Mrs. O to Grace Cover of Vogue

Portrait by Annie Leibovitz / Vogue

So widely rumored that one had to assume it was true, The Washington Post has confirmed that First Lady Mrs. O will grace the March cover of Vogue. Revealing details about Mrs. O's self-chosen wardrobe for the shoot - a magenta dress by Jason Wu for the cover and a black dress by Narciso Rodriguez for an interior photo - the Washington Post article also shares perfectly expressed sentiments from Anna Wintour that will be included in the issue:

"Change was the clarion call of Barack Obama's election campaign," writes Vogue's editor Anna Wintour, "though I don't think any of us at Vogue initially realized that would include the difference that was going to be made by First Lady Michelle Obama's wardrobe."

"It wasn't just that her choices projected a simpler, streamlined, more modern attitude, rejecting the ridiculous idea that the only way for a First Lady to dress is in the dreaded White House standard-issue uniform -- the boxy, anonymous suit that always managed to look as appealing, and as comfortable, as armor. Instead, we have a woman who is happy in newer, less obvious designer choices like Wu and Toledo....It's inspiring to see our First Lady so serene and secure in her personal style."

Further coverage from the AP provides insight into Mrs. O's feelings about the "controversial" Narciso Rodriguez election night dress:

"Mrs. Obama said she is aware of how her wardrobe is being scrutinized, but she makes no apologies for her choices — even the Election Night combination of ripped-from-the-runway, fashion-forward dress and plain-Jane cardigan."

"I'm not going to pretend that I don't care about it," [Mrs. O] said. "But I also have to be very practical. In the end, someone will always not like what you wear — people just have different tastes."

We've also heard that in addition to dresses from Jason Wu and Narciso Rodriguez, Mrs. O will wear a head-to-toe J.Crew ensemble featured in a two-page spread in the issue. We love that no matter what the venue, Mrs. O stays true to her personal style and favorite designers.  Will this be the best selling Vogue ever? We'll certainly be buying in multiples!

Update: MSNBC has revealed the Vogue cover here (though, based on other reports, we don't think we were supposed to see). We also hear that Andre Leon Talley will appear on the Today Show tomorrow morning to give us a first glimpse of the issue, so either way, we'll get the full scoop then. Stay tuned!

Update: Style.com now has an abridged version of the feature article, "Leading Lady", posted, here. Click on the slideshow to see additional photgraphs of Mrs. O from the issue. A video clip of Andre Leon Talley's interview on CNN today can be seen here. He says the Vogue staff, in partnership with photographer Annie Leibovitz, "wanted the cover to evoke the real Michelle Obama ... to show her warmth from within."

Stylish Support for Conservation

Photo credit: Tami Heilemann, DOI-NBC / Department of the Interior

After a short getaway to Camp David this weekend, the First Lady resumed her tour of federal departments today, visiting the Department of the Interior. As part of a ceremony rooted in the department's responsibilities to Native Americans, officials presented Mrs. O with a traditional Native American shawl, an honor that recognizes a woman of high achievements and distinction. Mrs. O spoke to a packed auditorium, thanking department employees for their commitment to public service, and later outlining the role she believes conservation will play in creating new jobs to stimulate the economy.

“At a time when so many Americans are out of work, sound energy and environmental policies are going to create thousands of jobs through the economic recovery and investment plan. You are at the center of one of this Administration’s highest priorities: securing America’s energy future, protecting our natural environment and using the natural resources as responsibly as we can,” Mrs. O said.

“It is not only vital for the survival of our planet as we work to combat climate change but also incredibly important to strengthen our economy and the well being of our families.”

Perhaps a sartorial nod to the gravitas of her subject matter, we saw Mrs. O return to more traditional business attire today. But that wasn't the only message echoed through the First Lady's wardrobe. As she promoted conservation efforts, so too did her clothes. If our eyes don't deceive, Mrs. O has worn both the jacket and pins seen today at least once before. Mrs. O previously paired the graphic black and white pins with a Zero + Maria Cornejo jacket on the campaign trail this fall, see here. And as Mrs. C has kindly noted in the comments, the black wool jacket was seen in October, when Mrs. O spoke at the Women’s Leadership Forum in Chicago, Illinois. Photo credit: The White House

Finally, we're curious if Mrs. O knew she would receive a shawl as part of today's ceremony. We can't imagine a better backdrop than what she wore - as the black and white accents added by her pins so perfectly complemented the horse applique pattern of the shawl. A video of the First Lady's remarks follows after the jump.

Social Secretaries of Past and Present

Image of Letitia Baldrige courtesy of the J.F.K. Library / Public Domain

A few weeks after the election a Mrs. O regular recommended "A Lady, First," the memoirs of Letitia Baldrige, as a good read. The book chronicles Ms. Baldrige's time working in the American embassies of Paris and Rome as a young Vassar grad, and later, as White House Social Secretary during the Kennedy administration. The book was recommended with the thought that a look back might later reveal nuanced parallels or noteworthy differences as the "O"s set their own social and cultural agenda in the White House.

An excellent read it was, and since finishing, we've been increasingly curious about the role of White House Social Secretary - and now, the accomplished woman who has taken on the position for the Obama administration, Desiree Rogers. During a January 29 segment, NPR journalist Michelle Norris described Ms. Rogers's presence at the Lily Ledbetter White House reception:

"Somewhere in the background, a tall woman in a belted black velvet jacket was making sure everything was just so - from the yellow orchids on the tables to the apricot coffee cake. Her name is Desiree Rogers. She's the new White House social secretary responsible for planning events from state dinners to the annual Easter egg roll. She comes to the White House armed with a Harvard MBA, a long resume in the corporate world and a keen knowledge of the first family's tastes as a longtime member of their inner Chicago circle."

Speaking with NPR later in the segment, Ms. Rogers revealed what she doesn't want to be known as - the White House party planner. Foremost, she's concerned with building an overall strategy for events held at the White House, with the aim to build a greater sense of inclusiveness. On her agenda? A possible American Heroes dinner, a more diversified art collection, and a regular Wednesday night congressional cocktail hour.

In an interview with Vanity Fair this month, Ms. Rogers touched on the oft made comparisons to Camelot. “I don’t believe we are going to recreate Camelot,” she says. “Certainly there are very valuable lessons to learn from Camelot. Our hope is we will have our own administration…. The American people have spoken. They want new ideas.” Ms. Rogers’s goal, she says, is “to create an environment of inclusiveness so that all Americans feel like the White House is their home.” A woman as stylish as she is accomplished (we've read that, like the First Lady, Ms. Rogers is a longtime patron of Ikram) we look forward to tracking Ms. Rogers's broader influence, and of course, every ball, dinner and reception she plans for the White House.

The Blue Jeans Are Back

One night after absolutely dazzling us at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts (70+ comments arrived at the same conclusion - we have a stunning First Lady!), Mrs. O was back to being a dressed-down mom. Wearing cornflower blue skinny jeans (last seen November 2 in Columbus, OH) with a matching top, black cardigan and simple black flats, First Lady Mrs. O looked comfortable and casual as she boarded the Marine One helicopter with her family for their first overnight stay at Camp David. She just does it all so effortlessly! The Huffington Post has a great slide show here. The New York Times has a short write up and photo here.

Mrs. O Wows at Kennedy Center

Photo credit: Yuri Gripas /AFP/Getty Images

The First Lady looks stunning tonight, wearing a two tone black dress in matte and metallic. At first glance, it may appear as though Mrs. O is wearing a cardigan over her dress. But with a second look, we realize it's an illusion, created by clever construction of contrasting fabrics. A knockout oversize pearl brooch at the shoulder makes this an ensemble for the fashion history books. We love! The First Couple is enjoying their Friday date night at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., where the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is performing. Additional images can be found at This Week with Barack Obama.