Leading Ladies

Photo by Alan Diaz / AP Images, Chris Trotman / Getty Images

First Lady Mrs. O and Dr. Jill Biden visited Homestead-Miami Speedway for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup finale today to support Joining Forces. After kicking off the race with the traditional "Start Your Engines," they joined volunteers at a special barbeque luncheon for military families, hosted by representatives from companies that have pledged 10,000 jobs for military service members and their spouses.

For the event, Mrs. O turned to a top by Maison Martin Margiela that features a mixed floral and selvedge print (thank you Charlene in Detroit!), seen here in 2009, paired with pinstripe trousers. Dr. Biden wore a patriotic red and blue dress by Michael Kors, seen here in 2010. 

Sunday Best

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The Obama family attended Sunday church services at St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, DC today. For the outing, First Lady Mrs. O rewore a pressed daffodil-printed Jason Wu dress from Resort 2011, last seen here. Lavender flats and a double strand of pearls completed the look.

Later in the day, the Obamas watched the World Cup soccer game between the U.S. and Japan from the Treaty Room office in the residence of the White House. Reader Charlene in Detroit has helped to identify Mrs. O's floral print halter top, which appears to be MM6 by Maison Martin Margiela, available here.

Curiously, New York Magazine observes that both the Jason Wu dress and Maison Martin Margiela top were last worn on the same day, March 22, 2011, here and here, while the First Lady traveled through El Salvador. Perhaps Mrs. O's wardrobe is rotated on some sort of schedule?

Official White House Photo / Pete Souza

A Gulf Coast Getaway

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The Os are away at the Gulf Coast, vacationing in Panama City Beach, Florida overnight. It's been quite the busy weekend thus far, from sightseeing to ensembles!

The first lady arrived in a teal blue, tie front Jason Wu dress. To play miniature golf, she changed into a chrome blue Banana Republic tank (available here), cropped black pants and Maison Martin Margiela toe loop sandals. To watch porpoises, Mrs. O chose a black tank and loose fitting floral shorts. And for an ice cream stop, the first lady donned a blue Narciso Rodriguez shirt dress with open toe flats.

Punchy Print

Image by Pepe Marin / Reuters

Image by Cristina Quicler / Getty Images

Mrs. O was out and about in the southern Spanish town of Granada today, wearing a brightly-colored floral top, belted at the waist and paired with cropped black leggings and Maison Martin Margiela sandals.

Fashion Forward Footwear

Image by Mandel Ngan / Getty Images 

Mrs. O and family made their way home to the White House yesterday, after a week away on Martha's Vineyard. Of great interest was Mrs. O's choice of shoes as she exited Marine One - a pair of asymmetric, toe loop Maison Martin Margiela sandals.

Margiela is a Belgian designer, known for his minimalist, avant garde designs. His name is relatively low profile, but widely celebrated within the inner circles of the fashion industry. The choice is an exciting new addition to Mrs. O's fashion repertoire (the first lady is also rumored to have acquired a white Margiela tuxedo). For more detail on the sandals, see here.

From Crocs (worn in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, below) to Martin Margiela in a single week's time, we love everything about this combination of footwear; it's unexpected and delightfully contradictory.

Image by Jewel Samad / Getty Images