O Joy!

Image by Tim Sloan / Getty Images

First Lady Mrs. O visited the Department of Labor today, stopping by the day care center to read "Green Eggs and Ham" to a group of children. We love the joy captured in the photo above as Mrs. O interacts with says goodbye the children (...wearing a patchwork skirt paired with a black turtleneck and a stack of bracelets, we might add).

On a more somber note, the first lady also addressed the disaster in Haiti today when speaking to Department of Labor employees during the same visit.

“The destruction and the suffering that we see, the images that are coming out of that country are just overwhelming,” she said, “It is important to the people of Haiti to know that we are keeping the victims of this tragedy and their loved ones in our thoughts and our prayers – and that also includes prayers going out to all of the Haitian Americans who have family and friends there and are worried about them back home.”

For further reading, the first lady's full remarks can be found here.

Mrs. O in People

The first lady is featured in this week's issue of People magazine, wearing a Michael Kors Pre-Fall 2010 red rose print stretch cade shift dress. A peek of the dress can also be seen here. Fingers crossed the story and photos will be available online. Has anyone seen it yet?

Update: Though the story is not yet online, Jezebel.com has a good overview here. Thank you Britt, for the tip.

Honoring Jean Finnegan Biden

Image by Nicholas Kamm / Getty Images

The president and first lady are en route to Delaware this morning, to attend the funeral of Vice President Joe Biden's mother, Jean Finnegan Biden.

Vice President Biden gave a eulogy at his mother's memorial service, describing her as:

"...as a remarkable woman. She was a quintessential combination of both optimism and pragmatism. Heroic in her ideals but solid in her expectations."

For more details on the service, ABC News has a thorough report here.

This afternoon, the Os were already back to Washington, photographed as they returned to the White House. Mrs. O looked particularly lovely to honor Mrs. Biden today, dressed in a lace print wool coat over a black dress, accessorized with tall black boots and a single strand of pearls. As reader "philly" so perfectly describes, the ensemble was "sophisticated and up to the minute" while still reflecting a "mournful palette." The first lady also debuted a sleek, shorter bob haircut.

Image by Win McNamee / Getty Images

One to Watch

Image via The Globe and Mail

Anyone who frequents a fashion blog or two has most likely read about Prabal Gurung in the past year. He was one of the hot newcomers of 2009 and an instant favorite among stars such as Demi Moore, Rachel Weisz and Zoe Saldana. Even Cathy Horyn of the New York Times appears to be enchanted, writing this last September:

"Prabal Gurung, a relatively new designer — he spent five years at Bill Blass before he set out on his own last winter — makes sophisticated clothes. He is aware of fit. He can set a proper sleeve. He has good connections with fabric mills, which will sell him small amounts. He makes everything count."

Prabal Gurung's Spring 2010 collection showcased his draping skills, but it was from the details — exxagerated bows and defined waists — that we could imagine his finely crafted garments working well in Mrs. O's wardrobe. It turns out we're not the only ones wondering about this fashion match. In a new interview with Amy Verner for Canada's The Globe and Mail, the designer reveals his hopes that the first lady might wear one of his designs.

AV: Who else would you like to see in your clothes?

PG: Who do you think?

AV: Let me guess: Michelle Obama.

PG: She embodies the woman that I design for: successful, smart, powerful, gracious enough to be her husband's wife but strong enough to put him in his place. That to me is an inspiring modern woman.

It seems we'll have to wait and see what the new year brings, but certainly, we'll be hoping Mr. Gurung gets his wish. (His $25,000 award from the Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation in the first days of January is perhaps a sign of good things to come.) In the meantime, we should know what to look for. You can study up on Prabal Gurung's debut and sophomore collections here: Fall 2009 and Spring 2010.

A Staple Suit

Image used with kind permission from Small Dog Electronics

I thought we could use a new post to tide us over until Mrs. O is back on the official first lady circuit in Washington. Though a bit after the fact, I recently received permission from a photographer to feature a photo of Mrs. O taken at a White House holiday reception on December 7. It's notable because it gives us another look at Mrs. O's Michael Kors gold lurex suit jacket and pencil skirt.

For those keeping count, Mrs. O has worn at least three of these Michael Kors suits, including the red silk shantung and yellow lacquered boucle versions shown below. It's interesting to see how different fabrics can take the same suit through various seasons.

Image by Rick Gershon / Getty Images

Photo by Mary Riley / Reuters