Wednesday
Mar142012
Marvelous in Marchesa
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 7:31 PM 
The state dinner festivities have begun! First Lady Mrs. O looks elegant in an off-the-shoulder blue Marchesa gown, accessorized with strands of Tom Binns pearls.
Of note, this is the first time that Mrs. O has worn Marchesa for a major event. Marchesa is a New York-based label started by British born designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig in 2004. A very clever choice by the First Lady!
Update: By request, a photo of Jill Biden in a strapless, white chiffon gown. Samantha Cameron wears a lace gown by Alessandra Rich.
Reader Comments (70)
OHHHHHHH!!!! Simply gorgeous and yes elegant. This is my favorite shade of blue!!!
All the looks on this Brit-U.S. trip are amazing. way to go Mrs. Obama and Samantha Cameron!
wow....
I love the color! And I'm struck by the fact that the fabric and jewelry are just slightly more subdued and casual than her previous "state dinner" attires. Very appropriate as always! (It is an "official" dinner after all.) We are so well represented by Mrs. Obama in every way!
And I LOVE the pearls!
OH. MAH. GAWD. I love the whole look. So elegant, so feminine, so beautiful and graceful. I love the color, the cut, the fit. Perfection!! Mrs. O knocks it out of the park AGAIN.
Very nice blue on both ladies. for a festive evening!
Omg,Omg, Fabulous, Amazing, Lovely, Splendid, Nice, Exquiste, Graceful, Elegant,Beautiful I cant find the words to describe. Oh the smile from POTUS for the FLOTUS. Im must say, Mrs Cameron has taken a leaf from Michele's book. She looks lovely also.
I absolutely love Samantha Cameron's dress. Is that lace on satin/silk? I love the textured look. Mrs. O is stunning as usual.
The Marchesa gown is fabulous and looks stunning on Mrs. O. But, with all the gorgeous detail in the top of the dress, I think it would have been better with a simpler necklace.
I really like her hair too. Both women look great!
Lovely dress on the FLOTUS but the necklace is an overkill, given the intricacy of the bodice. But looks lovely overall. Mrs C looks wonderful also (no to the belt); understated and elegant. Mrs C does not need a leaf from Mrs O's book; she is always beautifully dressed.
I love the color, love the design, And Mrs. Obama always 'represents' so well. I just wonder, wonder, wonder, what this dress would look like if it wasn't an off the shoulder style. I know that it would be a different look, but I with all the folds in the bodice, I just wonder what it would look like if it had a scoop neck?
I also like the 'signature' jumbled jewelry necklace(s) I'm calling it 'jumbled' I'm sure there is a more elegant description. But I like it!!! It's like an homage to the Egyptian collars that Cleopatra wore.
Just when you think she couldnt possibly outdo her last look, she takes it to a whole other level of fabulousness. I really feel for the FLOTUS that will follow Michelle on EVERY level!
Lovely, just lovely. That includes the men.
I first thought this was another Ralph Lauren from when President and Mrs O hosted the dinner for the Queen in London last year. I guess you can only rework the same design so many times. I love the look, and I love the train. I especially love that the President stepped on the train. I would have loved a simpler necklace but that is my comfort zone and not Mrs O's. She always does something to take it up a notch. I think it is interesting that Samantha Cameron wore a belt to the official dinner and there wasn't a big outcry from this site.
Mrs. Cameron looks like a dainty Bertocelli doll!
This is ridiculously beautiful and a gorgeous color. The necklace is spell binding!
Same here, Anagrom. It's a beautiful dress and once again she looks exquisite. This visit has brought us a symphony of blues from both women.
The dress is beautiful and I love the necklace. However, I am not feeling the hair too much. This look won't go in my top 10, but I still like it. And the President was looking dashing as usual.
Mrs. Cameron's dress is interesting and I don't mean that in a bad or good way.
Both ladies look lovely. Shame on you posh!
I don't get it. Mrs. Cameron is young and so slim, so I just don't get WHY she would choose this dress for an elegant evening with Michelle Obama. She had the chance to knock one out of the park, but she really struck out here. Dowdy and old-looking. Even wearing her hair up would have been an improvement. Michelle looks fab as always!
Just checked out the ukdailymail website, with LOTS of pics and commentary.
This is not working for me.
The top part of Mrs O's gown, to me, looks too large (of course I know that it was tailored to look that way, Mrs O more than anybody has access to the finest tailors and dressmakers in the world).
The top looks too big and therefore makes Mrs O look flatchested.
Also, I don't like the hair up.
She looked radiant with her hair down in the dinner preview and I would have loved to see it down tonight (let's see...In fact I don't think I've ever seen it down for a state dinner...Up for India, curls in the blue dress, up in the red McQueen...I know I'm missing a dinner or two though).
Nothing has topped the Indian first State Dinner, she was just magnificent looking and every detail was perfect.
This one? Not so much.
The First Lady STUNS! Just beautiful. She represents America beautifully. These have been the most exciting State Dinners that I remember in my lifetime. Dr. Biden looks beautiful too.
After a very brief misstep, Mrs. O. once again brings on the fashion! This is an enchanting color of blue, and her accessories look lovely. Marchesa is usually so chic and elegant...I hope Mrs. O. wears it again. I am not sure what to think of Mrs. Cameron's dress or of Dr. Biden's. I think I like Mrs. Cameron's dress because of the beautiful color and the fact that it is a little "different." Although it has been unseasonably warm in D.C., Dr. Biden's dress is just too summery and "bride-like" for me.
Am loving mrs.O she has ticked all the boxes for me ; all 3 dresses of the day are fabulous. She did not put a foot wrong. Now Samantha Camerron whats that about, seriously!!
Love Mrs. O's dress but the necklace, as previously stated, is overkill...just too many links...
should have gone with less.
HAVE MERCY!
Our Michelle leaves me speechless........stunning is all that comes to mind!
Gorgeous! Sam-Cam has nothing on Mrs. O. Just a fabulous gown and accessorized beautifully! Just when I think she can't get more stunning she brings us this fabulous Marchessa gown. We are so lucky! Bravo Mrs. O!
Mrs. O looks fabulous in this dress!
I wish she had on a simple necklace for her jewelry.
I LOVE her makeup she's been looking sexy & fresh!
Hair looks nice up but would look much better down.
Overall she looks amazing just a few tweaks!
Obama - 2012
Just look at our SLOTUS.....go Jill Biden! She looks amazing in her white gown. I really like the bodice and the flowing hemline. Spectaular!
@ isonprize, the word you're looking for is 'torsade'. I also like that look, it's interesting and gives you a lot to admire.
Not the best look for Mrs. Obama. Her shoulders look a bit hunched and the neklace looks heavy so to me it appears as the necklace is pulling her forward. Hair not the best. Jill Biden an Mrs. Cameron look fine and appropriate for a party on the lawn
Lovely as always! The necklace really accentuates the dress.
OMG ! what more can I say? I love this look a lot. Quite similar to the black set she wore for the state dinner with the Queen........Well that is Michelle for you. Simply F-a-b-u-l-o-u-s ! Dr. Biden and Mrs. Cameron also look great.! I have got my fix for the day. Bye !
I think this is a fabulous color for the First Lady, but the ill fitted top combined
with the too heavy necklace give the apperarance of a slouch:( No matter!
I still think she looks beautiful!
Our local newspaper had a horrible picture of Mrs. Obama, so I had to come here right away to get the "truth". What a look!! Love the color, the detailing, and the necklace! She has such physicality she can carry off this statement necklace. Mrs. Biden looks wonderful and elegant. Mrs. Cameron is wearing a nice dress, but you can see the difference between someone who can rock a look (Mrs. O) and someone who wears a dress (Mrs. C).
I love our FLOTUS' look totally. Mrs. C--not so much--sort of dowdy for such a young woman. Go Mrs. Obama, you represent us well!
My all time favorite dress will always be the one she wore to the 2011 State Dinner with the President and First Lady of South Korea.
http://mrs-o.com/newdata/2011/10/13/a-true-jewel.html
FLOTUS and SLOTUS both look fabulous from head to toe.
I love this! especially the necklace. It's quite a daring combo, but I love how she wears unexpected jewelry to her formal events.
Love SC's dress too, reminds me of something by Erdem...
also just realized Tom Binns is northern Irish, another very fitting choice for Mrs. O!
Our Ladies looked very lovely for the evening: Michelle, SamCam, and Jill!
OMG! WOW! She looks FABULOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's a beautiful dress, and the colour is knock-out for Mrs Obama. But somehow - perhaps it is just the camera angle - the dress makes her look a little round-shouldered, as though she needs to pull her posture up slightly. As for the necklace - well, it's magnificent and Mrs O clearly loves Tom Binn's designs. The colours complement the dress very well.
Mrs Cameron's dress has drawn a very mixed press in the UK, with some rather unkind comparisons to discarded curtains. Personally I think it's a lovely dress which went beautifully with her hair and eyes. I can't help thinking that she somehow looks slightly unsophisticated next to the blast of self-confidence that is Mrs Obama!
Mrs. O looks gorgeous in that gown!
Love her makeup & hair!
Flawless!
Michelle - 2012
Oh dear! I love the first lady and have never made a negative comment--usually think she looks smashing. But, (heavy sigh) I just don't care for this dress. She looks so wonderful in clear colors-this color looks a little muddy and doesn't complement her wonderful skin. The bodice would have looked better with fewer pleats at the neckline. The bottom part of the bodice is beautifully pleated, but the deep pleats at the top distract. The necklace is too heavy and would have looked better with about half the amount of pearls. I imagine it will be another two, or three, years before I spot something I don't care for. She has set the bar so high that there is no way that she won't have a miss once in awhile in my unsophicated opinion. That women is beautiful inside and out!
The President can't seem to keep his eyes off this beautiful lady. Is it the dress, the pearls, or the whole package? She never fails to WOW us when it comes to formal occasions. Her fabulous shoulders and the neckline of the dress are in perfect harmony with the pearls. Very few women could pull off that combination. She does it with confidence!
And Jill is glamorous in all white.
I love the First Lady's dress and the way it floats around her ankles. It is an excellent color for her. I like the beaded necklace, but not with the dress, because they seem to be competing with each other, not complementing each other. The necklace seems heavy to me, and doesn't go with the character of the dress. Also, she has an attractive décolletage -- why not show it off with this dress rather than cover it up? I think some gorgeous and elegant diamond drop earrings would have been a better choice, with possibly a simple diamond necklace or choker. Nonetheless, she looks quite beautiful.
Also, I agree with Mica. The First Lady was exquisite at the Indian first State Dinner. I think that look will be hard to top.
Mrs. Cameron looks so sharp and modern. I do wish Mrs. O would stand up straight, her shoulders are humped over.