Mrs. O on J. Crew: "We ladies know"

Mrs. O made an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno last night wearing yet another J. Crew ensemble. Mrs. O was at her most stylish in this look. A bold yellow, classic lines, all put together with personal flair. Mrs. O was dressed head to toe (or knee that is) in J. Crew. She wore the Italian Deco tank, Crystal-button colorblock cardigan in Silver Honey and Metallic cloque pencil skirt (Update: the skirt appears to be the Pembridge-dot pencil skirt in Yellow Gold. The color is available exclusively through the J. Crew Collection store.) Mrs. O added a bit of sparkle with a multi-colored jeweled brooch to close her cardigan.

When Mr. Leno brought up the subject of Mrs. O's style, "I want to ask you about your wardrobe. I'm guessing about $60-grand? $60-, $70,000 for that outfit?" Mrs. O replied, "Actually this is a J. Crew ensemble. We ladies, we know with J. Crew. You can get some good stuff online." Mr. Leno, perhaps surprised to hear about Mrs. O's online shopping habits then asked, "Do you order it online? Doesn't that take the fun out of it?" to which Mrs. O replied, "When you don't have time, you've got to click." Mrs. O has been spotted in J. Crew at least three times in the past few weeks. Seen here, here and here.

Last night's ensemble, however, was by far our favorite. The best part? The tank and cardigan are now on sale. As a side note, there was a great retrospective on J. Crew as part of a profile on Creative Director Jenna Lyons in this month's Domino Magazine - worth a quick peruse.

Date: October 27, 2008

Venue: Appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno 

Abstract Rose Refresh

Photo used with kind permission from Toia Michelle Images

When Mrs. O appeared in Ohio last Friday, something familiar caught our eye. A fully printed version of the abstract rose J. Crew frock worn the week before in Pittsburgh. Thanks to J. Crew-aholics for pointing us to this strapless edition of the dress, which we believe to be underneath Mrs. O's belted cardigan.

Update: There was also a skirt in the same print, which is likely what we see here.

This marks another occassion in which Mrs. O has bought in multiples; in late September she notably wore the same jacket in two different colors. From a practical standpoint, this may be a necessity given Mrs. O's grueling travel schedule and multiple public appearances per week. It perhaps also says something greater about her personal style - that she has a distinct sense of what she likes and what works well on her, that she doesn't play by the celebrity-driven rule that one shouldn't be seen in the same thing twice, and that she knows a good bargain when she sees one. At full price, the dress retailed for $180 and the skirt for $135.

This look is also an example of an oft preached but hard to pull off fashion principle: extending your wardrobe across seasons. Particularly relevant in tough economic times, "Buy now and wear through summer" is even a headline on the cover of November's Vogue. While this concept sounds great in theory, it can be more difficult when face to face with one's closet. Mrs. O's ensemble is a great example of how to successfuly meld attire from neighboring seasons.

Pairing a J. Crew summer Fall collection (but still summery print) skirt with a black twinset, tights and boots, Mrs. O effortlessly transitions the look into fall. The prominence of black and the nature of the abstract print are key to making this work. Also notice the orange buckle on Mrs. O's belt, this week's more fall appropriate answer to last week's tangerine floral pin accent. While we're not in love with the black boots here - they seem to weigh down the look a bit - we very much applaud the overall effort.

Date: October 24, 2008

Venue: Campaign rally, Buchtel High School, Akron, OH

A Graceful Gator

Photo used with kind permission from photographer Ryan Doerflein

Mrs. O continued to campaign through Florida yesterday making stops in Jacksonville and then Gainesville, home of the University of Florida Gators. Mrs. O brightened things up for this appearance, wearing a powder blue twinset with a poppy print full skirt in French Provencal-esque blue, yellow and white. Mrs. O's signature silver metallic flats made another appearance, adding a bit of dazzle to the look. The sweater set plus full skirt seems to be Mrs. O's sartorial combination of choice this week, perhaps adding extra versatility to her wardrobe, much needed for life on the road. We feel exhausted just thinking about Mrs. O's schedule - how she manages to maintain her casual, chic style through it all is just amazing. And even with a bit of school spirit, as evidenced here by her crowd pleasing "Gator Chomp".

Date: October 22, 2008

Venue: Campaign rally in Gainesville, FL

Designer: Moschino

Taking Florida by Storm

Photo used with kind permission from photographer Steven Gray

Mrs. O made two campaign stops in the Sunshine State yesterday, first joining Senator Obama at a rally in Miami and later speaking at the Pensacola Civic Center. Mrs. O kept the top half of her look quite basic, layering a white tank underneath a long brown cardigan. The signature Hope and Peace necklaces we've grown accustomed to seeing in past weeks were on this occasion joined by two more. What's the story behind these necklaces and the new additions, we wonder? Mrs. O added interest to the look with a full brown pleated skirt and two-tone Miu Miu flats in chestnut and salmon pink. The fullness of the skirt paired with the fitted top gives the look well balanced proportions, while the splash of color at the toe adds a bit of extra interest.

Date: October 21, 2008

Venue: Pensacola Civic Center, Pensacola, FL

Chicago Fashion, Part II

We're as eager for new Mrs. O fashion news as you are, but it seems Mrs. O is enjoying a well deserved mini-break from the public eye. She's scheduled to be back on the campaign trail tomorrow, so don't fret, there's bound to be more fashion goodness just around the corner. In the meantime we thought we'd follow up with Part II of our look at the Chicago style scene.

Our second and final stop was at the Maria Pinto boutique, the showroom of Mrs. O's signature designer and personal friend. The boutique is nestled among old warehouses and converted loft spaces on North Randolph Jefferson St. in Chicago’s West Loop. After a short flight of stairs up to the showroom floor, we were greeted by a friendly salesperson, Armand. The new store smell still fresh, he informed us that the boutique had opened just two months prior with production now housed on the 6th floor above. 

As we took in the store, a familiar turquoise frock immediately caught our eye. Upon closer inspection, we were surprised to find the fabric much lighter and more fluid than it had appeared on TV and in photos, akin to a light wool suiting material. The dress was displayed with Pinto's Fall ’08 collection, a cohesive mix of black and deep pinks in rich textures from silk to tweed. Across the showroom a selection of Maria Pinto eveningwear put a sparkle in our eye. A blush colored razor back dress with billowing cocoon skirt and a structured black evening dress with lace cut out at the back, both from Pinto’s Spring ’08 collection, were instant favorites.

The standout though was a piece from Pinto’s Fall ’08 collection, a short black evening dress with icicle-like sequins stemming up and down from the waist. Our taste of Chicago fashion was brief but delightfully rich - and in our assessment the buzz is well merited. It's no wonder that Mrs. O likes to keep her fashion local.