Fashion Forward Footwear
Monday, August 31, 2009 at 1:25 PM 
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
Crocs, Maison Martin Margiela
Reader Comments (63)
I love my bold and modern FLOTUS!
Like the toe loop Maison Martin Margiela sandals, Michelle Obama keeps us guessing. Fantastic!
Those might be the least offensive Crocs on the market, but they are still Crocs. Nothing about them is fashion forward.
Ditto o'Coutoure and Georgia! She's a trip.
I love how mini-Michelle, Sasha, has the same style and color Crocs as Mrs. O.
@belinda sabin, thank you so much for your post, I wanted to comment similarly but decided against it because I did not want to create a firestorm but you said it well without being offensive.
I remembered how my parents admired Eleanor Roosevelt a woman who was not a 'great beauty' or a 'fashion icon', my father used to say, she could be president herself!!! I loved Betty Ford who so courageously fought cancer and addiction and wasn't afraid to speak out about it even though it was unacceptable at the time to do so. I admired Nancy Reagan for the passion and loyalty to her husband as he said his 'long goodbye'. It takes courage and strength for Laura Bush to retain such grace and dignity (even if she wore boxy suits) in the face of her husband being ridiculed and disrespected. Can anyone remember the stoic strength of Pat Nixon as she stood beside her husband the day they were put out of the White House; what she must have been feeling inside? Now that is the strength and beauty of a woman.
(And who said she was not fashionable? http://www.joecarvajal.com/Pat_DickNixon.jpg)
And what can be said about the survivability and power of Hillary Clinton in her golden rod pantsuit....imagine what the lovely Michelle must feel having her pre-teen daughters viciously attacked in the media, how she must comfort her husband as he deals with the 500,000+ plus people who will probably loose their jobs this month? In the history of First Ladies no woman has had to deal with what she has had to deal with in the first 8 months of a presidency.
She is tall and statuesque has a face and body shaped by the Creator and not by plastic surgery. She is at her most beautiful this week with her magnificent skin burnished by the vacation sun. She is a real woman in every distinctive curve. When was the last time a man looked at you the way "he" looks at her.
Pardon me, but as I am rapidly loosing by battle with cancer, I am seeing things through different eyes. When you are facing death you quickly find out what is TRULY appropriate. Comforting the Kennedy family is appropriate, not whether or not she is wearing a cardigan or a jacket. Now don't misunderstand me, a jacket may have looked more “sophisticated”. I don't like that blouse or those sandals but I will not strip her of her humanity because of them.
So here is a suggestion, the next time First Lady Michelle Obama is wearing something that you absolutely abhor, imagine that it is also your last day to be alive, then express your right to free speech accordingly.
I love Michelle Obama even in those silly sandals; I'm sorry I won't be around the enjoy the other fun things she will startle you with.
Enjoy.....life
Great to see Mrs O wear Martin Margiela - maybe now he'll get the recognition he most certainly deserves.
Whoa! Those are among the ugliest shoes I have ever seen!
"Comforting the Kennedy family is appropriate, not whether or not she is wearing a cardigan or a jacket. Now don't misunderstand me, a jacket may have looked more “sophisticated”. I don't like that blouse or those sandals but I will not strip her of her humanity because of them." --> Thank you "the other jenna"
Puh-lease with the adulation for the Martin Margiella sandals. I was wearing a similar style in the late 60's and they did not cost near the $500+ price tag of Michelle's.
I'm loving Mrs. O....but Pres. O's footwear at is laking in Martha's Vinyard!
2:56pm - God bless you.
Thank you Mrs.T, as soon as I saw those black sandals in details I wanted a pair. She wore them in Italy for the first time, but I couldnt see them in detail then......love them even thought they're way out of my budget.
May God be with you the other Jenna, you are in my prayers.
Mrs. Obama should've kept her $700, because those Maison Martin Margiela sandals are not cute. Just because something is pricey, doesn't make it cute and purchase-worthy. Same **especially** for the reasonably-priced-but-horrible Crocs, and in a way-too-loud color. Mrs. Obama, you can and have done way better!
She was wearing those MMM sandals in Italy, there is a shot of her and the girls leaving a museum or ruin and she is wearing those. I know cause I thought they were FABULOUS, and couldn't find them anywhere! Now I know where to get em... my feet thank you.
@the other jenna:
Thank you for exposing your truth and vulnerability on the prior thread. Your words struck me and you are in my prayers...I've been on a "blog break," lurking in and out of the site over the past weeks to get my positive energy back. Thank you for your objective and thoughtful expressions of Mrs. O, even when you disagree with her fashion choices at times as I have as well. It speaks so well of you and your current perspective of others to give your individual opinion with tact (most people never master that balance)......I wish you peace and I know you shall have it.
I agree with DC about the Crocs, and I also agree with Mara about the Margiela sandals. Just because something is "in style" doesn't mean that it is attractive or that it will look good on someone. Let's not be slaves to "trends."
You are in my thoughts, Jenna. I wish you well in your struggle.
Crocs don't bother me at all. Some people loathe crocs even on infants and toddlers. I wouldn't wear crocs because they would make my already big feet look even bigger but I happen to find them insanely adorable on children.
I've already stated my opinion on the sandals. But since she doesn't mind spending $700 on shoes she should get a couple pairs of Louboutins (especially the peep-toe, so cute).
The shoes may be the only thing that I can actually publicly say that I don't care for.
Full disclosure;
I am a shoe FREAK! I love shoes, but when it comes to shoes, I am all about the retro and the classic. I have a pair of ODeer houndstooth pumps with a bright yellow heel and a bright yellow patent leather rounded toe. Fab for me, not so fab for others! I call them my taxi cab shoes.
Shoes that are ultra modern and minimalist? I can appreciate them but I would not wear them.
So see! I have actually not liked everything that she has worn! Yeah for me!
But, I do recognize how fashion forward they are!
I truly dislike crocs, but as crocs go....those are not sooooo awful.
Malia seems to grow each week! I'm sure it's the camera angle, but she looks as tall as MO in this photo, give or take an inch or two.
The crocs are not awful. I do not wear them - they make my feet look huge and I trip all over them.
From the photos it looks like there may have been a "multiple croc purchase" and therefore just another family fun shopping outing. And, crocs are good in sand and water. It was a beach vacation, after all.
I do love all those bangly bracelets on Mrs. O.
The Other Jenna,
Oh, thank you for trusting us enough to share your situation. My heart aches in expansion toward you. I will be holding you in my thoughts and prayers. I hope that your pain will be controlled and that you will find peace.
Like others here, I can assure you that you would find much love and support on the chat threads, if you have the energy. You might want to visit the "Personal Messages" thread, or better yet, start your own, where we can all focus our love and concern just on you.
May you feel the embrace of the numinous.
The Other Jenna:
May God be with you and hold you close to His bossom. May He fill you with much peace and healing.
You are loved and will stay in my prayers unceasingly.
God bless and love you sister.
the other jenna,
I am truly moved by your response. You have let everyone know that although this may be just a fashion blog, it does have a deeper meaning to some people and celebrates a great woman. I hope you accept the invitations to come in the chat rooms. They are full of fun, support, and love.
May God Bless You.
God bless and be with you to the poster who gave that inspirational and encouraging testimony!
I absolutely love those black sandals! I have been looking for a pair since early spring when I went to DR. They are already sold out on the website:-( surprise, surprise! I only like crocs with scrubs. But, Mrs. O gets a pass since they were obviously out near sand and water.
Someone said.."Kids hate waiting for food.Its just not in their DNA! " I agree.lol!
To the future and beyond!!! Those sandals are hot. I am thankful we have someone in the White House who embraces and openly displays the spectrum of design.
I love those black sandals; I am a fan of unusual shoes (think Fluevogs).
I am not a croc fan but don't look down on those who are.
@ the other jenna:
Be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)
I pray that you will have peace and comfort.
I thought this was so cute its sasha hiding behind the couch suprising the president in his oval office.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/3860761070/in/set-72157622065916229/
I like those Margiela sandals, but I have to say I liked them even better when she wore them in Rome with the black dress and leggings. I think it just looked more appropriate and edgy with that outfit.
Anyways, just wanted to give a heads up about a new designer on the rise that Ikram Goldman will be holding in her shop this fall cuz I love learning about new talented designers, especially ones Mrs. O could possibly wear. His name is Joseph Altuzarra and the NYTimes fashion and style blog "The Moment" did a feature on him earlier in August here:
http://themoment.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/cheat-sheet-joseph-altuzarra/
I just saw some of his first collection and it is very cool. I love his rich camel colored coats and jackets. The tailoring is beautiful and the color would look gorge on Mrs.O's skin. His white and lavender dresses are also pretty hot. You can see his collection here at style.com:
http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/F2009RTW-ALTZRRA/
Good Lord those black sandals are UGLY.
She would have been better off buying a pair of black Crocs and leaving the $700 she paid for the ugly ones in the bank!
sandals...kind of cute
$700.....not that cute
Sigh. I long for the days when people came to this site for one reason & one reason only: to honor & support Michelle. If people didn't like what she was wearing they had the good manners to keep it to themselves.
Mrs O and the girls got sunburnt, didn't they?
Love Mrs O's sandals. They're pretty "mild" by MM standards, but Interesting take on a classic.
Didn't know Croc makes cute styles, but these look pretty perfect for the beach.
Goodness, ladies. No, the blue crocs are NOT cute but Mrs. Obama must have bought the adult version and both the girls have the younger "Crocs". They bought shoes to match on vacation....something moms and daughters do every day. Pretty soon the day is coming when the girls won't want to do that anymore. It shows she's a good sport and a great mom.
I actually don't care for the $550 black sandals. I think you could find very similar knockoffs at a way better price.
God bless you, "the other Jenna". Thank you for all you have shared with us. Please know you are being prayed for. I hope to meet you in Heaven someday.
You will find quite a few croc fans in the health professions. They are quiet, comfortable, washable, indestructable and affordable to hospital personnel in the lower pay grades.
Did people care anything about the cost of Laura's shoes?
I'm not a crocs wearer; they're just not my style. However, it seems to me they're a nonissue here. If they were paired with a Michael Kors dress, yes, we'd have a fashion emergency. But with this outfit, on vacation, at a hotdog or ice cream stand, I don't see a problem. This is not exactly a fashion moment. Her husband's baggy jeans, on the other hand . . . LOL!
Her sandals: Divine
His sandals: EEwwww! (for that matter, his whole outfit)
Check out the other Margiela items on the link posted above: There is a black ASYMMETRICAL sweater that I would love to see Michelle in. We know she has already tried an assymetrical sweater, but it was too TIGHT. This one, correctly sized would really rock on her!!
However; if anybody could get away with crocs and Michael Kors, Mrs. O would be the one!
Here - we're in a recession here folks. $500 for one pair of shoes. I'm disappointed Michelle.
I don't get the point of announcing the price of her shoes. I am content in just knowing she mixes high and low. Are some insinuating that it was money not well spent? Realize. She can set a match to it. Because it is her money!
I've fought family and past lovers over the temerity to dictate how I spend my dollars. Dollars that I alone earned. And I will gladly continue to battle on Mrs. O's behalf. Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, stay out of her wallet.
The shoes are different, but I like them. I have seen some summer shoes/sandals that are far worst looking than Mrs.O. I love the fact that she wears whatever she likes. She is edgy and confident. The dress looks comfortable and classy. She knows when to dress it up or down. I love all the stuff she's wearing. I would love to a peek in her closet. I am a shoes, bag and clothes freak. I get compliments every where I go, so I know what it's like to keep up with the styles. Keep it up Mrs. O. The Sheppard family love the Obama family.
Mrs. O will not start buying her shoes at Payless so that she can show how "common' she is. That should satisfy everyone.
I dont know how true this is but supposedly victoria beckham was suppose to be on the october issue of vogue but michelle obama bumped her for the spot i dont know how true it is.
here is the link:
http://www.popsugar.com/4560807
@gaby, this is exactly what the other jenna was trying to say. We should be able to express our likes and dislikes about what Mrs. O wears w/o tearing her down personally. This site IS about fashion and fun and I like this or I don't like that. the other Jenna called Mrs. O's sandals silly and she did not like the big bow blouse but she left know doubt about how she much she loved Mrs. O. It was my impression that the people who come here feel that way about her too.
Lulumay: I had NO idea this was a site to "honor and support Michelle." I had the temerity to think that this site was about FASHION and our opinions!!
Amen, McKinley!
I've just had an "aha" moment. Mrs. O will wear what she wants in her free time regardless of what the press says. She will, however, make an effort to dress up for state occasions, but she will not fall victim to "old school" fashion rules. Rock on, Mrs.O!