Hope and Peace

Photo used with kind permission from photographer Laura Askelin

Speaking in Rochester, MN this afternoon, we noticed what have become regular accessories on Mrs. O as of recent: a pair of layered silver charm necklaces. But not until we looked more closely did we realize that Mrs. O's understated jewelry was in fact making a poignant statement. Adding a personal touch to her casual, laid back look, the top necklace is a stamped metal charm that reads "Hope", an Obama campaign anthem, while the bottom is a small diamond peace symbol. Our friend at etsy, littlebugsboutique, informs us that the "Hope" charm was likely made by Blue Moon Beads, available here. Update: Thanks for the tip, Lily. Mrs. O's peace symbol necklace is indeed the creation of jewelry designer Lena Wald, and available for purchase here. On another accessories note, we saw that Mrs. O was sporting the same black patent leather belt yet again. This versatile waist cincher is well on track to becoming the new Azzedine Alaia of last year.

Date: October 13, 2008 Venue: Campaign rally, Rochester, MN

A Penchant for Flat Footwear

Photo used with kind permission from photographer Hemen H. Mehta

Ever the style pragmatist, Mrs. O has been open about her preference for flats, citing her 5’11” height and the pressures of the campaign trail, not to mention keeping up with her two girls.  We’d go further and say she often uses flats as a deliberate choice to bring her overall look – quite literally – down to earth.  For the DNC finale in late August, we saw Mrs. O use a classic pair of black patent flats to set off a stunning Thakoon print cocktail dress (note the family’s shared rose colored palette and penchant for black patent flats).  Had the dress been paired with, say, black patent heels instead, the effect would have been different: perhaps more high glamour than her usual, pared-down yet personalized style.

Flats – once the exclusive preserve of the very young or the very elderly – broke back into the mainstream in 2005, where they now seem set to stay.  For those of us who love shoes and are fans of the flat, they can uniquely combine a happy practicality (walk, don’t totter) with real feminine flair: embellishments which can look tacky on a pair of heels look quirky and interesting on flats. A view Mrs. O seems to share when we see her here again in a favorite pair of silver flats given standout and texture via the layering around the toe. High end brands like Miu Miu, Sigerson Morrison and Jimmy Choo have taken ornamentation to the extreme over the past few seasons, while cult brands like Repetto take their inspiration from their definitive dance roots.

The question for now is will Mrs. O stick or twist in the style stakes as election day draws closer?

If it’s the former, we wonder whether she might take her taste for a well-placed bow or floral brooch to her flats:

Who's behind this mystery frock? (Updated)

Photo used with kind permission from Flickr photographer The Adventures of Arnie & Marjorie

A few of you have written in to inquire about this floral shirt dress worn by Mrs. O in August, on the day Joe Biden's Vice Presidential candidacy was announced. The cut of the dress feels vintage inspired, similar in style to the feminine day dresses of the 1940s. And in deep purple, moss green and blue gray, the printed fabric resembles irises painted in watercolor. For a closer look at the fabric, have a peek at these photos from the same day. Given the prominence of floral patterns for Spring '08, we didn't think it would be a tall order to track down the designer - but we've had absolutely no luck thus far. Now we want to open it up to the group. Help us solve it. Who's the designer behind this gorgeous floral frock?

UPDATE: A huge thanks to Jen for helping us solve this. As Jen writes, the dress does appear to be Moschino. A similar dress from the Spring '08 Moschino collection, seen here, is clearly in the same fabric.

Date: August 23, 2008

Venue: Campaign rally following announcement of Joe Biden's Vice Presidential candidacy, Springfield, IL

The Face of Fashion Democracy

We've written an article about Mrs. O over at The Huffington Post, and would love you to have a read. A short excerpt from "The Face of Fashion Democracy":

The "high-low fashion" movement for mixing high and low end designs is gaining momentum and giving us a viable option to still look chic. The trend has quickly become a necessity for the cash-strapped this season. The greatest surprise ambassador of all? Michelle Obama. Some have called her an elitist, but nothing says Main Street like the clothes you choose to wear.

For the full article, click here.

Runway to Realway

Photo used with kind permission from photographer Zoe Deol, right of Mrs. O

In May 2008 Mrs. O. made romantic ruffles quite edgy and surprising in a white blouse from Maria Pinto’s Spring '08 collection. She was subsequently spotted campaigning in Puerto Rico just a few days later wearing a similar blouse in a thin-striped gray. This is what a “runway to realway” should look like. Here Mrs. O offers us a hybrid of two key Spring 2008 trends: whimsical ruffles and origami shaping. The elaborate folds of delicate fabric look very polished when paired sleek tailored trousers and cinched belts. Think Lanvin meets Yohji Yamamoto. We love how Mrs. elegantly observes the trends du jour without sacrificing her signature classic style. Jackie O. would surely approve. To complete the look, Zoe Deol tells us that Mrs. O paired the white blouse with "beautiful, wide-legged, camel colored pants."