Thursday
Jun252009
Trimmed in Lace for the Luau
Thursday, June 25, 2009 at 7:57 PM 
Photo by Mandel Ngan
We *love* Mrs. O's choice of dress for tonight's White House luau. Her lei seems to coordinate with the purple floral print of her dress. And what is that peek of orange fabric at the neck? Plus the lace trim... This is one of our favorites of recent weeks. What a delight of a dress!
We have a hunch that this may be another Tracy Feith creation, showcasing the designer's trademark mix of prints and texture. Click here to see a similar version of the Spirit dress by Tracy Feith.
tagged Tracy Feith
Tracy Feith
Reader Comments (93)
Festive and beautiful!!
Here's a link to a whole bunch BIG of luau photos:
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Jackeens/398
I love Mrs. O but I'm not so sure about this dress on her. From the angle above it almost looks like a housedress. Please forgive me, just being honest.
Love it!! Very cute pic.
Strong Foru,
I see what you are saying, but you know they where muumuu's in Hawaii, so maybe it is suppose to have that feel to it.
Fantastic! Very old Hawaii! All of the Obama ladies look very festive and tropical.
Oh course it is a muumuu - they are at a Hawaiian luau for goodness sakes ;)
Not one of my favorites sorry to say. While I understand wanting to wear a muumuu for the luau, I would've recommended something less boxy. There are some gorgeous ones by vintage hawaiian designer Tori Richard, for example, that skim the figure without sacrificing comfort. The colors are the only redeeming thing about this one, I'm afraid. Michelle looks gorgeous in the pinks, purples and blues, but I'm sorry Ms. Feith, the placement of the lace...? And plaid? Plaid has never been a hawaiian motif in any way shape or form and belongs more on a tablecloth than on a muumuu.
I like the color and she looks nice to me! It's Hawaiian, it's comfy and gives off the "aloha spirit," IMHO. It's a nice laid back look. I can only imagine how effortless and festive she must be tonight, bouncing around from table to table, person to person, chatting it up and spreading joy and fun. I was watching the video from the white house website and most ladies were wearing boring old skirts, capris, shorts...I saw some sundresses, but fuddy duddy ones. I feel like for most of her public appearances, she is so fashionable, even if she's not wowing us.
Lovely and festive look for both the Obama ladies! Malia is growing into such a beautiful young lady. I can see both Michelle and Barack in her expressions.
Totally off topic. A sad day in Hollywood. I grew up watching Farrah Fawchet and Michael Jackson. They will be missed.
Love the colors with the lace trim and the lei. I particularly like the gold hoop earrings and the bracelets she's wearing on her left wrist--getty has a photo of it, and when her arm is down, it really is so chic looking with the outfit.
I just read my comment, LMAO!! I meant "wear" not "where"!!
Sorry, I also agree this looks like a house dress or something I made in 6th grade "home ec". I generally think Mrs. Obama picks the perfect outfit, but even she can make mistakes...this is an oops!
FLOWER FETISH - I'm surprised Mr.Bo 's collar doesn't have a flower stuck somewhere, since it coordinates so well with Michelle's dress!
For me, this get up that Mrs O has on is so close to home. Living in the Caribbean you forget how much colour in nature influences what you wear. I adore the free light fun loving aspect of Mrs. O's dress - fancy free and no fuss! I particularly like Sasha's ensemble - so cute!
I wonder if Mrs. O has a grass skirt hidden somewhere to continue some of that hula dancing she started earlier today... HUMMMMMM... :)
Janelle, I noticed the bracelets and earrings too. Nice touch. Have you seen the pics of the President dancing and being silly while walking out with Sasha...he had her laughing. It was sweet. I bet he had a good day with the family volunteering in the morning and a nice luau in the evening.
I think Mrs. O looks truly Hawaiian festive for the occasion. It puts me in the mood for a luau.
If I were going to critique the dress from a strictly fashion point of view, I would question the plaid, and the position of the lace that falls at her thighs. But I'm sure she doesn't have time to try to find a muumuu that is absolutely perfect in every way. Overall, I think it's a big hit for the occasion. Great colors on her. The lei and Bo's leash match her dress. :->
IVA - you mentioned watching the video from the White House web site, and I don't know how to find it. When I click on "video" I get tape of the gathering earlier today, but nothing from the luau. Any help will be appreciated. Thanks.
When you go to the white house website, under the "Briefing room" tab there is a link called "media center." One of the options is "Livestream." That is where I caught the video, live.
I don't know if the taped video of it is available, but I'm sure one will turn up.
I usually like what Mrs O wears... but just not feeling this one! I guess it goes for the theme:-(
Oh my God she brought Hawaii to Washington!!! Awesome she wore a Mumum, Oh my God Baracks grandmother would proud.
GO MICHELLE HAWAII ROUTING FOR YOU
I can't believe it.
Cute!
Any idea on Malia's flower tunic thing? THAT one I'd love for myself.
Just to digress a little - there is a picture from earlier in the day, with Mr.& Mrs.O with Malia, talking to Desiree Roberts. I suspect they must have been just getting the news on Michael Jackson here. (It's a wonderful family shot by the way, especially the way in which Mrs.O is holding her daughter)
http://www.daylife.com/photo/01Bi33caps9Nx?q=Michelle+Obama
You can also see from this full front on shot that Mrs.O really has put on some weight...
What a cute shift. That lei is such an adorable touch! :)
Here are loads of pics and more from both of today's events:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/25/746923/-LUAU!-(Now-w-Pic-of-Dunkd-Rahm!-Guess-Who-Dunkd-Him!)
I almost always think Michelle Obama nails it, fashion-wise....but I agree with a couple of the previous posts....this one looks like a housedress....
@ Rocky: That picture was posted before the time Michael Jackson was even transported to the hospital accoring to news report; so the picture is about something else.
I'm not sure I like the dress but love the Tropical-infused jewelry. A Coordinating matching outfit like Malia is wearing would have been nice like she did in the day time with sasha. Black tights and nice loose tunic/top. I have seen her rock that look before. Also, I just can't resist, I still don;t like when posters put down others to compliment Mrs. O. There was no need to say the female invitees looked "boring" and "fuddy duddy." Unlike the hostess they do not have the luxury of setting trends. They probably wore what they felt comy in and thought were appropriate attire for them.
Unfair to dogs! Shouldn't Bo have a lei, too?
Rocky,
You and I will be flogged in abstentia for our comments! I don't necessarily see that Mrs. O. has gained weight. What I DO see is a long-standing problem with the fit of her pants...ALL of her pants are much too tight and are very unflattering to her. I wish someone would introduce her to a nice, quality dark-wash jean. Pants should fall in an unbroken line from the waist to the ankle. Mrs. O. seems to like cropped pants a great deal, but again...they're unflattering.
Video of the luau on politico.com. At the beginning it shows the President and Sasha walking. He is dancing and she grabs his other arm like stop dancing you're embarrassing me. It's too cute!!
Nice and simple
I'm sorry to go all soppy but the Obama's are just a beautiful family... I so enjoy seeing them doing stuff together, and this particular evening looked like a lot of fun.
Thanks to Leah D for the link to all the other photo's - I enjoy all the details, like the bars and the table centre's - relaxed, eye catching. Perfect. I hope they all had a great time.
Rocky--
This was a morning event. Michael Jackson died in the afternoon (in Eastern time for both). But Farah Fawcett died earlier and that coud be the message.
Or some glitch in the luau plans.
She has not put on a lot of weight. People have different figure types. She naturally has thicker thighs. A lot of people do, me included. Even at 102 pounds, my thighs are proportionately larger. Jeans can emphasize that, but I think humidity is coming into play here, too, making them cling more. There are a couple of other frontal pictures when she is leaving the stage at the event that show less of that.
At any rate, the President (her husband) was impressed with her little hula dance. He always acts like he is very proud of her no matter what she is wearing. .
And it is Desiree "Rogers" not "Roberts" who luckily has no thigh problem.
Love Mrs. O but I think I would like this dress better if it were shorter. I need to see different angles.
A little honesty here. This is a terrible dress. I usually love most of her choices but when she blows it she does it in a big way.
I think she looks FAB!!!! Does this woman ever look bad?? I want my hair cut like hers, but would loose about 6 inches.
I don't think that this dress is particularly special looking -- it's a nice summery shift. What I have realized is that Mrs.O isn't dressing for me. (Me=the public.) She likes it and feels comfy and it fits the occasion so there you go. Not much more to say than that.
I'm troubled by the "she's gained weight/she hasn't gained weight" conversation. Of course, everything is up for grabs here in terms of discussion, but I just wonder why the obsession with weight. I'd like to see some of us photographed every day, at every angle, and see if sometimes we look a little "heavier" than at other times.
It looks like Bo also got a trim for the luau. And he also appears to be heeling nicely. He's growing up, practicing his manners and becoming a great first dog.
I do love that print. Retro, but not. And those are my favorite colors. I like all of the cool color wheel from ultraviolet over to teal, with maybe some magenta thrown in for spice. I am a sucker for anything with those color combinations.
I could do without the lace, though. Not a lace person.
Leah D agreed, Its a Luau. Actually from Obama's speech they apparently told folks to wear the hawaiian shirt and muumuu, which freaking cool to me.
"I hope everybody's got their Hawaiian shirts and their muumuus for our luau tonight," Obama told lawmakers gathered at the White House Thursday for a meeting on immigration.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090626/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_luau
Mrs T. to me this is one of my favorite too. It exposes alot of folks to the culture of Hawaii. To me this was about exposing Hawaiian culture to the public and realize that there is a lot of culture within the US.
All,
I don't mind the luau dress, but I wouldn't pay $1100 for it! I think you could find something comparable at Tar-get! No kidding.
And yes, it took me a long time to realize that looser pants actually are more flattering than skin tight ones, even for skinny thighs. But from the shoulders up, she's spot on.
And I have to smile when I see Malia.... a true 'tween'... and I suppose it won't be long before she'll be rebelling against all this family "stuff". And never smile, like my kids.
Don't like this, not one bit. Don't like the shape, don't like the lace, don't like the print. I would much rather have seen a traditional muumuu in these colors, rather than a designer's $1K attempt.
I agree that she appears to have gained weight. That said, @Christina, I think people are noticing/commenting on weight because it does change how we look in clothes. And since the purpose of this site is to view, appreciate, comment etc. on Mrs. O's clothes, many of which most of us with our lifestyles would never clap eyes on , I can see why people are commenting.
Michelle looks great in these colors! And I love the lei. From a fashion standpoint (and this is only my own unprofessional opinion), I would lose the lace--especially at the hip line. I would have gone with a traditional Hawaiian designer (maybe she did?) and worn something really classic in the muumuu genre.
About thighs. I have the same issue. And having pants fall straight from my waist is not an option--I'm too curvy--and I think Mrs. O has the same issue. I went pants shopping today--and usually have to have the waist taken in if the pants are to fit my thighs, etc. It was the same for me when I was in my 20 and only weighed 117 lbs!! So, it's not always a weight issue.
I love the spirit of our First Lady.
I'm not sure how much weight she could have gained between wearing this clearly loosely-cut dress and wearing the Rachel Roy dress that she had on just a few days ago, in San Francisco, that is just a few posts under this one. In that picture she looks about the same as she ever did. But, maybe I don't have a keen eye for weight fluctuations that others do.
Breeze said it perfectly for me. If this dress did not have a designer label, I can't imagine anyone paying $1100 for it.
And, yes, less tight slacks take the emphasis off an area that most of us (including myself) are probably better off not emphasizing. If your pants are "smiling," they are too tight.
If one refuses to open their wallet to not purchase something at a certain price point, that is soley their decision. If someone does plunk down the cash to purchase what they want and love, it is clearly their decision. This is her money, her decision.
The dress: I've been to Hawaii and the dress represents the Aloha state at its best...free-flowing, colorful, and whimsical.
There some beautiful Hawaiian prints and dresses and this clearly is not one.
What is that underneath? It looks odd to me. Hair looks great and the girls are cute.
It's not the most flattering of dresses and it looks like something I might have made my first year in home ec.
I was looking at the pics from the link that RH posted and it appears that the dress is a little see thru, so MO has another pink dress under it. You can see what I'm talking about in pics 11 and 12.
It's a traditional Hawaiian luau muumuu people. It's supposed to look like a housedress. Give it a rest.
I agree with the majority about the dress--not my favorite, but possibly appropriate for the event. However, just a side note--I thought the dog was for the girls--shouldn't the girls be taking the responsibiliy for taking care of the dog? Inquiry minds are wondering if the secret service pick up the poop--no bag in her hand!
That is not a traditional Hawaiian luau muumuu.
Are we not allowed to give honest opinions here?
That is not a traditional Hawaiian luau muumuu.
Are we not allowed to give honest opinions here?
Phyllis W, are you serious? You can't be serious - right? Oh, wait, I know what it is, you've never had kids nor pets. That must be it, otherwise your comment would sound so stupid.