Friday
Jan282011
Must Read Mrs. O
Friday, January 28, 2011 at 1:48 PM Not much time, but wanted to share the following stories. More later. Happy Friday!
"About That McQueen Dress" [On the Runway / NYTimes]
Bonus: In passing, the story includes an answer to the question posed here Monday. It seems Ikram Goldman is no longer involved in Mrs. O's wardrobe.
"For what it’s worth, I hear that Ikram Goldman, the Chicago retailer, is no longer directly involved with Mrs. Obama’s wardrobe, since December."
"Michelle Obama McQueengate Slogs On" [NYMag]
"Michelle Obama Shrugs Off Oscar de la Renta Jab" [Politics Daily]
"Boosting America, in Her Own Fashion" [Op-Ed / NYTimes]
"Michelle Obama Puts Kara Ross on World Stage" [WWD]
Reader Comments (28)
Who knew a dress could bring so much controversy. I hope Michelle continues to dres on how she feels, instead of selecting outfits because of politics, which takes the fun out of clothes.
Cathy Horyn states: [Michelle Obama] supports a number of causes, notably healthful eating habits, but these deeds are being overshadowed by what she wears.
I wonder whether that is true. A number of journalists are getting a lot of ink out of one dress, but that's the press. That's what the press does--fans a little red flame for weeks if necessary. Ironically that also puts MO's causes forward.
I can't remember how I stumbled onto this blog; however, I came back to it repeatedly because I could see what this amazing woman was doing every week. That she did it while wearing attention-grabbing clothes was a bonus. I don't remember all that much about other First Ladies of the United States, but I do remember Jackie KO contributed to the very controversial improvements to the level of culture at the White House, and I was about 10 years old at the time! Why do I remember that? Because she always looked stunning doing it. Other First Ladies and their worthy causes not so much.
People do pay more attention when their eye is first caught by the image. Substance--if it is there--is always second. It's the way we are hardwired as a species.
@Philly agreed...how we present ourselves (image that you mentioned) is everything; Its just the way it is.
In response to the first article...if the military personnel and their families who were members of the Oprah show that aired this past Thusday are any guage, I imagine Mrs. O's impact on our society has risen far above fashion. I doubt those big burly military officers were moved to tears by the purple wool crepe dress by Prabal Gurung!!!
Boazwife,
Your line below is 100% win!
I doubt those big burly military officers were moved to tears by the purple wool crepe dress by Prabal Gurung!!!
I happen to love McQueen and Mrs. Obama. McQueen brought something to designs that is rarely achieved: He made you feel the design, not just see it. This is not about fashion, and certainly not about Alexander McQueen; it's about Mr. De La Renta himself. I have a feeling that if Mrs. Obama wore a De La Renta design, Oscar would still find something negative to say about her. Too bad the days of discretion and professionalism in business seem to be a thing of the past for many.
@ Boazwife,
I couldn't agree with you more! I thought I would not be able to see the show; it turns out that Oprah's afternoon segment is showed later on a local syndicated channel in my area! I was able to see the entire show. It brought tears to my eyes. I'm definitely going to seek out ways I can assist our military families in my area.
SN: This statement - "For what it’s worth, I hear that Ikram Goldman, the Chicago retailer, is no longer directly involved with Mrs. Obama’s wardrobe, since December." Written like gossip. Ikram Goldman may not carry the clothes of the designer Mrs. O may want to wear and she found a boutique/store that does. This doesn't mean Mrs. O will no longer purchase through Ikram Goldman.
There's a fascinating article on Huffington Post's style section regarding Kara Ross. It's titled,"Jewelry From White House Wood" and I think fashionistas will enjoy this one!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1351533/Michelle-Obama-gives-Kate-William-tips-wedded-bless.html
Check it out. Michelle's answer to the criticism over the McQueen dress: Wear what you love. Not, you notice: Wear what other people are lovin' on you. Not: Take it off if they hate it. Even Barrack doesn't always get the belt. Does she care? Nope. If she loves the belt, that's reason enough reason to wear it.
Nice when it's that simple, eh?
I tend to agree that if members of the C.F.D.A are upset about Mrs. O not wearing more American designers, but these same designers manufacture their clothing abroad rather than in the US, then they simply do not have a leg to stand on. Bringing jobs to Americans is a priority, and DVF and others who pay pittances to foreign employees are really talking out of both sides of their mouths.
Like Philly, I too remember Jackie KO's work to bring culture to center stage. And her style, grace and fashion choices mesmerized me. Visuals are powerful learning tools, so Mrs. O's accomplishments, while much more important than what she wears, catch the attention of a larger audience because she is a fashion icon. Unfortunately too many people pay too much attention to how a package is wrapped instead of what is inside it, but that's part of human nature. That a little of her good work is absorbed by those who really don't dial into her service is better than a total lack of awareness.
For heaven's sake! Are we still talking about the McQueen dress? I believe that Americans collectively can influence the world economy by buying "Made in America" products as opposed to Mrs.O individually. Ladies & Gents, when you're shopping for your family, whether it be clothing, appliances or anything else...you'll find that 70% of what's available to you is "Made in China" including some of the very designers that are protesting Mrs.O's fashion choices. Enough already! I believe that Mrs. O said it best on a morning talk show earlier today...."Women, wear what you like!".
Amen, amen, AMEN Boazwife!
de la Renta is out of touch. It doesn't matter if she wore American because the average American can't afford what she wears (maybe a little JCrew, but still expensive). Sasha helps the economy more when she wears a Gap shirt and it sells out within 24 hours not Michelle wearing some expensive American designed dress.
And since when did who designed the dress become more important then the dress? It was beautiful and that's all that should matter.
The CDFA does'nt give two cents what Mrs O wears, they just want to line their own pockets. The vast majority of what she wears is from Kors, Jacobs, upcoming American designers and true fashion vanguards like McQueen. What upsets me the most is the fact that after all the good she has done for the industry they would dare shame her as if she where their wayward child they adopted from the ghetto as if she doesn't have the ability to dress herself...can't stand them!!
From articles published during the last few years, we were informed that Ikram Goldman was continually shopping for clothes for Mrs. O and having them shipped to her. That does not say that Mrs. O did not purchase clothes on her own, but it would have made sense for her to buy things through someone who knew her, like Ikram, rather than having to deal directly. Many busy women have "personal shoppers" - so do celebrities.
It may be that special prices were involved. It may be that Ikram felt the pinch everyone is feeling and had to focus on her core business. I can think of many reasons why what was characterized as their original relationship has now changed.
If these people screaming wear American actually made their stuff in America then I'd feel their opinion matters. You simply can not tell a damn near 50 year old woman what to wear. And Oscar isn't being taken seriously by the public because this is like the third time that he has said something rude. If he could speak in general about other people in the public eye in the hopes of boosting American based designers then I'd say what he said was at least sincere. But he doesn't. He picks on the First Lady and shows much disrespect in the process. Its amazing that someone so old can not understand how to behave in public.
@jessica you got that right!
@Jessica
You are so right about the affordability of the couture designers like de la Renta and McQueen. HOWEVER wait a few weeks and see how many affordable clothing lines have near-exact copies of the evening wear and the day wear that we see on Mrs. Obama. Those copies are what generate the very real economic stimulus that occurs in response to Mrs. Obama's clothes--a stimulus that Harvard Business School actually documented and Mrs. T. reported on this site.
@all of us--about the pantyhose
Perhaps when we get into pantyhose discussions we should share our ages. I am 63 years old and wear pantyhose so much that I no longer have to shave my legs. The woman who gives me pedicures keeps asking where I get my legs waxed because the pantyhose do such an efficient job. I do not feel dressed without them! I can be classified as obsessive! I wear sandalfoot pantyhose with mules and open-toed shoes! (Martha Stewart wore sandalfoot hose with evening sandals and a picture of her feet ended up in the pages of PEOPLE on a list of fashion faux pas!) However I have had to learn that there is a real generational and regional divide about wearing pantyhose and I have had to realize that I simply cannot persuade younger women to wear panty hose when I think they should.
I am also African American and plump and can attest to the problem finding the right shade, especially in a high quality sheer. Even though I am short, sizing issues can be very very difficult. The manufacturers do not have me in mind when they create sizes! As a result I order in bulk from a catalogue. The dark shades are the ones most often discontinued because we who are dark are not a majority. In my world, wearing the wrong shade or wearing a pair that has faded because of washing will garner one far more criticism than showing up at work or a formal affair barelegged.
@Mrs. T. One of the reasons I love this site so much is that by following Mrs. Obama's fashion I learn far more about the substantive things that she is doing and about what is happening in the White House than I learn from the mainstream media and its failure to cover so many wonderful events.
Thank you!
The end of Cathy Horyn's article is so ridiculous that I don't even know where to start. It's Mrs. Obama's fault that more people are interested in talking about her fashion than about her "good deeds?" Really? Ms. Obama has some psychic power to control the minds of the press and what they write about? Dang, she IS something! </sarcasm>
Look, Michelle knows that her fashion choices are being followed closely -- I don't think she is naive. But the whole reason we see her in public is because she's constantly "out there," promoting her causes. If people want to ooh and aah over a skirt and leave it at that, then THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. Michelle can't control this. But I would argue that more people know about Michelle's causes BECAUSE they may have been hooked in to following her clothing choices. I could probably put myself in that category, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.
I do support Horyn's very pointed zing that a lot of these "injured" American designers manufacture their clothes overseas, in Asia, so their handwringing is quite hypocritical. It's just so disappointing. Diane Von Furstenberg and Oscar de la Renta are great designers. Why are they letting themselves get drawn into this? I try very hard not to see the spectre of race and class in everything, but I do wonder why they feel like they can scold someone into accepting their idea of what's fashionable. Why do they think they have that right, I wonder?
I said the same thing earlier. Perhaps, if you weren't having chinese children making your clothes, you might be taken a wee bit more seriously. On another note, on ABC Robin Roberts asked her about the kerfuffle and the brouhaha over the dress, and she said wear what you love women. And that she would rather be known for her work on childhood obesity and military families, so to me that translates to Oscar de la Renta should take a long walk on a short pier. Is it Michell's fault that de la Renta designs clothes for my grandmother or DVF's wraps are getting old? People who cling to their 'brand" and don't reinvent themselves should be the ones chastised...design something for the everyday woman and not size 0s in Italian Vogue.
The most interesting thing about Michelle's wardrobe is that no one looks like her. In a see of blue, black and a smatter or red, she is the only person wearing that shade of grey or the only woman wearing a red McQueen which means she is always the most distinguished woman in the room.
I'm glad Ikram is out of the picture!!
I thought the McQueen dress was spectacular and PERFECT for the China State Dinner.
Love Mrs. O
I read one of the articles above and wished I had skipped it. Frankly, this non-controversy has me so annoyed. I come to this site to see what Mrs.O is wearing. I do not like debating whether it was right or wrong. I do not think that it's my place to say that what she's wearing is right or wrong. It's Mrs.O's choice! I watched Mrs.O on GMA w/Robin Roberts Friday morning. Robin asked about the uproar...the criticism from OdlR. Mrs.O leaned forward and said 'Women, wear what you love...it's nice to wear a nice suit...but better to do something that makes a difference in people's lives.' (e.g., helping children get healthy and supporting military families)
I personally do not care who designed her dress. I admire Mrs.O's style. I will not be wearing couture. But I certainly can get fashion ideas from what she wears. I realize that designers, the media, and anyone else can freely criticize Mrs.O's outfits. Free speech et al. But I find it a waste of time. If I don't find something she's wearing to be attractive to my eyes, I say nothing. (a throwback to how I was raised...If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all) There's a time to speak up when it comes to saving lives, but to be so critical about what someone is wearing?...senseless IMO!
Kate Betts has penned a brilliant piece about this entire episode in the op-ed section on nytimes.com. It is a must read.
Here is the NYT article.
I've just added it to the post above. Definitely a good read to round out the bunch.
I loved the NYTimes article.
I am going to buy her book now.
This last paragraph says it all.
"After all the discussion of the red dress at the state dinner, Mrs. Obama stepped into the House chamber on Tuesday for the State of the Union address in a silvery-white sheath by the American designer Rachel Roy. Its color and simplicity signaled fresh beginnings — as did that inaugural gown she wore in January two years ago. For this there was not so much criticism. Only a lot of American women silently thinking about where they might find a simple, pale sheath dress."
Really enjoyed the NYT Op-Ed. Thanks so much for including it here.