Give the First Lady a Break
Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 4:10 PM If anyone is just tuning in, here's a quick recap of the media frenzy that has ensued over the past 10 days:
The First Lady wore an Alexander McQueen gown to the state dinner to honor President Hu Jintao of China, here. Cathy Horyn of the New York Times and Robin Givhan of The Daily Beast praised the choice, here and here. Oscar de la Renta wondered why Mrs. O wore "European clothes" to WWD, here. WWD's Bridget Foley penned a longer piece with more from Oscar de la Renta, and asked why the CFDA had been silent, here. The CFDA told WWD they were a bit disappointed by Mrs. O's choice, here. Cathy Horyn cut down the CFDA and WWD, supported Mrs. O's right to choose her own dress, and worried that the First Lady won't be known for more than her fashion, here. Then Kate Betts brought things full circle with a New York Times Op-Ed, reinforcing why Mrs. O's fashion is important in the first place, here.
The nine lives of this story, the way it has morphed and grown, so much after the fact, is simultaneously interesting and peculiar. Frankly, I'm a bit tired of it all, and yet, I can't resist from throwing one more opinion into the mix.
Some have commented that they hope Mrs. O doesn't give in to the "political" pressures with regard to her wardrobe, and that she should be able to wear whatever dress or designer she wants. In many ways I agree -- because who are we or anyone to dictate? But at the same time, it feels blind not to acknowledge how much carefully crafted image is wrapped up in Mrs. O's wardrobe already.
J.Crew on The Tonight Show, sunny Isabel Toledo for the inauguration, Naeem Khan for the first state dinner -- these pitch perfect pairings did not happen by accident. All along the way, Mrs. O has used fashion in the smartest, most adept way possible, to the benefit of her public image and attention paid to her core causes. I realize any suggestion that there's calculation in the First Lady's wardrobe will prompt some to cite Mrs. O's statement to Vogue that she wears what she loves. For me, these two notions -- dressing for a public image and wearing what you love -- aren't incongruent.
For this most recent state dinner, it seems Mrs. O chose her dress a bit more for aesthetics, a bit less for symbolism and message. Behind the scenes there are signs of a change in Mrs. O's style advisors, specifically Ikram Goldman, which may have factored into the choice. While the McQueen gown was an expression of fashion freedom, I can't help but wonder: is this media melee worth it? The issue is less the criticism, more the distraction. Simply put: it probably would have been in the First Lady's best interest to wear an American designer.
Now I must circle back to Cathy Horyn's piece, which undoubtedly will spark its own round of debate. Ms. Horyn writes:
Here’s my problem with Mrs. Obama: I want her to be known for something other than her fashion. I want her to be a great first lady who truly cares about the lives of Americans at the time when many need help. I want her to be far more than “prime placement” for a dress label — whatever the country of origin. She supports a number of causes, notably healthful eating habits, but these deeds are being overshadowed by what she wears. Only she can change that perception. In March 2009, The Economist ran an excellent article about our new first lady that expressed the concern that she might become better known for her fashion rather than for her opinions. Unfortunately, that seems to be happening.
Even with what I've just written above, I find this paragraph to be wildly out of touch. For all intents and purposes, the mass media has lost interest in Mrs. O's fashion. Yes, there are stories this week, but on the whole, there are far fewer than there were in 2008 and 2009. This is true even of Cathy Horyn's coverage of the First Lady. (One of Bridget Foley's key points was that in 2011, not all White House appearances are created equal from a fashion perspective.) Lately when Mrs. O is in the news, stories focus on "Let's Move," the White House vegetable garden, and the First Lady's support of military families. The legacy Mrs. O is building will include fashion, but is already far greater.
On that note, I feel compelled to pass along an interesting piece that a reader shared with me this summer. The clipping comes from Annie Dowling, a digital archivist in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The article ran in The Washington Post on November 25, 1981, and was written by Selwa Roosevelt, married to the grandson of Theodore Roosevelt and Chief of Protocol of the United States from 1982-1989. What it shows? That what Mrs. O is up against here is really nothing new.
Note: Click on article to view full scale
Credit: Annie Dowling, Digital archivist, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Reader Comments (38)
I loved Cathy Horyn's piece. I still cannot believe that after a week since the State Dinner FLOTUS' dress is still being discussed, it's like beating a dead horse!! Also, I disagree what Michelle Obama is up against is something the rest of the First Ladies have never experienced contray to popluar belief.
This is what I posted on the NYT website. And I agree Mrs. T, I'm tired of this. Seems like when people are bored, they attack the dumbest and most infantile issue.
I find this issue utterly fascinating on so many fronts. As far as CFDA, DVF and Oscar are concerned, next time they have a fashion show in Peoria, Illinois, they can complain. Next time DVF and Oscar use AMERICAN workers to make their clothes, they can complain. Oscar, within 2 years, has chastised the First lady for wearing a cardigan to visit the Queen, for wearing young designers (Jason Wu) and not the old guards and now, for not wearing American during the Chinese State designers....based on the fact that the dinner was to promote trade. Did he have these same qualms when he dressed Mrs. Bush for the Ghana state dinner...I don't think alot of Ghanaians are in the markets looking for Oscars bedazzled creations.
Secondly, when are we as a society going to STOP judging women based on their looks or clothes. Is Michelle a model, no? Is she an actress,no? Is she the first lady of the United States,yes? So let's judge her based on what she does in that role and that role only. I find it amazing that women on this board are the most critical of Mrs. Obama. Do you go around your office taking a poll of what your co-workers think you should wear? Okay, Jim you said no pants, just tight skirts. Check. Annie, you think I should wear my hair flat, Okay got it. And Ester, you think I should wear no make-up, got it. No, you wear what you want to wear, and if someone doesn't like it... they can look to the left.
Do I like everything Michelle wears, no, but not everyone likes what I wear. I dress how I want to dress, and everyone dresses how they want to dress. How awesome of a concept, that as Americans we are free to wear what we want to wear, and not what the government or a dictator or a co worker or voter wants us to wear.
So, as I proceed to get off my soapbox, I would just like to say to all the could have been fashion designers or has been fashion designers or just critics in general, Go buy a Michelle doll and head to your local Toys R Us and bedazzle her or cover her up as much as you want, because that's the furthest YOU will get in dictating what an almost 50 year old woman should be wearing.
She wore what she wanted to wear. End of story. Why people are so obsessed with this is beyond me? The Council of Fashion Designers -- give me a break. They are just bummed that she hasn't worn their stuff.
This truly is sad...a handful of Fashion gods still churning their opinions on this one dress. I am telling you no matter what the First Lady wears, she will still be unfairly judged. She is the total package, a wonderful presentation of how she presents herself with clothing AND her causes that she is passionate about. As my mother has said, "They are just JEALOUS of the woman"
thank you Mrs. T for putting this in perspective.
"I want her to be a great first lady who truly cares about the lives of Americans at the time when many need help."
And, of course, when First Ladies do that, they are still criticized. Eleanor Roosevelt was constantly attacked for her activities, even being called a Communist for supporting integrated public housing.
Our First Ladies are damned if they do and damned if they don't, so I hope they will do as they damned well please.
What has annoyed me about the entire situation is not that these designers want her support American designers but that they want her to support established American designers. Fact being Mrs O has supported young American designers in a way we have never seen from prior first ladies. I love that. It we want to see American design grow then these new designers need to be seen.
All first ladies get critiqued for their fashion choices true. But is it more this time bc she is younger and more "hip" yes. At the end of the day she is an accomplished woman who is raising to seemingly normal children in a crazy environment and suppoting the causes she loves. I have no doubt that those two things will be what she is known for in the long run, with a bit of style thrown in for good measure.
@rldestef Well Said...
Nice posting- enjoyed the summary of view points and historical perspective
I have nothing against Mrs. O AMQ's dress except I did not particularly like it. I've loved her better in other outfits and other designers. That being said, I can understand the uproar; I don't believe it was due to the dress itself, but the dress in the context of the message that the President and the White House were trying to convey about American trade during this business "Buy American"; he even said: "I did also stress to President Hu that there has to be a level playing field for American companies competing in China," "Trade has to be fair."" While it may be unfair to hold Mrs. O's fashion sense to such a level of scrutiny, we must admit that the subtext of her dress did not fit in with the White House's message. Before I get voted off the blog . . . I am not saying it's right, but the world of politics is unfortunately what it is and that is the world the O's have decided to evolve in. So I'm pretty sure they know that sort of criticism come from the territory. And Mrs. T: Great vintage article!!!
I've stated my opinion on all this and have nothing more to add, but I just wanted to say, I love it when you weigh in, Mrs. T. And the perspective on Nancy Reagan is appreciated! I think it's always interesting to look at these controversies in a historial context.
It is always intrigueing to me what the first lady is wearing. But as for giving her a break....please Mrs O...sit in a chair for five and breathe. No matter what we love what you choose.
Some have commented that they hope Mrs. O doesn't give in to the "political" pressures with regard to her wardrobe, and that she should be able to wear whatever dress or designer she wants. In many ways I agree -- because who are we or anyone to dictate? But at the same time, it feels blind not to acknowledge how much carefully crafted image is wrapped up in Mrs. O's wardrobe already.
Your whole post is interesting and well-said, Mrs T.
Might I add that it is virtually impossible for Mrs Obama to put the "political" pressures aside, as her position is indeed a political one.
I agree with Nora. I don't agree with folks who compare talking about Mrs O's outfit to being the same as going around criticizing the outfits of your coworkers. Your coworkers aren't on the international stage daily occupying a role that has for a long time been about clothes as much as supporting causes.
As far as the dress uproar, this will die down. I actually agree that there is a valid point coming from some that in the context of a state dinner you should marry what you want to wear and what looks good politically, and in this case that would have been an American or Chinese designer.
If I was Mrs. Obama, I'd escape to Camp David and hang out in my favourite jeans and T (sans bra) when the next state dinner rolls around. Screw it.
Ladies, it's merely the age we live in. Look at the coverage of Egypt yesterday and today. Imagine if the tech tools we use today had been around during the French Revolution? Similarly, Mrs. O barely steps out of a car and people are already blogging about what she's wearing. We even see it here when Mrs. T. posts about one outfit and suddenly comments in the thread swing to a brand new outfit at a brand new event (I'm guilty of that as much as anyone). It's because we are all so anxious to see how someone who is as visible and active as the FLOTUS puts herself together. We admire that she is a mom, a wife and an advocate in her own right and she seems to get so much done in a day. If the tech tools we have today had been around when Jackie Kennedy Onassis or Princess Diana were in their heydey we'd be stalking their outfits and events like bloodhounds, too, make no mistake. We're simply fascinated with the way Mrs. Obama mixes, matches, hits and misses and how she goes from ordinary to extraordinary at the drop of a hat. If you go abroad you will see there is a similar fashion frenzy being generated by the beautiful Kate Middleton. She's being covered like the FLOTUS is here. She wears a dress and it sells out; the designer's stock goes up. Knockoff's roll out and disappear off the racks. The big buzz at the moment is whether or not she will wear a British deigner wedding dress!! See the similarity?
It's harmless fun to comment on fashion in these difficult times. The difference between the coverage now and how it's been with former first ladies is the speed with which we can do so.
Well, I have some things to say about your post, Mrs. T. I am sick of hearing about all this drama too. I think that some of the comments you made about her dress choice are presumptuous. I realize these are all your opinions so I am just sharing mine.
We can all guess what was going on in Mrs. O's mind when she/her consultant(s) chose the dress, but truly we will never know. What we DO know is that she is a exceptionally intelligent and modern woman. Implying that this dress is not "pitch perfect" for the event unlike past events makes it seem as though you feel you know better than her what she should wear for certain political events. I disagree....I think we will all look back on this with appreciation....it will open up her choices to the global fashion community. I see nothing wrong with her supporting designers all around the world. What happened to diplomacy?
This is why I said the dress was a poor choice. This has been going on for over a week. It was even on my local news. I live in a conservative area so it had a very negative spin on it, all topped off with the anchor commenting that it's hypocritical for the POTUS to talk about buying American when his wife doesn't wear American. Now, we all know Mrs. O wears American designers ALL THE TIME. But for folks who only pay attention to her fashion when big events like a state dinner happens, this is all they see. And there's now this perception out there that Mrs. O won't "buy American". All of this was totally unnecessary. Yeah, we should all be able to wear what we want without criticism, but that simply is not reality for Mrs. O. Doesn't mean it's right or fair, but it is what it is. For these big events, she needs to wear American.
It is not worth the controversy.
Oscar is a joke plan and simple. I'll never forget him attacking the First Lady because she wore Wu who is young. He clearly has an axe to grind. There isn't even a pretense. The only people blind to it are those that want to attack the First Lady. I use to hear that Oscar was a gentleman but I have yet to see proof of this. He comes off as a jerk, rude, and jealous. And when these people in high end fashion MAKE their clothing in the USA then they can talk. You can't say that the First Lady wearing an American designer for one function (outside of the many times she does wear an American designer outfit) will suddenly bring back manufacturing jobs to the US. We have to do that. WE have to demand things change. It will not be as simple as the First Lady to get the job done.
Kels
no matter what FLMO wears,american or not conservative swill say something nasty aboy FLMO.just ask glen back,bill o'reily,druge.
@ Glammie, you're funny! That's the best laugh I've had all day. Thanks, I needed that!
I think the most upsetting thing about Oscar's lie is that now because of one wonderful dress the press is spinning this as if she never supported American fashion....even sadder is how fashion writers are not defending her honor....all the American designers she MADE and supported and because of oscar(HATE) her reputation is sullied....I wish the American press would remember all the "American" designers she wears...better yet where are the designers whom she wears?
That was a poignant stamp, Mrs. T. The more things change, the more they stay the same. And might I add, Mrs. O was gorgeous in that red dress. Period.
Word, Glammie!
I'm glad to hear many of you enjoyed the Washington Post clipping. Thanks to Annie Dowling! Perhaps I'll have a dig for more such articles, as the historical perspective is quite an eye-opener.
@Sandi - My post wasn't meant to imply that I "know better." We all have the benefit of hindsight in commenting now. My post was aimed to make the point that wearing a non-American designer probably wasn't worth the media brouhaha that resulted. I don't think it's overly presumptuous to think the White House would have preferred less dress-centric press this week, do you?
Mrs. T; thanks for the great coverage this week. Since Jackie Kennedy is mentioned so often
here, the ladies might enjoy the pictures in this month's Vanity Fair magazine of Jackie in
her inaugural gown and cape. There is one gorgeous picture and somewhere there is
a full view. Interesting that both First Ladies choose white for that evening. both glamorous in white!
Char
Here's what Mrs. O said to Robin Roberts on Friday:
"Women, wear what you love. That's all I can say. That's my motto. It's nice to have on a nice suit, but it's a lot nicer to change a generation in terms of their health. It's a lot...better use of my time to focus on rallying this country around our military families."
http://aol.it/fwjszA
Great thought-provoking post, Mrs. T. I agree with your observation that, aside from the recent uproar, Mrs. O gets more coverage for her words and deeds than her clothes, which is how it should be.
How could she respond to Cathy Horyn's concerns, anyway? Would she start dressing down, get more traditional or wear fewer big-name designers? Horyn would probably be the first to point it out if she did and that would just focus attention back onto the clothes.
Mrs. O has the political power of influence, even if she is not an elected official. For example, she has recently used that influence to help craft legislation which was recently passed by Congress! She has, as we all know, the President's ear. With much privilege comes much responsibility. Her image is important. This is the life she and her husband have chosen. If she chooses to be somewhat avant garde or unique in her sartorial choices, there will be more criticism than if she is safe. That is the way it is. If she wants to be known more for her policy than her fashion sense, I would suggest safer choices in flattering designs which fit and are in flattering colors. Protocol should be factored into her choices. Someday she will go back to private life and she can wear whatever she wants!
To say that what Mrs. O does is being overshadowed by her fashion is a ridiculous statement. I agree that most people other than those of us who actually follow a fashion blog like this one, have moved on. Sure people might notice and like it or dislike it. But until this recent little uproar brought on, once again, by Mr. de la Renta, everyone was focused on her Let's Move campaign for which there is overwhelming bi-partisan support. She also has overwhelming bi-partisan support for military families. I have never witnessed a First Lady doing more to put our military families in the spotlight and get them the support, assistance, acceptance and honor they deserve. She is also doing an important yet sometimes imperceptable job of role modeling "being smart" and showing kids that being smart is cool! She is a huge advocate of education along with Dr. Biden and I know my son has really gotten the message. He has often said to me, "being smart is cool. I want to be smart." As the President has said, if we want to lead in the world, we need to lead in education and I can't think of a better way to do that than to inspire kids to be smart, to win their science fairs, to excel in math, to pursue a college education, to become a teacher. Michelle does all of these things and I think she is one of the most influencial and effective First Ladies we have ever had.
Mrs T,
I'm happy to say that Mrs. Obama has responded to the whole debacle state diner dress. I will be posting the link for you. Some of the readers here will appreciate FLOTUS answer and let this story stay in the hole where it belongs.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/29/michelle-obama-responds-t_n_815867.html
The article on Nancy was great for historical purposes. [EDITED] Second I dont care what Oscar says, he is miffed that he has not been chosen by Michelle Obama. Third, what she wears DOES matter. It comes with the territory of being First Lady. Fourth..she can say what she wants but I am betting had they (The White House) known it would become such a story she would have worn " American." Fifth..personally I liked the dress in its original form (on his website) but did not like the dress as it was altered and worn by her that night.Sixth.. We (the American people, lots of us not all) are fickle. It is much easier to complain and harp on something like the clothes she wears rather than to focus on 1) the health of our children 2) the plight of military families. We want to focus on something easy and someone else! I suspect if she wears American from now on..Oscar ( and the likes)will find something else to say.
What a fabulous post. Thank you! The article about Nancy Reagan was incredibly interesting to read. Love your blog and so appreciate all the work put into it!
Two words. Chinese silk.
What a fab post! I love the historical perspective. I take all themedia comments with a grain of salt. Their goal is to sell papers...drama and gossip sells! Same applies to the designers that comment on positively or negatively on what MO wears. if they didn't say anyting..they would not be in the news.
I am weighing in late here but had to thank Robin, who posted an early comment, for her great comment on the NYT column about Mrs. O. I try not to let myself read comments on newspaper articles generally, since they are so often negative if not just plain mean, but I did read those NYT comments for some reason. I was very saddened by many of them, as they were so ugly and so personal toward Mrs. Obama -- I could not help thinking that no white First Lady would have ever been attacked the same way (and I'm a middle-aged white grandmother myself).
But Robin's comment, and others too of course, were great and just made me hope some of those reading would stop and think about who Mrs. O really is and all the wonderful things she is doing. Thanks Robin, and thanks Mrs. T for this thoughtful post.
Once again the First Lady has put her considerable intellect and common sense on display in her response to Robin Roberts of GMA to the fabricated, so-called controversy of her choice of dress to the recent State Dinner for President Hu Jintao..."women, wear what you love...that's my attitude". That's such a healthy and refreshing attitude for someone in the constant public eye to take. It shows someone who's in-touch with herself, and the public role she plays as the First Lady. She seems to be telling the rest of us that "this too shall pass". For all those clamoring that she should "WEAR ONLY AMERICAN" at the State Dinner or any other major public event, I say to you, define what "wearing American " in the fashion industry truly means. Does it mean wearing a frock designed by an American-born only? In that case I think that would exclude Oscar (he wasn't born here!); does it mean "manufactured " only in the U.S.? Well, show me the designer who manufactures exclusively in the States...that beast doesn't exists because even though most of them have offices in N.Y.C., they mostly assemble their garments overseas to maximize their profits, never mind they are using workers at what would amount to slave wages here in the U.S. Or could it mean only manufacturing their garments out of "U.S.-developed and milled fabrics"? Then this would limit the options of suitable fabrics since a significant amount (if not, most) of these fabrics originate from overseas. So you see ladies, this notion of only "wearing American" clothes is a little problematic in this highly integrated, worldwide economy. I suggest to all of you (supporters and critics alike), go browse through your own closets and try and come up with more than one garment that can wear the excluse label of "grown, designed, and manufactured in the U.S." This same silly argument came up several years ago about the auto industry when the U.S. automakers were taking a beating from the Japanese, Koreans, and Europeans. Some wanted the government to close the borders to trading with these foreign manufacturers because it was costing U.S. workers their jobs. The heated argument went around and around for weeks till an economist went about dissecting a U.S. manufactured car vs the foreign competitors. Guess what, they all have certain components manufactured in another country. So in other words, there's no such thing as a truly national car on the road today. They all have bits and pieces from all over the world. The same is true of the clothes we all wear. So simmer down and do as the First Lady suggerst..."women, wear what you love", and stop tying ourselves into knots over something as transient and personal as fashion. In the end, what is of more substance and what will determine our future economic growth is whether, as the President says, we "out-educate, out-innovate, and out-compete" our major competitors in the world, and I say, not whether the First Lady chooses to wear a gown by a foreign designer to a dinner party!
No, the First Lady does not have to wait until she goes back to living as a private citizen to wear what she wants. For all intents and purposes she is a private citizen now. She was not elected to any office. Nobody pays her for her services. If you don't like what she wears, don't look.