Beautiful Even in Rubber Gloves (Updated)
Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 1:54 PM 
Image used with permission from Miriam's Kitchen
First Lady Mrs. O visited Miriam's Kitchen today, a non-profit organization that provides meals to the homeless in Washington, DC. But not only did Mrs. O visit, she helped to serve lunch. Per the New York Times:
“My purpose here is to listen, learn and scoop some risotto,’’ Mrs. Obama told the group of about 50 homeless men and women.
“There is a moment in time when each and every one of us needs a helping hand,’’ Mrs. Obama said. She described Miriam’s Kitchen as “an example of what we can do as a country and a community to help folks when they’re down.”
We are downright inspired. Mrs. O is using her new role as First Lady to do so much good - and doing it all so stylishly. Today she paired a white ruffle front blouse with a salmon pink cardigan (we believe the same J.Crew cardigan featured in Vogue) and black slacks. A clear vinyl, red buckle belt cinched her waist.
Update: Mrs. O's ruffle front blouse is from Isaac Mizrahi's new collection for Liz Claiborne New York! We have been waiting for Mrs. O to wear Isaac Mizrahi and are absolutely delighted. More here. Miriam's Kitchen was Twittering about the First Lady's visit all morning. Our favorite tweet? "She is beautiful even in rubber gloves". 
Image used with permission from Miriam's Kitchen / Photo credit: Rodney Choice
Reader Comments (89)
awesome.
May I ask this site owner to make all who post comments a registered members? I just want to avoid the constant trolling and insults that's taking the joy of this amazing site. Hence, being a member, comes with it responsibility r you'll be suspended or banned.
What a wonderful example Mrs. Obama is setting for others. It's been great to see her out in Washington DC at many different venues. Can she keep up this pace? I hope so--she is wonderful for our country.
You just have to love this woman. What a great example to the nation!
ooh she looks great in that coral cardigan (looks like the jcrew one from the vogue shoot) and ruffled white shirt; and bless her for highlighting such a great organization.
I read that the White House has confirmed Mrs. O will visit ALL federal agencies in the next weeks and months. She has visited six thusfar and has about a dozen to go! It is a remarkable pace.
Cyndi, we are considering moving to a registration system. Unfortunately, even that isn't troll proof but may help. On the downside, some people have complained about the increased moderation. Really no way to win! Please trust I'm taking the situation v. seriously, and doing everything in my power to stop the troll. All disruption appears to be the work of a single person. The best thing we can do is to move forward and ignore him/her. Attention and disruption is exactly what this person wants.
OMG I LOVE THE RUFFLES!!! And that coral pink is lovely.
Again, I can't fathom how busy she is. After a dinner gathering last night for 200. She makes it all seem so effortless. We know she gets help but still....the energy level is just so invigorating. She is really doing something in this role. Maybe I like this better than picking a specific "cause" as has been the mold for first ladies. She can really reach out more with her free agent status.
Go Flotus!
Mrs. O is so "relatable"...she can mix with anyone, rich, poor, black, white, etc. Ahhh, I love it. And love the coral sweater and belt.
This view gives a better look at the ruffles, she is utilitarien but feminine, a combination that I personally love.
http://www.daylife.com/photo/04rc07r8990RC/Michelle_Obama
Same sweater she wore in J.Crew, maybe?
I love that peachy-coral shade. I think it looks good on many different skin tones.
Blah, i'm not making any sense. I meant to say "same J.Crew sweater she worn in Vogue?"
She is great and makes us all proud.
Here is another picture:http://www.daylife.com/photo/025N50Y3DU6X2/Michelle_Obama
I love it! I think this is my favorite 'casual' look to date. But then coral is one of my fave colors, too! And check out the cut of those slacks!! Perfect!
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0caieAheJx5Xm/340x.jpg
http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/025N50Y3DU6X2/340x.jpg
LOL. That's great "Um, Mrs Obama, I'd like fries with that". :-)
Here's a shot of the whole outfit. Is that a new belt? Look how long and amazing her legs are!
http://www.daylife.com/photo/025N50Y3DU6X2/Michelle_Obama
Heads up ladys and gents, the Obama's will be gracing other parts of the world w/ their fabulousness
WASHINGTON (CNN) – President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will head to Europe at the end of the month, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs announced Thursday.
The first couple will visit the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and the Czech Republic on a trip from March 31 to April 5.
The president will visit Europe to attend the G-20 economic summit as well as a NATO event, Gibbs said.
I truly heart that belt, and the coral goes so well w/ her skin tone
Wow...those pants really emphasize her height! Her legs seem to go on forever. I love this look, especially the ruffled blouse, which I have never seen her wear before.
But of course, what I really love is seeing the First Lady being such a great example. There is nothing more stylish than that!
hmm dee i wonder if this was what michelle was referring to when she mentioned their upcoming "spring break" in the people interview, and if the girls will be going with them.
Very touching...Mrs. O is terrific. Not only is she grounded and level headed-you can tell she is NOT willing to lose grasp of reality. No uppitiness.
Love the transparent belt (it IS transparent, right?).
WOW that full length view is incredible. She is gorgeous. That color is fabulous on her. And the BELT - I see now that it is clear?? Cool.
Those long long flared slacks are really complimentary on her.
OK I am totally warming up to the belted sweaters thing. In fact, I'm off to the depths of my closet now to try to find some old belts to reacquaint myself with.
WOW! Looking great while serving others, what a combonation!
Go First Lady....GO!
What a great role model for us and the children of this nation! She looks beautiful as usual! The coral is a wonderful color on her and goes great with her complexion!
Aw! Her smile is always her best accessory: http://www.daylife.com/photo/080E0Z11yT2lC/Michelle_Obama
Did anyone else blow the pictures up (I know, I'm a real geek!)? It looks like the slacks may have a fine pinstripe to them... which explains why her legs look so endless in them. That cut is flattering, in its own right (I wear trousers like this because I have stubby legs), but I think the pinstripes do a lot to lengthen them.
I was going to add earlier that the clear belt is a fantastic touch -- talk about an accessory that goes with anything! -- but you all beat me to it!
Our First Lady! A beauty, not only on the outside but also, beautiful within!
Oh, this Lady makes my heart soar! She is definitely the "People's Princess" of the USA! May God Bless Her and Keep Her! I love the combination, I would love to see Mrs. O in a "dressy denim" outfit.
Even in Paris, you can feel the warmth and class of your premiere grande dame. I am a big fan of michelle. Thank you to be exactly what you are
Mrs. P, I agree! Michelle Obama has that special something that Princess Dianna had as well.
huffpo has a slideshow, I love #3
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/05/michelle-obama-pretty-in_n_172309.html
Our own Lady Michelle, very much the same vibe without the unhappy marriage. Diana really needed her public for love, whereas the public is soaking up Michelle's love which so motherly and nourishing.
Gorgeous woman, so lucky to have her as our first lady
I feel as if I have seen this look a 100 times. This woman will have nothing to wear if you take away her belted cardigans.
Superstar, you are certainly very fond of making that comment. You have made it many other times. If you find Mrs. O style so predictable, I am sure you knew she was planning to wear a black velvet pantsuit for last night's dinner? Or the pink lace dress worn on the cover of People?
If there is anyone that really has a lot of diversity in what she wears, it is Mrs. O. Even if you don't like what she's wearing, she really does mix it up a lot.
The Washington Post has a very dishy article about Michelle's visit.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/03/05/at_miriams_kitchen_michelle_ob.html
WOW......she looks and is absolutely fantastic! One can't help but adore this woman! This nation truly is lucky to have her as First Lady!
She and her husband are providing such great moral leadership- they are truly an inspiration.
As someone said earlier, she is beautiful inside and out.
I think that lipstick is really attractive. It's fun, as a DC resident, to see the president and first lady really getting out and engaging the residents. I swear I feel like I may run into them at the grocery store!
Perhaps the Obamas' urban background has something to do with their seeming comfort in the DC environment.
Just wanted to echo Christina's comments as a fellow D.C. resident. It is so refreshing to see a President and First Lady so actively engaged in our community here in the District. I do agree that their urban background is a big part of their comfort level here in the city. I also think that their activities in the city help to show those "outside the beltway" that real people live here and have real lives here. Washington is a lot more than the federal gov't. and lobbyists. Oh, and FLOTUS looks fabulous!
I would not say Mrs. O is that unpredictable in her fashion choices. She seems to favor those belted cardigans indeed. Maybe she feels comfy in them. Other fashion staples are broaches, flats, sleeveless sheath dresses. Many fashion editors agree that Mrs. O dresses more like a "regular person" than a trend setter (perhaps to make her feel more approachable).
Of course Mrs. O is always unpredictable - we never know what she will show up in next - unlike Hillary in her pant suits and Laura Bush in her suits.
I am going to love watching Michelle's clothes (regular and dress-up) for the next eight years!
this nation should be truly honored to have her as our first lady. she is an extraordinary example of grace, beauty, courage, strength and love. michelle obabma forever! her husband is not bad either.
It's barely been a month. Of course most of us are still gushing about the "novelty" of it all. No one ever really took the time to follow Hillary's every fashion choices online when she became first lady, partly because the Internet was still new. But she did not always wear pantsuits until she became a politician in her own right. I remember that black cold shoulder dress she wore to a dinner soon after her husband was inaugurated was quite talked about. Laura Bush's clothes (granted she was not that fashionable) was not talked about because partly most people did not like her husband and the controversial way he came into office the first time, and by the time the second term came around 9/11 happenned, so clothes was the last thing on our minds. At least be fair-minded enough to admit that Mrs. O has a staple style that she sticks to for the most part and many of us are only fascinated by what version of those staples she choses to wear next. So far most of Mrs. O's oufits have consisted of belted sweaters with tailored shirts, streamlined pantsuits, and sleeveless sheath (depending on the occasion). She seems to like reasonably-priced high-end clothes likes them that fit her well. While she mixes it up every once in a while, even her favorite designers are constant: Pinto, Wu, Rodriguez. That is not exactly unpredictable.
Mark and Christina - thanks for your comments! Love to hear the 'on the ground' reports from DC. Please keep them coming.
I don't think Mrs. O is that unpredictable. Guess what? Neither am I. Unpredictability is not always a great thing.
Like many a working woman or mom, Mrs. O seems to have certain "uniform" pieces that work for her -- the cardigan, the belt, sheathes, flats, brooches, etc. She absolutely has a staple style; most of us know what works for us, and we tend to gravitate towards those pieces/colors because they're comfortable and make us feel good. Why should she be any different?
Even though we (including me!) are treating Mrs. O like a celebrity, she's not Paris Hilton or Victoria Beckham. She has other things to do than to impress us with the variety of her clothing choices.
Also, this is just me but, I don't feel like Hillary Clinton or Laura Bush dressed unattractively. They don't need to be criticized. Like Mrs. O, they dress in the way that is comfortable for them.
This is OT, but very exciting news of a trip coming up soon:
President Obama and First Lady Michelle will make their European debut when they visit the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the Czech Republic March 31 through April 5. It will be great fun to see them being received in these settings.
MICHELLE O IS A BEAUTIFUL REFLECTION OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN..ALL WOMEN.WE SEE OURSELVES IN HER..LOVING AND CARING FOR HER FAMILY AS WE ALL DO..MAYBE FOR ALL THOSE "FOLKS" NOT GUSHING OVER MICHELLE THEY SHOULD SKIP THIS SITE..AFTER ALL IS IT NOT NAMED MRS-O.ORG FOR ALL MRS O'S GROUPIES
MSNBC just showed a photo of Michelle playing on the new White House swing set with her daughters. She was wearing blue jeans---very casual--like you would wear in your own home. Mrs. T--can you find a photo to post?
I love the fact that she is seen wearing her clothes more than once. I just don't get how some people look down on at others when they where their clothes more than one. No one wears one outfit once...Not even Oprah. I mean every time I see this woman I can relate to her and she to me. I love that she is the same person when she was the senator's wife as she is the President's wife.
I love the fit of the pants:
http://www.daylife.com/photo/025N50Y3DU6X2/Michelle_Obama
I'm just happy to have a First Lady who is MY age (and... my height!!!!) in the White House! Comfy in flats, just like me.... now all I need to do is work some more on my arms!
Ok, I know this will have to go through moderation---but it's worth it. These are darling photos of the the Obamas.
http://www.mikealvear.com/2009/01/21/now-playing-in-the-white-house-bedroom-hot-monogamy/