Wednesday
Dec162009
Dressed to Donate
Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 2:12 PM 
Photo by Kevin Lamarque / Reuters
First Lady Mrs. O travelled to Quantico, VA this morning to deliver more than 500 toys to the Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots campaign. The toys were collected as part of an East Wing toy drive at the White House.
Per Political Punch, the First Lady said:
"On behalf of the President, Malia, Sasha, Bo and Grandma, we wish everybody a happy holidays, Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukah, anybody who's out there celebrating anything: happy!"
On the style front, Mrs. O was well coordinated in layered black and white pieces. A salt and pepper tweed pea coat topped black pants, a black cardigan, and checkered blouse adorned with bows.
Reader Comments (54)
MS T THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS SITE. MS O LOOK GREAT AND CASUAL FOR HER DAY
OF DONATING TO OUR SERVICE FAMLIES.
Tweed coat...gorgeous!
Checkered shirt with bows? Not so much.
I need a better photo of the shirt to make judgment. The coat is soooooooo cute!!!!!
http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20091216/capt.afbd620b759e4bfa90486405351da4cf.michelle_obama_toys_for_tots_vagh104.jpg
I got a better pic of the shirt it is cute. I like it.
I LOVE THE COAT. MRS. O LOOKS NICE!
I like the coat choice but it could have been one that was cut closer to the body. Here it looks a bit too bell-shaped. That could have been her intent. Trying to figure out the coat's belt detail...........it's skinny but it's behind the front flap where it buttons. How'd she do that?!
The blouse/sweater combo is completely appropriate for where she is serving. Great cause.
Very lovely indeed. Bows and all. I feel like I saw this shirt somewhere while I was shopping recently. I remember thinking - that's a lot of bows...Mrs. O would wear something like that.
Her statement about to whatever people are celebrating..."happy." LOL. She's funny.
The First Lady's attire is EXQUISITE! SIMPLY EXQUISITE! Black and white has been my #1 color duo since I was a little girl, and the design of the tweed coat is phenominal! The tiny black bows on the small gingham-checked blouse adds just the right touches of femininity. The white collar and cuffs create a fresh, crisp look and is so classy. What a fabulous idea! Gingham has never looked so PRETTY!!!
Usually FLOTUS gives us a pop of color, but you can never go wrong with black & white.
Ms. M - It's also one of my favorite combos.
The coat is just toooooo cute...I can't wait to find out who designed it.
Love this fluffed-up hairstyle she's wearing today. Gorgeous coat, but sometimes belted coats are hard to wear for us tall people, the belt never stays at the waist & always seems to ride up.
I like the whole look. I think the coat is a great silhouette on her, and I like the belt passing under the front panel. The black and white blouse is so crisp and pretty. She's such a great role model for giving and serving others, and does it while looking so good.
If I'm not mistaken, I believe this blouse is Moschino Cheap and Chic collection. You really can't go wrong with classic black/white combo. This is a crisp look and FLOTUS looks good while serving a worthy cause. Really sharp coat.
LOVE HER COAT NOT FEELIUNG HER SHIRT ITS OK LOVE HER BLACK PANTS AM SURE SHE WAS WEARRING BOOTS AGIAN. BUT CANT TELL.
I love the fact she can go from casual to couture in one day. I'm sure that whavever she wears tonight will be just as colorful and chic. On another note she mentioned in her speech that she was going to shop furiously for toys for children from 11-14 because those were the bins that had the least donations. I always shop for the younger kids and have problems with the older. They seem to want expensive computer games, phones, laptops, skateboards or bikes for christmas. If anyone has any ideas that I can use that won't break the bank, can you help the childless person without a clue as to what I could donate. I am not the toy aunt. I am the book aunt. By the way if this is completely inappropriate for this site I would not be offended it it was deleted.
Ditto to everything Mrs M said. Black and white is so classic that I am completely biased in saying how much I love this whole ensemble. The coat is a smart look and with a chunky scarf it would see you right through the cold months. The blouse is something I could actually see myself wearing and gives me ideas for how to channel my "Michelle look" on my smaller budget.
BTW, hooray for the First Lady. What a great cause. Spreading love and giving out toys at Christmas time. She has surpassed my expectations of what a first lady is all about. I say it all the time but I'll say it once more for the record, she will leave a huge legacy in seven years time and whoever steps into the role will have to fill some very big shoes.
Very nice! Love Mrs. O!
Great outfit for the event. She looks so fabulous. She is also on target with one of her foci which is military families. Mrs T, we need a book for all 4 and hopefully 8 years!
Fabulous!
Love the coat, blouse just ok. But the most important thing of all is how this amazing woman reaches out to help, mentor and love people. (I love her beyond words.) She is class, intelligence, style and compassion. We are so lucky to have her as our FLOTUS. Love her girls too. I'd love to see more pics of them but she is keeping them out the the spotlight to help them have a more normal life. A good thing, I think but curious me would love more of them. And aren't they just beautiful, her girls?
Love the coat, blouse just ok. But the most important thing of all is how this amazing woman reaches out to help, mentor and love people. (I love her beyond words.) She is class, intelligence, style and compassion. We are so lucky to have her as our FLOTUS. Love her girls too. I'd love to see more pics of them but she is keeping them out the the spotlight to help them have a more normal life. A good thing, I think but curious me would love more of them. And aren't they just beautiful, her girls?
Here's video of Mrs. O today---she is and looks splendid:
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2009/12/16/obama.marine.toys.tots.cnn.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvxY-JEDkO4
People are raving about a green cocktail dress mrs Obama wore last night at a x-mas party, I cannot wait to see the pictures. According to Politico one attendee wanted to borrow it.
Dear Helene, can you post a link to where you read that re: Mrs. O's green dress?
http://www.politico.com/click/stories/0912/w_h_party_for_tv_and_radio_types.html
Mrs T, I hope the link works. There are no pictures of her with that "alleged" green dress.
I love the look, especially in the second pic!
Aaarg! I'm so disappointed that there are all of these holiday parties going on at the White House right now (28 this season, I think) and we can't get official press photo's of her beautiful outfits. And when we do, they can't be distributed or used on other sites, like the gold Michael Kors suit or the red and black floral Ann Taylor dress from Time magazine's site.
Some one posted a link to a site that showed the top portion of a really cute outfit she wore the other day which looked like the red Jason Wu dress she wore on the cover of Glamour but with a red satin bow on each shoulder strap. It looked so cute, but alas, it wasn't an official photo.
Robin Givhan also reported on her website about a dress Mrs.O wore yesterday to a Holiday party she was invited to. She said:
"The Obamas, of course, had been trapped there greeting and posing for pictures pretty much all evening. But they were still quite perky by the time I was announced and did the grip and grin. He made reference to a column I'd written in which I'd mentioned his shirt cuffs. (Yes, the man had done his homework. Very good advance work.) He asked my thoughts on Mrs. Obama's dress. Winter white silk velvet (I think) sheath. Nice."
*Sigh* I would love to have seen it. Perhaps the Official White House Flickr stream will bless us with a few photo's eventually.
Mrs Obama is always beautifully put together and spectacular, and her heart and spirit shine so even more beautifully. I adore this woman in every way.
I have not been keeping up with Mrs. O for awhile. Have I missed something about her hair? Why is she always wearing it up now? Did she cut it? She looks very beautiful and sophisticated with the up do, but I miss the soft way her hair framed her face worn down.
@Helene--it's so funny that you posted the Politico link about this elusive "green" dress. I was listening to the radio this morning (syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show), and Tom Joyner had on the commentator Roland Martin. Both were at this party and saw Mrs. Obama and were wowed by this green dress. Roland Martin said something like Mrs. O looked "fine" and towered over everybody--he specifically mentioned a green dress she was wearing so it must have left an impression. Tom Joyner said something to the effect of "stunning" or something of that sort. Roland is from Chicago and has interviewed and seen Mrs. O before dressed up, and he was genuinely wowed by how she looked. I'm sure we'll see the dress at some point because Mrs. O does recycle clothes or as someone mentioned, in a few weeks we'll see a Pete Souza WH photo on Flickr to enjoy.
They also said it looked like she's grown to be 7 foot tall since being in the White House. LOL! I gather she wasn't wearing kitten heels that night.
I don't want to offend anyone, but I think FLOTUS has been aging herself recently with the updo. I keep thinking back to when she wore that off-the-shoulder Basso&Burke blouse, and the other time she wore that emerald green Kai Milla dress. She looked so youthful each time with the side-swept bangs and the loose, wispy curls.
I am a big fan of Mrs O and look forward to checking out her fabulous fashion on a regular basis. Just an observation, she has been wearing her hair mostly up (since early November). She looks great with updos, but I would like to see her shake it up a bit! Show those lockes Mrs. O!
THEME to her fashion for the different events. This is what I
notice with the First Lady Mrs. O.
Look at this fabulous black and white blouse, covered in BOWS, for
donating gifts. This is a very focussed Lady. Her make-up looks fab.
Hair up-sweep, versatile, can appear - like a short cut as well. I used
to do that with my hair when I couldn't decide if I wanted it long or short.
Don't like the coat at all. I think it's too much like a short girly dress
that does not fit her body. I'ts ok for this occasion. But I give it 5%.
Earings lovely. I really really like the second pic. The white shirt cuffs
stands out beautifully against the black top & pants as well as
the checkered blouse.
@Janelle. I hope it is a new green dress. I remember she wore a green for a soiree to honor Stevie Wonder. If it is the same dress it is beautiful, but I would like to see something different. Impatiently waiting for those pictures.
Black and white really becomes Mrs. O, especially the crisp white collar. I am thinking that in this picture the tailored shirt flatters the soft curves of her face nicely. We don't see her wearing many classically tailored things, like traditional shirts.
Hey - I am getting good at this! I thought I would surf around and look for the green dress and I came across this site which shows "best of M.O. clothes from 2009" http://fashionbombdaily.com/2009/12/16/best-of-2009-michelle-obamas-style We've seen them all here, except I think the very top photo shows a dress full length we hadn't seen here before!
I think Mrs. O is wearing her hair up so much because I think she may be trying to grow it out. It's a protective style and will keep her hair from breaking. Black women have fragile hair and wearing it up and protecting the ends helps you retain length.
Her coat is gorgeous, and I like the whole black and white outfit, even the bows. It puts a new twist on a classic gingham look. But, where is her make-up?
As always, I admire to the utmost Michelle's heart, spirit and soul. She is a wonder and an example for us all. That said, I'm afraid I am not a fan of this outfit on any count. The coat looks like a little girl's coat both in actual size and particularly in styling. The three-quarter profile view of Michelle's face in the second photo is exquisite. My first (and lingering) thought about the blouse, though, was--maternity top! And a dated one at that.
This is my first post here though I must say that I'm a daily fan of your website (which is in my favorites!). Does someone know why First Lady Mrs. O. has changed her updo during the past few weeks ? I agree with Dlev that this look and updo make her look older.
Apart from this, I'm always delighted with First Lady's style choices.
No sign of the green dress but here is one of the Hanukkah reception from last night http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/4191066659/
@Anagrom: Keep being the "book aunt"! As a parent of a 5 and almost 11 year old, we love their "book aunt" and the kids look forward to her selections each year. I wouldnt want her to stop giving them books just because they grew older. Keep encouraging books and let someone else indulge their other interests. Just be sure to get titles that appeal to them. And, alas, if that fails then give them gift cards.
As for the fashion here...I would wear this outfit myself! Graet look!
If she had worn a belt some would've complained she shouldn't have...she didn't wear a belt and they say her blouse looks like a maternity top!
Seems our dear FLOTUS just can't win.
In fact, my maternity top comment was based on the blend of style components more than anything else. When I saw it, I was overwhelmed by the memory of my mother and her cohort in gingham or gingham-like maternity tops, replete with bows, rickrack, and cross-stitching! Perhaps I could have been more clear about that.
Having avidly followed this website (and Michelle Obama otherwise) for some time now, I am happy to have finally joined its ranks.
Thank you, Mrs. T., for the opportunity, and thanks, too, to everyone else who contributes.
Viva Michelle!
Here's a photo of Mrs. O's very nice dark purple suit worn last night at the WH Hanukkah celebration (wish I could see more of it in detail):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/4191066659/
I hope this works. I know a lot of us have been WAITING AND WANTING to see the back of this dress.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/4190850653/in/photostream/
Thanks for that pic Janelle. I love the color and embellishments of the suit. That outfit looks very "first lady demure", but in a very unique and flattering way.
I also love this photo . Hectic and fun moments at the White House from their POV. I am loving how Pete Souza has been photographing the First Family. These will be classic photos shown through out history, and I'm sure there are plenty more great ones.
She shows more and more, why she will be dubbed the best dressed First Lady (amongst other accolades) with each passing ensemble!
I love this for so many reasons. The coat is FIERCE! The blouse is crisper than a hundred dollar bill fresh out of the Federal Reserve.
The updo is very chic. And as usual, make up is on point.
Ikram may not want any public credit, but she sure deserves some. I remember FLOTUS first few days into the administration. And honestly she was put together quite well. But between her natural gorgeous qualities, and her daring sense of style, and Ikram eye for up and coming designers that the FLOTUS could pull off, mixed with some high-end designers, they have earned their place in fashion history.
This real First Lady is so simple, down-to-earth though very classy, fresh, beautiful, fashion conscious, and dressed to impress herself in the first place what surely impresses others that even me as a guy and I know/bet that there are more global guys out there who are impressed by her fashion revolution that over and over truly let one guessing, gasping, and searching for more. Let alone global fashionistas and gals/women out there who appreciates good things with good tastes.
Believe me that I'm freer when coming to fashion and dressing up now than before even though I'm a man due to Michelle's down-to-earth, simple though very classy and sexy fashion approach. What I over and over see in her way of dressing is to just be and stay yourself. Plane simple.
We as guys/men do not have so much to choose from when comparing to gals/women. As a matter of fact, we don't need much other than suits, pants, shirts, ties, and so forth so….
@ Ari, I love that picture. It reminds me of a picture on the night of the state dinner. Mrs T posted it on this site where the photographer had taken a picture from INSIDE the White House whilst the President and First Lady were on the steps outside. That picture made me gasp with the photographers clicking away. It's my screensaver now.
@ O'Coutoure, I couldn't agree more. The first lady dazzled us from jump street. I was hooked on her after she wore the turquoise dress and brooch at the DNC. More than anything, I love the fact that Michelle wears high end AND low end, something that I have never seen on any first lady before. She is often compared to Jackie O but in my opinion Jackie O was able to wear beautiful designer gowns (and wear them well) but many of us regular folk could never afford Valentino or Chanel. Michelle makes fashion fun and affordable, whilst I would never disrespect Jackie O, surely Michelle must garner credit for showing the world that powerful woman can look smart in J Crew, Talbots and Target ?
@ I-GO. Again, I agree. Michelle's success is that she stays true to herself first and that includes how she dresses and enjoys her clothes. I say that if more of us adopted Michelle's attitude we could accomplish a lot more in life rather than trying to please everyone first and addressing our needs last.
I just joined your site bc I saw the picture of Mrs. O in the Post with the toys for tots yesterday and felt compelled to say publicly two things (no matter if no one is listening!!). First -- I admire so much the work she is doing and the totally class act she has brought to the White House. She, and her husband, elevate our country. Second, I love her style. Is there any way to find our who made that coat?