Sunday
Nov072010
Turquoise and Sand
Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 8:30 AM 
Photos by Jim Watson / Getty Images
After arriving in New Dehli, the president and first lady toured through Humayun's Tomb. (Humayun was a Mughal emperor who died in the 16th century; his tomb is known as the "mini-Taj Mahal.") Against this dreamy, neutral backdrop, Mrs. O's vibrant turquoise ensemble draws the eye. The first lady wears a below-the-knee skirt (the hemline du jour!) with pleated detail at the waist, a short sleeve cardigan and an embellished pin at the collar.
For further reading, "Scenes from the Obama Visit" [WSJ]
Update: The first lady wears a custom dress by Peter Som.
tagged Peter Som
Peter Som
Reader Comments (79)
I love the way the turquoise stands out against the subdued colors of the tomb in this picture. Is this the most body-conscious outfit I've seen Mrs. O in? No. But clearly she is dressing in a way that is appropriate to the country.
Ok..even given cultural sensitivies, this is an fashion miss for Mrs. O. I'm sure we'll see winners later.
It's frustrating to continually see bad outfilts like this because she has been known to dress soooo much better than this. This dress is like two sizes too big for her.
I don't understand why she isn't wearing structured dresses and suits like she did on the campaign. She is tall and shapely and could be wearing some amazing clothes. She needs structure, not messy sweaters and dresses that don't fit, be they too small or too big.
I really wish she would get a stylist. I know she won't be she really needs to now.
Sorry to double-post, but seeing the turquoise pin deployed to beautiful effect a few posts down made me wonder -- have we ever seen Mrs. O repeat any of the outfits that she wore at the Democratic National Convention two years ago? The reason I remember that pin so well is because it was the first time I ever really paid attention to Mrs. O's' clothing -- I loved that blue dress with that pin at the neck, and she gave such a great speech. I think the dress was Maria Pinto?
I would imagine some of those outfits have shown up again, but I don't remember seeing that blue dress again. But I may have just forgotten.
First one of her outfits I am not feeling on this trip. It looks wrinkled and the odd length does not do a thing for her. Also, this sweater and jewelry combo does not hit the mark here. I don't know it just does not work well.
I don't care for the length to be honest, but the pleats are sari-esque and the color is wonderful.
I love the color and the short sleeve sweater. Designer please?
Lovely. It reminds me of this photo , when Jackie Kennedy visited the Taj Mahal in March of 1962. Both of their dresses stand out against the beautiful neutral Indian colors and architecture. They even chose a similar color palette.
I also found these two video's of Jackie Kennedy's visit to India:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c7BaTtZsi0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6y39Vn-3kA&feature=related
I also don't care for the length, just below the knee is not flattering for many women. But I don't think the point here for Mrs O to be dressing to flatter herself, otherwise she'd be going sleeveless and with a shorter hemline. This trip really isn't about her.
Mrs. T., I sense from some other comments that you might have expressed some frustration about some things going on with the board. I don't want to belabor it because if you meant for it to be read, it would still be here and easily accessible. I only wanted to add my voice to those who think you're doing a great job, compiling all these resources for us in a site that is a lot of fun to read. It's unfortunate that all your work on this board is taking place during an extremely polarizing time in U.S. politics. I fear some of that polarization has spilled over here. I know I've been a part of it, and rather than fight, I mostly just look at the pictures and enjoy. Life is too short to fuss with folks over sleeves and hems.
I think a lot of other people are like me -- silent supporters. Keep up the good work Mrs. T!
Before anyone starts complaining about the length of her dress just know that it is culturally correct!
Ari,
thanx for the photo and video of Jackie Kennedy. She is undoubtedly a fashion icon. What a fabulous dress she had on.
I wish Michielle stop wearing these too big or too small Cardigans. The length of this dress is so awful. Most of her outfits for this trip so far are good example for WHAT NOT TO WEAR.
The dress is too big. Period. It does not fit. If you want to be culturally correct, then wear some pants that fit you or wear a dress that is designed to be longer. You don't wear a sheath dress cut to hit right below the knee and then decide to wear it two sizes to big so it'll hit your lower leg to make it "culturally correct". What sense does that make? I guess the next thing will be that the outfit is wrinkled because it's culturally correct to have wrinkled clothing.
Come on Kels, the dress is NOT too big, besides do you read this blog regularly to her her pilloried about wearing her dresses too tight. The dress is just right, period. Have you ever seen cotton or linen in hot humid weather, they are both slightly wrinkled. Of course, you are entitled to your opinion I just profoundly disagree with it.
>>Mrs. T., I sense from some other comments that you might have expressed some frustration about some things going on with the board. I don't want to belabor it because if you meant for it to be read, it would still be here and easily accessible. I only wanted to add my voice to those who think you're doing a great job, compiling all these resources for us in a site that is a lot of fun to read. It's unfortunate that all your work on this board is taking place during an extremely polarizing time in U.S. politics. I fear some of that polarization has spilled over here. I know I've been a part of it, and rather than fight, I mostly just look at the pictures and enjoy. Life is too short to fuss with folks over sleeves and hems.
I think a lot of other people are like me -- silent supporters. Keep up the good work Mrs. T!<<
I agree 100%. Thank you Mrs T for all that you do. And Thank You Christina for your post.
The woman is a guest in a conservative country. Stop the whining about the length and size of her dresses. She can't go there and wear sleeveless, body hugging dresses for chrissakes. Don't y'all get sick of the incessant whining and complaining about everything these two people do? If she went there and wore something that Indians found offensive it would be an international diplomacy faux pas and the media would make it a huge distraction, and everything POTUS is trying to accomplish there would be overlooked. The whole idea behind the strength of FLOTUS is how she uses fashion to facilitate diplomacy, is it not?
The length of these dresses she is wearing are bad. I cannot believe she and Ikram came up with wearing these elderly looking clothes, but I love the color of the dress. I am seeing another First Lady on this India trip, because this sure isn't Michelle in these clothes.
YES, this is a very SMART Michelle in these clothes
Pants, in some countries, are not considered conservative dress for women.
I remember when Mrs. O went to England and visited with the Queen. Oh, the comments at that time about how inappropriately casual she was. And now her dresses are unflatteringly conservative. It's all so funny. It really is.
There are so many lovely outfit Mrs O could wear and still look "culturally appropriate". She doesn't have to wear these "elderly looking clothes".
Check this dress by Mrs Jackie Kenndey in India. She looked still herself and very stylish but "appropriate" too. http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset+Tree/Asset+Viewers/Image+Asset+Viewer.htm?guid={30655301-7CB5-4A2C-A5B5-D658336C9BC3}&type=Image
The color against the back drop looks calming and appropriate for the occassion. The dress is not too big, it looks fine. Please remember that she has to dress a certain way because she is the First Lady and in a foreign country. She is there to help and support her husband. I'm sure that she had plenty of help with the appropriateness of her outfits as she chooses what or what not to wear. The same goes for the hair style. It easy for us to sit at our computers and complain. But we are not privvy to what protocols need to be followed. Please give her a break and trust that she and others around her know what they are doing.
Well, I would like to complement Mrs. O for her conservative dress in a very conservative country. It is correct to cover arms and to wear apprpriate length of dresses and skirts. So many Americans who travel forget that. The clothes should be looser fitting and because Mrs O is a tall and fuller figured women remember that it is harder to find such clothes. Also, it is warm there. I am always amazed thet she can bare her arms in places where I am so naturally cold. Her choice of shoes is very appropriate. Thank you again Mrs T for this forum. I am an African American female physician and very busy. I use this sight as a great past time and a way to keep up with fashion and a woman that I admire. I am one of those silent supporters who looks but often does not post.
I think Michelle Obama is being a lot conservative and sensitive to the Indian mindset. nevertheless she poses a charming and real image whatever she wears. You can never ignore her whatever the milieu!
I don't know what's up, but I'm liking pretty much everything she has been wearing on this trip. Her outfits have a nice simplicity to them, which I can appreciate. I don't see what's wrong with the length of this skirt, she's tall so she can pull off something below the knee. Besides, if dresses/skirts aren't supposed to be below the knee because it's allegedly unflattering, why do these stylists continuously make skirts/dresses at that length? I've seen many below the knee dresses and skirts when I shop or browse fashion mags, so I think maybe folks need to open their minds to different trends.
Anyway, the color is divine, and dress and cardigan compliment the scene and I think she looks lovely. I'm not sure what people are expecting of her on this trip...her husband's party just lost the House, he's being lied about on the details of this trip, and the media is barely covering the substance of it back here in the US. I think she's rightfully dressing understated and demure. From watching videos of them at various events, it appears to me that Mr. and Mrs. O are deeply connecting with the people and with each other on this trip, so I imagine Mrs. O just isn't focused on how her outfits are received by her fiercest fashion critics. I get the feeling that she doesn't want to be sitting with her stylist flat ironing her hair for 2 hours every day, or wearing form fitting clothes that don't allow her the freedom to move the way it appears she needs to given all of the walking and dancing she's doing.
ETA: I guess some are expecting her to be Jackie Kennedy, which she has never ever been and doesn't seem to even want to be. The beauty of comparing her to Jackie Kennedy is that Mrs. O will always lose since she is not JK. Oh well....
Just saw Mrs O photo with black pant and a jacket for DINNER.
I can assure the neggy posters, that if you interviewed men and women on the street sof Mumbai, her outfit would get a resounding thumbs up. It is plain to see that she has given thought to her wardrobe before travelling and we should truly admire her for that. She rarely wears such long frocks and rarely covers her arms but out of respect she is more modest. Had she worn a knee length outfit or decided to remove the cardigan, everyone would be up in arms. The poor lady can't win.
This outfit is delightful for the occassion and she always looks great in turquoise. I wonder if they will be visiting the Taj Mahal.
I understand Mrs. O's decision to remain respectful to Indian culture. But this is another miss, like the arrival dress and the tweed outfit. The color is lovely, the pins are great, however, the cardigan and dress don't do anything for her. It's just not flattering to secure everything above the bustline unless you have a bit more definition at the waist. The length with flats is awkward.
Jacqueline Kennedy's wardrobe for India was so stunning; the photos of Princess Diana in India also showed a great fashion sense. Let's just figure this was an off day.
"Kels" and "Nora" my opinions echo yours with regard to this outfit. The color is pretty but nothing fits right, everything is pulled, bunched or wrinkled. Just a disappointing choice all around, especially since we know there are so many nice dresses in her closet that she could have chosen,
Mrs. T, I too am sorry if there is trouble moderating this site, you do a great job! The one thing that still
dismays me is when people insist on injecting political rants into their comments.
I think sometimes Mrs O lacks fashion sense compare to people such as Jackey Kennedy, Carla Bruni and Princess Diana.
It is so disappointing to see her wearing one disastrous outfit to another.
Jacqueline Kennedy's India wardrobe was indeed stunning. And the thing I don't get about Mrs. O and why I feel she is in desperate need of a stylist is that, she has a ton of dresses that are stylish, fit her properly, and are classy and appropriate. She doesn't have to dress like Jackie O, she just has to dress her best. And this mess of an outfit is far from being anyone's "best". She has far better options and yet she chose to wear a dress that doesn't even fit her properly. Why?
Very modest and cool looking. I don't think it was meant to be abything except casual. The Prez also has his shirt sleeves rolled up. Mature women know that you need to wear light cardigans which can be removed at a moment's notice. I suspect the top underneath is sleeveless and able to look comfortable if the heat gets to be too much.
I love this site too. Checking here is one of the highlights of my day and I am so disappointed when there is nothing new. Thanks Mrs. T and I am not even American.
@Kels
Michelle is NOT Jackie Kennedy, so stop comparing them. Michelle is her own women. Jackie's clothing is not better than Michelle's. It bothers me when women on here, act like Jackie set the bar for the way a political wife should dress, when she did not. MIchelle is in a league of her own. Jacke was older and dressed extremely conservative on a daily basis. While Michelle dresses youthful, with colorful ensembles.
Why on earth would we want a tall African American woman to be like and dress like Jackie Kennedy. Come into the real world folks. Mrs. Obama does NOT need a stylist as some like to harp. She is a competent woman who wears what she knows is best like most of us do. And one last thing, if you don't have African textured hair stop talking about her hair. You are not qualified to do so.
@ a lurker
I agree everythiny you wrote. FLOTUS does not need a stylist, she dresses how she chooses. I just dislike the length of the dresses she is wearing, BUT I read that the length is a cultural thing. So kudos to FLOTUS for respecting other cultures.
I think that the "length du jour" makes a woman with usually impeccable style look dowdy.
mrs obama dress nice but she need to do her hair the slick look is not working for her she need to put her hair out whlie she is overseas with our president.
At the dinner with the Singhs, she wore an interesting outfit that I've not seen a picture of. Here is a link to a video which discusses the dinner and plays clips during the discussion. Indeed she is wearing black pants paired with an embroidered black jacket. Quite impressive. Here you get the Indian point of view on the visit. If you click on "Home" you will find many other clips on the visit of both the Obamas and Indians reacting to them. The American press does a terrible job covering overseas trips. Even on Yahoo pictures, the stories suggested by them are almost all by the Indian press.
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/news/prannoy-roy-on-the-pm-s-dinner/174260
First of all, Michelle Obama is Michelle Obama, full stop. Jackie Kennedy, Princess Dianna, etc - both lovely women in their own right, but they are not and should never be compared to Michelle. She is her own woman, with her own style, just as they both are (were).
I've never been to India so I have no idea what one should wear, but I do know that the first lady is no idiot when it comes to fashion. She is a fashion ICON, hence this website... My thought is she planned her dress for this trip and has obviously decided to go the ultra conservative route, rather than mistakenly offend. Smart once again.
Don't worry everybody... soon enough, we shall see the first lady back in her 'normal' extremely flattering outfits, many of which still give folks reason to complain. It's a good thing she is not moved by any of this!!
This is a Peter Som ensemble
Love FLOTUS dinner outfit, especially the jacket she is wearing.
The Obama Photo and Video Diary has posted 2 great videos from the Indian press that gives great details about the dinner and shots of Mrs.O's outfit. Check it out HERE .
It seems like it was a rather informal dinner and the pants/jacket combo was well received in India. I love her jacket. It's so ornate and fits perfectly with the Indian theme. Could it be Naeem Kahn?
On a side note: I don't know whats going on with the Jackie Kennedy comparisons and the negativity toward Mrs.O. I posted the photo and video of Jackie earlier not with the intention of comparing them, but just to show how their styles were very different and yet how history repeats itself in subtle ways with the way their outfits played into the gorgeous Indian background. Anyone with any sense knows that comparing Mrs.O to Jackie is futile and silly at best. Mrs.O is not Jackie Kennedy, nor does she want to be. Like Oprah has said, she is unique and there is no one to compare her to. She represents her country during a different time in history.
Some people may think she looked dowdy but how many real women would kill to look that dowdy. If we stop look look at her as a super model or a movie star, we can see that she is a real model for all women. However, a gay guy's perspective may not be very appropriate here ):.
The dress is clearly too long. You can say she is being conservative and sensitive to the Indian mindset but the black and white is just below the knee, and looks 100% better.Let's be honest, this outfit with the cardi and the length of the dress is a mess.
I do not know what she has done to her hair but it looks awful. I would love to see her cut her hair short and go natural. With her features it would be much more attractive and easier to care for.
To the kels, roses, nic (pick) johns, and other negative posters:
In the '60s and '70s there was a phrase bandied about to describe a particular tourist from the USA. "Ugly Americans." So called not for their physical make-up or clothing, but as a descriptor of their attitude. The 'it's all about me', 'we don't to it this way at home' attitude. This tourist wanted to travel, to be entertained, but showed no respect or appreciation for other cultures or common customs. CONGRATS! You've found your niche. NOW we recognize you! The shallow, insipid, US citizen who lacks civility, manners and appreciation/sensitivity for the differences of others. Tea, anyone?
Alas, today First Lady Michelle Obama didn't entertain you. She modified her mode of dress in appreciation of her surroundings, hosts, and their customs. Nic(pic)john, kels, rose, babs, et. al. your posts today resonant with the attitude of that Ugly American. You'd probably want a escalator in the Tower of Pisa, and a Diamond-Vision screen instead of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel. I am not calling you ugly physically, I don't know you. Unfortunately, your writings scream loudly a lack of sensitively, compassion, respect, and (as my Mom would say) home-training. In fact, you all may have a lovely countenance. As a Christian, I'm taught that Lucifer was the most beautiful of beings . . . and we all know how that turned out. My non-Christian friends might say you have a 'muddy' aura.
Whatever the case, I so proud that the USA is aptly represented by Mrs. Michele Obama, a truly beautiful American (inside and out).
Hattie C., I just looked up the photo of princess Di @ the Taj Majal. You are dead right. This dress is a miss in length and material.
The color is great but I agree with some others about the terrible structure (or lack thereof) to this outfit, and the wrinkles. Worn with the cardigan buttoned at the neck, the line is totally wrong - an inverted V right to the hips of this dress, which make her look huge (she isn't.)
I'm with you Kentashi
@nonpasserat
Jakie's style was NOT revolutionarily, women today do not dress like that. Only a "certain" group of women find Jackie's attire to be life changing. Some of you take clothes WAYYYYYYYY too seriously. Anyway, Ms. T do you know who made FLOTUS jacket she wore to dinner with the PM and his wife?
@nonpasserat you were NOT going to like anything she wore anyway so how could you be disappointed. I was waiting for an acerbic comment from you and lady, you did not disappoint!
@Bett
"Jakie's style was NOT revolutionarily" you can't be serious.
Wow, Kentashi, how can you justify comparing innocent people to Lucifer?!? This is a fashion blog, it almost makes me laugh that one would blow this so grossly out of proportion. There is a considerable block of us who don't care for this particular outfit, and I for one will not be scared off. The next outfit she wears we'll all probably love, that's just how it goes.
I think that on this site we CAN take clothes seriously, that is why we are here, because we love commenting on clothes, specifically the clothes of our fashion star, Michelle Obama.