would love to hear your favorites please.
Alaia, Jason Wu, Junya Watanabe, Michael Kors, Moschino, Thakoon in Outfits
Reader Comments (128)
thank you Mrs. T, for the post and for everything this week.
my favorite was the yellow Jason Wu when landing in London, and the Thakoon coat and fusia dress in France
and here is to Mrs. O NOT gettting a stylist, staying true to herself, and continuing to surprise us (how bored would we be if we could predit what she would wear every day?)
and here is to everyone agreeing to disagree, and everyone having their own personal taste
oh and my favorite is this look and the Strasbourg dinner (or was it baden baden?)
I love the black and white Isabel Toledo day/night look along with the coat. I also loved the fuschia dress with matching coat. I liked the bright colors of outfit she wore to the London girls school but I didn't that was her most flattering look. Overall, such a fun week for Mrs. O. I can't wait for her to take the girls abroad, too.
Mrs. O's fashion is nothing less than a breath of fresh air! I love the versatility of her wardrobe! She is indeed a (unintentional) fashion icon!
My favorite ensembles were on Friday. Mrs. O hit the ball out of the ballpark on Friday! I smiled from ear to ear when she emerged from the plane in France! Then when she donned that LBD in Baden Baden...OMG!!!!!!!! She was drop dead gorgeous! The whole day built up to a crescendo!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the wrapup! I am exhausted from this fashion frenzy.
Congrats Mr. and Mrs. O on looking fabulous all week!
President Obama in Prague:
"Today, I am proud to stand here with you in the middle of this great city, in the center of Europe. And to paraphrase one of my predecessors I am also proud to be the man who brought Michelle Obama to Prague."
One of the president's top aides said Obama had long ago resigned himself to traveling in his wife's shadow. "Michelle Obama has fans all across the world, but there's no greater fan than the president himself," senior advisor David Axelrod said in a CNN interview. "And I think, you know, he's happy to bask in her reflected glow."
My favorite was the black Alaia dress at the NATO dinner. The whole look was total perfection, from the jewelry to the hair.
I agree with Valdivia, the chartreuse jason Wu dress with the black Kors duster was outstanding! Great contrast in colors!!!
@an eye, that was not me (though i liked that outfit too) the name fo the poster is always bellow, not above.
I liked the Azzedine Alaia evening LBD
Friday Outfit #6 & #7 were the my absolute favs. Overall I enjoyed every outfit especially that famous argyle cardigan that produce such strong feelings from some people...lol
Great week by all accounts, and I Mr O paraphrased Mr Kennedy by saying the brought Michelle to Prague.....how sweet.
The fitted, black dress and matching bolero that she wore for "date night" in Prague was drop-dead sexy. That and her LBD from the night before are tied for my favorite looks.
Thank you Mrs. T for your beautifully written recap of the week. You are a gifted writer.
The coat was among my favorite items, as was the Alaia cocktail dress and Bolero. And for just plain good old American sparkle, the J. Crew ensemble is *somewhat* affordable and a great look.
Again, thank you Mrs. T for all your hard work. You really did triple duty, and deserve a good rest.
This week has been fun!
My favorites were: (#1 being the best)
1. LBD..the Black dress on Friday at the NATO dinner
2. The yellow and black dress when she arrived in London
3. The white tank and the black skirt she wore to the G20 dinner with the other first ladies.
This was an inspiring week, and taken as a whole, Mrs. O was near perfection.
Thank you SO much Mrs. T for your hard work in keeping up with Mrs. O this week.
My fave are: 1) LBD in France 2) tight LBD for date night, 3) black and ivory Isabel Toledo worn in London.
And I must give a shout out to the asymetric cardigan which pushed the envelope and reminded us that Mrs. O will be daring and downright silly with her clothes.
Oh boy - I forgot how much I loved the yellow Jason Wu number that she wore when the landed in London. Make that #4!
I really loved both of her little black dresses, but the stand out favorite has to be the fuschia Thakoon dress. Drop dead gorgeous. I think I actually gasped when I saw the picture!
My favorites were:
#1 - loved the ivory coat (but not the brooch). I wish she had worn the black trimmed ivory coat when arriving in London and that she had worn the black and yellow bumble bee outfit instead when she boarded the plane in Washington D.C. The ivory was much more appropriate for a European arrival.
#4 - The opera coat and dress were elegant and classy. Just wish there had been a little short tailored jacket to go over the dress instead of the sweater for the Queen's visit.
#6 - The flora silk dress was very lovely and unique. I hope we will see more surprises like that one in the future.
#10 - The big-bowed blouse looked perfect on Michelle as she stood on the stage with The President before he gave his speech in the square. Btw, I've read 30,000 people were there.
Considering that the Obamas pay for their own clothing I think Michelle did a wonderful job on this trip and in my opinion she gets a 10 / A+
To Mrs.T,
The only thing I see missing from your article is that the #8 cropped leather trimmed jacket was by: Azzedine Alaia.
My favorites were the Thakoon print dress. Great fabric, great style, great fit--both to Michelle and to the occasion. Not so crazy about the matching coat.
Also liked the Jason Wu arrival outfit, but someone needs to steal that belt. Whoever heard of belting a duster? The whole point is for it to float? If she wanted to break up the dress, she could have worn the belt on the dress directly.
The white blouse MO wore in Prague was a knockout as seen on the model, but didn't quite sell itself in the outfit it was part of as worn by Michelle. Would like to see it again in a different ensemble--sleeveless, tucked in, belted around the waist rather than under the bust.
Liked many other pieces too, but put me in the "Michelle needs a stylist" camp. There are too many small glitches: belts that don't belong or that ride up unattractively, a strip of white peeking out where it shouldn't be from underneath a black sweater, sweaters that were a shade too tight.
These are quibbles, but, hey, you asked, and why not get it right? Michelle is great-looking and, more important, she has a way of reaching people that is genuine and deeply touching. Let's get the distracting details out of the way so we can focus on what she is saying and doing.
Hello Mrs T!
I don't know if you are considering the possibility, but I think that at the end of these four years you would be the perfect author of the Michelle Obama fashion book. I believe there is one for Jackie Kennedy. Just a thought! Your commentary on her ensembles is exquisite!
Mrs. T,
I believe I read that under the #1 coat by Thakoon was a dress by Michale Kors (which we can't see in the photos). At least that is what I have in my notes.
The opera coat was great, but where was the opera? Again, this was example of wearing a great garment in a way that didn't quite work. That coat should be reserved for after-dark, taken off to reveal something tight-fitting and sexy, and diamonds or something else sparkly should be involved.
Since she was already wearing the sweater, the coat was unnecessary, and, for me, it didn't work at all for the occasion or with the other things she was wearing at the time.
Mrs. T asked what our favorite pieces were. Can we keep this thread as a nice, positive summation of this extraordinary trip?
Mrs. O worked her tail off smiling and being the perfect First Lady, indulging photographers, screaming crowds, and I can only imagine hours of boring conversation at times. I'd hope that for one thread, the blog that is in her name and celebrates her fashion and style, which is getting a lot of attention lately, can be positive for a little bit. All week, we've discussed what we didn't like and what we liked. Let's sum this up on a positive note.
Also I read somewhere that with the J.Crew beaded sweater...
the skirt was a: mint green shantung silk skirt
now I have to go and Google shantung to see what the heck that is!
I loved the way she radiated as a spring flower in the J.Crew outfit in London.
I was tickled by her playful side when she wore the Junya Watanabe argyle, asymmetric cardigan. What a stir that created.
She reminded me of her sweet youthfulness when she pulled her hair back and donned the Ivory and black silk crepe dress by Isabel Toledo. Simply lovely
She brought out the green monster in me when she stepped off the plane in Prague with that Fitted black knit dress paired with the black bolero. Signing up with my local gym this week :)
But she left this ole women in complete awe when she strolled onto the red carpet in Baden-Baden with the most powerful man in the world hand in hand in that Black knit and ruched Azzedine Alaia dress worn with black bolero sweater. She was simply gorgeous
Our "Mighty Michelle" made this week one of the more enjoyable to watch in a very long time.
i can't pick a favorite. our first lady looked amazing in everything. in her arrival wear, her meet the queen wears, her very whimsical and fun argyle school girl cardigan to meet with girls at that school(i think many so called fashion mavens missed the point of this cardi), i just loved everything.
i thank her for not being stuffy and old. i also thank the europeans for giving our fist lady such an amazing welcome. i can imagine how nervous she was (even though she did not show it) but all over europe she was welcomed.
i am glad she will be home soon.
thanks to everybody for all the info and even the haters, and the rethuglican trolls, this week was fun as well as emotinal.
i don't think anyone, unless you are a black woman can know, how important this was for us black girls. for our first black flotus to go on the world stage, with her deep chocolate skin tone, her natural hair(beyonce & tyra banks take notes), her real butt(kim kardasian i am side eyeing you) and to keep her natural swagga. even typing this after thought makes me cry. for the world to embrace a black woman in full, the way they have is just amazing and emotinal for me.
lastly to the lady that runs this site, yeah i saw you on cnn, you are so qt.
bless everybody on earth and bless our president. bring him home safely and soon too.
WELL I'M GLAD IT'S OVER - NOT!
...Well sort of - the difference in time zones were killing me! 5 hours ahead in London, 6 in Prague, I kept looking at my watch and calculating the times EVERY SINGLE DAY! Thank you Mrs. T for being so on the ball with the events and photos.
Both outfit's worn on Friday were the climax of this trip for me - The fuchsia pink shift dress worn in the day then the black Azzedine Alaia with bolero jacket at night were exceptional. Both showed Mrs.O's ability to straddle the fence of soft and feminine and sexy and sultry without being overtly so.
Billy Joel said it best in his song:
Oh--she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She's ahead of her time
Oh--and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she's always a woman to me...
Ah, I'll take a #7 please.
Actually, it's my new SCREENSAVER!!
@ Leah D, stop picking holes at Mrs T's extraodinary article, and I co-sign American-n-Rome that she should reap the rewards of her hardwork in the best coverage of Mrs O online.
So lets support her and leave it at that. Some of us have watched Mrs T grow into a celebrated fashion writer and we are so proud of her.
Mrs T puts in hours in research, pining through our comments, some not even worth a penny, but she is very attentive and acts on posters requests.
My favorite piece was the fuchsia Thakoon dress--in fact my favorite thing I've seen Michelle wear since I started following Obama in 2007. And I liked the Alaia LBD.
I agree with others that Michelle needs a stylist--not to select her clothes for her, but to give her feedback primarily on how her outfits read in photographs and on TV. Jackie Kennedy had Diana Vreeland advising her, among others. She didn't achieve that level of chic all by herself.
Probably even more on point than her clothes were Michelle's make-up and especially her hair. The latter was absolutely exquisite the entire trip.
Oh and my favourite was
#7 Black knit and ruched Azzedine Alaia dress worn with black bolero sweater
Mona,
I don't know if you got up on the wrong side of the bed or what but I was not picking holes! I was trying to be helpful and if my comment offended you then I apologize. I believe that the majority of the comments I have made on this website have been informative, such as links and schedule info, etc. I am not a troll and I appreciate Mrs. T as much as anyone else on this website. Mrs T does a great job on this website and I have said so previously. There is no need to attack me, if you don't like what I have to say then please skip reading my posts. Have a great day.
This summation from Wendy Donohue from the Chicago Tribune works for me:
"Over the past several days, Obama has exhibited an increasing willingness to take chances, suit herself and stand out from the crowd. That her mode of dress is debatable at times has updated the very idea of a fashion icon. Not flawless, but to her own self true. Unpredictable, and therefore riveting.
"As soon as Michelle missteps, as she did with that argyle sweater, she comes back with something fabulous," said Gioia Diliberto, a fashion blogger and Chicago author, most recently of "The Collection," a novel set in Coco Chanel's atelier. "Good fashion always celebrates the moment, and Michelle has been wearing clothes by young U.S. designers who are projecting the kind of vitality and boldness we need now. ... Michelle was certainly not flawless, but it doesn't really matter, despite all the nattering about it from some in the fashion press and the blogosphere. The era of flawless dressing--which is a very European, couture thing--is over."
I will have to go for Junya's argyle sweater ensemble, how cool is the First Lady and we wonder why the little girls were so starry eyed.
#5 Junya Watanabe argyle, asymmetric cardigan, paired with a full-skirted teal dress by Jason Wu and Jimmy Choo “Glacier” pumps
And the J crew was a knock out, I am working very fast to get those colours in my wadrobe.
#3 J.Crew Constellation sweater in ivory with beading and sequins paired with Dazzling dots mint green pencil skirt
How can one choose a single favorite when Mrs O donned so many stand out ensembles this past week ?
I will choose the black Alaia number that was worn to the Baden Baden event. I was so bowled over by the simple chicness of this dress - paired w/ perfectly restrained accessories.
Mrs O looked amazingly glamorous that evening, and not w/ any overt flash or in any obvious context.
The glamor of this ensemble was due to genius in the dress making, the perfect fit and line and the sublime, subtle detailing in the skirt and under skirt.
And of course the confidence and innate radiance of the wearer.
The fact that Mrs O chose Alaia just floored me as he is among the best of the best of French designers, but to Americans, one of the least known.
A bold, fashion forward and cerebral choice.
The Best: The Jason Wu full-skirted teal dress.
The Jason Wu black satin opera coat.
The black knit dress by Azzedine Alaia.
The Worst: Sunday's outfit in Prague. Who wears a belt
under the bust? The blouse needed tucking.
Just a thought, I think you can get a feel for someone's personality by their favourite Mrs O outfit?
Anyway back to business, my favourite Mrs O look, was Jason wu's acid yellow cocktail dress teamed with a Kors duster, and yes! I love making a grand entrance...LOL!
questions... is it possible to do a hairstyle review for the week too? also perhaps makeup?
also.. does the first lady have her own plane, or does she fly commercial? what time is she expected back? i wonder if we will see another mid-air change?
Gifts were exchanged in Prague
From Politico dot com
[Livia] Klausova gave Michelle some Czech glass by Moser. Michelle gave Klausova a vase. The Czech president gave Obama a book on the Prague castle. Obama gave the president something in a big box, which Klausova could not identify.
"Rethuglian"? C'mon, now. How ugly is that? One can be of a different political stripe without being a thug! That kind of remark or generalization is exactly what, I understand, the Obamas are trying to do away with. Help them.
A quote from the Washington Post
"For the first time on his trip, he appeared at the plane door without First Lady Michelle Obama, who left for Washington after the couple's visit to Prague earlier in the day".
I am sure the people in Turkey were crashed, to be denied Mrs O's fashion elegance. Lets be real, hit or miss, Mrs O is seriously in demand - its beyond fashion!
Oh an my favourite was the #10 Oversize white bow blouse by Moschino, worn with a black pencil skirt by Michael Kors, black cardigan and Azzedine Alaia studded belt.
FLOTUS finished the European tour on a high note, I know some are looking out for her arrival outfit when she lands in the US - but in my opinion mission accomplished, she doesn't need to takes us any higher, we are already blown away!
I beleive that Mrs. O have her own Air Force One. What a week it has been sharing our Belle with the world. I love you Michelle and thank you Mrt. T for all that yo do.
sorry for the typo ....lol
My second favorite (or is it my first?):
#3 the sparkly sweater and slim shiny skirt. That outfit just sang on her frame. It accentuated her beautiful arms and hands. Glowing, unexpected, just fantabulous, I had to take a breath when I saw it.
I think it was the hair and makeup on #7 that put her look over the top, but the clothes themselves, #3.
Also, that white coat she wore on the way out of the US, and the yellow and black ensemble that she landed in were stunning.
And let's not forget Carla's lavendar coat in the wrap up section. She gets an honorable mention. And I thought that the Queen looked dang good for what, an 80 year old??
My favourite was the dress beneath the black and rose jacket when Mrs. Obama was in France. I counted that as a separate piece. I'd give Mrs Obama 8/11. I still don't like with that ruffled skirt and that asymmetrical cardigan, but that's only my personal tastes.
I've been reading the comments, but I don't think I've seen (or perhaps missed) the full outfit underneath the double-breasted black jacket by Azzedine Alaia. I'm still really curious. Maybe I'll have to look harder.
Hello. Thanks everyone for the kind words. What a fun week it has been!
Leah D, Thanks for catching those few things. Always good to have a second pair of eyes.
American-n-Rome, I am actually working on a book! It's going to be published in November, and will look at the evolution of Mrs. O's style to date. If you look at the top of the right hand column on the site, there's a way for everyone to contribute words and ideas to the book, that will likely be published in their own special chapter.
@ Leah D, I can assure you , this was not a personal attack.
I was merely highlighting the importance of celebrating Mrs T's hardwork this week, as the topic of the post is 'the week in review', it is a great opportunity to be courteous and say 'thank you' rather than pick holes, and I didn't detect much of that in your comments. I hope I have explained it better.
Mrs. T - I sure hope you get a chance to meet or chat with Mrs. O for your book, that would be so awesome!!!
I'm sure your book will be lovely, and keeping with the class and sweetness with which you've created this blog!
Pick one?!? Well, I think I'll go with the J Crew ensemble. I loved it! It was so fresh, chic, young, and vibrant... definitely a breath of fresh air! Thanks Mrs. T! Mrs. O keep doing what you do and be inspired by Jill Scott "Hate on me hater, now or later, cause I'm going to do me, you be mad baby."
IVA, that would be my dream, and awesome, yes! I did actually send her a letter a few weeks ago telling her about the blog, the community here, and plans for the book. I haven't heard a response yet, but I know she's a very busy woman of course. Fingers crossed!