Back from Camp David

Image by Ron Sachs / Getty Images

The President and First Lady, joined by daughters Malia and Sasha, as well as nephew Avery Robinson and family friend Roxanne Nesbitt, returned to the White House on Sunday following a weekend retreat at Camp David.

For the return trip, Mrs. O dressed in a vibrant floral skirt, paired with a blue tank and yellow short-sleeve cardigan. For those who sense something familiar, the First Lady donned the same skirt during a trip to Mumbai in November 2010, seen here. It's one of those pieces that remains a mystery. Any tips on the designer would be greatly appreciated!

Update: Hooray for reader "tuesde"! Indeed, Mrs. O wears a Gregory Parkinson skirt from Spring Summer 2011, seen here.

Hidden Gem: Gregory Parkinson

Images by Saul Loeb / Getty Images

Love a good reader tip! Reader "njmrso" reports that the skirt Mrs. O wears in the photo above, taken on January 3 as the Obamas traveled back from Hawaii, is the work of Gregory Parkinson. And indeed, it appears to be from the designer's Spring Summer 2011 collection, seen here. 

The choice is significant in that Gregory Parkinson was selected as a 2010 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Finalist. Just a few days before wearing the skirt above, the first lady also wore a skirt by Jolibe, a fashion house sponsored by the CFDA Fashion Incubator.

Steven Kolb, the CFDA's executive director, was recently quoted in WWD, discussing what he considers to be the "pinnacle" for an American designer -- dressing the first lady -- and referenced this very occasion:

Kolb cited Joel Diaz of Jolibe, a participant in the CFDA’s Fashion Incubator program, whose work was scouted by Obama’s wardrobe adviser, Chicago boutique-owner Ikram Goldman. “Mrs. Obama wore his skirt. That, to him, was such encouragement,” Kolb said. “It’s validation in a lot of ways.”

It's exciting to see Mrs. O shine a spotlight on yet another CFDA darling. Parkinson was born in the north of England, but has lived and worked in Los Angeles since 1989. His signature "hand-dyed, sliced and layered" fabrics offer a distinct aesthetic, combining "an English sense of eclectic colour and pattern with a Californian love of casual." His collections are carried at Barneys New York and Linda Dresner. 

Tambourines and Hopscotch

Image by Danish Siddiqui / Reuters

Mrs. O is on to her next stop, visiting children enrolled in the "Make A Difference" program at a local university in Mumbai. The program was founded by two young social entrepreneurs who mobilize young adults to serve as mentors and teachers for underprivileged children. Volunteers help children to learn English, thought to be an important part of students' long term academic success, through song, reading and other programs.

For the event, the first lady changed into a more casual ensemble, wearing a tiered floral skirt and "moss olive" lace top by J.Crew, available here, accented by an embellished thin belt at the waist and an Erickson Beamon starburst brooch. For a round of hopscotch, Mrs. O kicked off her butterscotch-hued leather ballet flats and joined in the festivities.

Click here to watch Mrs. O in action, dancing the bhangra and playing the tambourine. Amazing! Update: The First Lady wears a floral skirt by Gregory Parkinson.