Thursday
Jan282010
Striped in McQueen
Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 4:27 PM 
Image by Jason Reed / Reuters
First Lady Mrs. O returned to her pinstripe chalk stripe Alexander McQueen suit today as she began her campaign against childhood obesity. Mrs. O was joined by Surgeon General Regina Benjamin at a YMCA in Alexandria, Virginia, where they spoke on the issue.
This suit has certainly been a favorite of Mrs. O's in recent years. Mrs. O wore it several times on the campaign trail during 2007 and 2008, and for at least one public event last year. Click here to see our previous post the its history.
In the past paired with brooches, the first lady wore it with a high collar white shirt, red belt and coordinating lipstick for today's appearance.
tagged Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen
Reader Comments (70)
THE FLOTUS KNOW HOW TO WEAR AN OLDIE PUT A GOODIE. RECESSION PROOF.
I'd love to know more about that shirt!!
It is really bad when I can spot clothing Mrs O has worn previously. I knew right off the bat!
Here's a picture with the belt:
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/96242527/Getty-Images-News
Have to say, I don't love suits, but she manages to pull this one off really well, I think probably because she always adds a quirky twist with the brooches and in this case the belt.
beautiful!
Love it! Very polished and professional. I want to be Mrs. O when I grow up. LOL!
I am not a big fan. I think the whole outfit overwhelms her as if the suit is wearing her and not the other way.
Some things I love about Mrs. O:
1. Her gorgeous flawless skin. I would love to know what skin care products she uses.
2. Her hands. They are so elegant. Long always well manicured fingers.
3. How her nose wrinkles up when she smiles.
4. Her warmth.
5. Her self-confidence.
6. How strenght.
7. Her humanity.
8. Her commitment to her relationships as wife, mother, daughter, sister, friend... She excels at them all.
9. Her commitment to everything she does. She's a fierce advocate for a healthy lifestyle and military families.
10. How she embraces fashion not just for herself, but as an effective political tool. She is indeed "The Face of Fashion Democracy."
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/96242839/Getty-Images-News
I'm not feeling this one ;( The suit is ok, but I don't like the shirt or the belt. Oh well, as Jay Z say, "on to the next one......"
I don't care for this suit look on Mrs. Obama...I think she would look great in a solid color...Got love the fact she takes chances with her style...lol
Also, Mrs.Obama hair lacks the shine it had the previous night at SOTU....You can always tell when a profession does the First Lady hair and when she does it herself...I can tell she styled her own hair today...
I adore Michelle for many, many reason. She has been dressing in the most amazing out fits. She is gorgeous, elegant and a knock out. The work that she is doing for our fellow Americans is amazibng. That being said don't like this suit.
Reminder: C-SPAN will air this event tonight at 7:23 - 8:10 pm est tonight and 6:05 - 6:50 am est tomorrow morning.
C-SPAN often change their program schedules on a whim; so check out the site for updated time schedules. (I'm sure they will have an online version available after it is first aired on tv)
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/schedule
Smashing. Love this suit. Just a great switch from her other colours. A big hit.
Stun...ing, my absolute favourite outfit for 2010. Mrs. O looks dazzling. This suit
is made for her IMO. Everyday is more and more gorgeous, she's on a roll - I'm
tightening 'my' seatbelt, it's seems like we are in for so many wonderful moments
with this Outstanding First Lady. Unforgettable picture.
High neck white collar stands out magnificently against those pinstripes. Versatile
ensemble - perfect for almost any event. Tweet little earings. I'm a fanatic when it comes
to pinstripe suits, so putting this on my list right now.
MARABOUT40, Great words, I feel the same way fellow blogger, I couldn't say it any
better.
Not bad.
I think it's great that Mrs. O shows everyone how to use an oldie in a new way - a la today's red belt. The message is great, especially in these tough times. However, and I nearly hate myself for saying it, the suit isn't particularly flattering on her. I would've loved to see the ensemble without the jacket. Pinstripes are a lot of look. Doesn't matter though - I love her the person...the clothes are just a bonus.
Marabout40 I couldn't agree with you more.
2010 seems to be the year that Mrs. O is pulling out all the stops.
Love the freshness of this look, love the high neck collar, Perfect pinstripped pants suit.
I believe that, behind every successful man there is a very confident woman.
I just love this woman!
I must say (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with this) that I'm starting to think she's wearing a "fall" and hasn't cut her hair at all. I love the bob on her and think its a great look. I was just looking at the recent pictures with the short cut and that came to mind. I wear them myself from time to time...by the way, so does Oprah (I know she's wearing her own hair now, but she's mentioned it on her show before). Great thinking on her part (or her stylist), as I'm sure with her having so many public appearances, her hair has been taking a bit of abuse.
Side note: A fall is similar to a wig, but your natural hair shows around the hairline. It's a way to wear different styles (cuts/hair color) without doing something dramatic to your hair, plus it gives your hair a rest from all of the damage it takes from daily curling, etc.
I'm watching this as we speak on C-Span and she has magnetism, personified. I remember seeing this red belt from the arrival of The White House Xmas tree outfit. It looks smart here with the pinstripe suit. Our Michelle has the body type to pull off such a bold pinstripe. She looks really nice. Alexander McQueen makes a suit that stands the test of time, this is a good one.
There are very few outfits that our beautiful FLOTUS wears that that I don't like, and this is one of them
I really really dislike pinstripes (on both men and women), and I really don't like this look
But I still lover her to death!!! She was great last night at the state of the union, it was so cute when she told everyone to sit down
It's a suit.
Denise--I think you are out to lunch on your hair conspiracy theories.
Event is on C-Span right now. Is not the official launch of her obesity program. She just said that she will be doing so in the next couple of weeks. This was the Surgeon General's release of her report on obesity. Wondered if she had been confirmed--apparently happened 3 months ago.
Michelle looks a tad tired--also lots of "ums" which she has been eradicating recently. She's not a night owl like her husband so last night was pretty late for her. Also is a very early riser. Also in attendance were Sec. Sebelius, new first lady of Virginia ODonnell(sp), Mayor of Alexandria and Rep. Moran.
She looks very lovely anyway and TBG is still there looking out for her--even smiling at this event. Her secret services guys are not as stern looking as the presidents are.
Also coming up is another music night on Feb 2 centering on civil rights with Bob Dylan, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, Natalie Cole, Smokey Robinson and with emcees Morgan Freeman and Queen Lat(can't spell it).
And another governors gala.
This shows why investing in quality even if expensive pieces ultimately serves a woman well. Mrs Obama has shown so classily and in a most unassuming manner that it is okay for people in the public eye to re-wear their clothes.
I love Alexander Mcqueen and it takes a strong sense of style to love and pull off his clothes which are never conventional. Mrs Obama gets it and is always an A+ in my opinion.
Here's a link which have Oprah with her real hair. No wigs, no falls. She let's us see the real her. Bravo. Who knows, other than Mrs. O's real hair of has a fall. It's ot diferent than admiitted she usd fake eyes. She mamny choices for women to enhance her look. Suit is far to busy.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/24/oprah-defends-her-hair-th_n_191287.html
The rep lipstick on Mrs Obama doesn't look so hot, even taking into account the matching red belt.
I'm surprised Mrs T found the one picture where Michelle's lips aren't super red, I suspect that this is the reason used that pic and in the process sacrificed a shot with the belt.
Additionally, something about her hair is different, I don't know if I would go so far as to say she definitely styled it herself, but it looks different.
I'm not a fan of the suit, but I never was, not in the campaign stop photo nor when it appeared on the cover of EBONY.
On the non fashion side, I can't wait to see what sort of policy changes take place in the area of child obesity due to Mrs O.
Not a big fan but she looks happy and comfortable. I like when suits are broken up. The jacket with a black pencil skirt or the pants with a red top, for example, might have worked better. I might have liked it more if the pinstripes were a lavender or pastel color (let's say) and a lot smaller....but it IS an Alexander McQueen (this is quite conservative coming from his design house!)
@ Denise:
My mother thinks that she's wearing a "fall", too. I can't tell, myself, but I do like this new style.
I'm not a pin stripe person but Michelle wears this suit very well.
Now I get to know she wears clothes more than once. I was beginnng to think wealthy americans wear them only once, a weird thing in all aspects.
This is one of my all-time favorites of Mrs. O's. LOVE that the pin-striping is done like a tailor's chalk marks.
And, way OT, but I think y'all would enjoy this photo of a crowd in India. Look at those colors! We've got a lot to learn.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/gallery/2010/jan/27/travel-photographer-of-the-year-2009?picture=358600223
I just realized that the black suit & red belt matches the YMCA's red & black logo.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama#photoViewer=/100128/480/0cbd6cea4b8e40f2ad19f7de6e2423b6
I am so glad I'm not the only one that noticed the differences in her hair from day to day. She is definitely using something "extra". Nevertheless she is still rocking it. Go FLOTUS!
Michelle Obama is usually the tallest person in the room so it may look overwhelming while she is seated but standing, a viewer gets to admire all of a design. So, this pinstripe suit is striking on a tall person like FLOTUS
LADIES DOES IT REALLY MATTER IF THE FLOTUS HAS A FALL. I DO NOT THINK SHE DOES
THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOW IS THE POTUS AND HER HAIRDRESS JOHNNY WRIGHT.
THE VIDEO OF FLOTUS SPEECH WILL BE ON WHIITEHOUSE.GOV.
I'm not a suit person, but she wears it well. Anyway, to speak on the "fall"... I actually cut my hair in a style very similar to Mrs. O's several months ago. I've always had fuller hair, but with my bob it's really noticeable. I get annoying questions and random touching of my hair to make sure it's all mine... and it is! So, it could very well be all of Mrs. O's too. And if it's not all of hers, good for her and her hair too.
Many a Hollywood starlet with long flowing locks is being helped with hair pieces and extensions. Again, I don't know if Michelle Obama is, but it's not a terribly unusual thing. At the same time, as someone mentioned above, maybe this cut was chosen because it does give her hair a fuller look.
I think what's fun about this suit, for me, is how prominent the pinstripes are. If they were small, I think it would look like she was trying to be a banker. With the wide pinstripes and the wide lapel, it's a little playful.
Love this suit. I am a big believer in investment pieces.
I love this suit! Loved it the first time I saw it during the Iowa Caucus; she walked into a room and grabbed everyone's attention immediately. Many have written here saying how they disliked this suit, so be it, they are entitled to their opinion, but consider this, pinstripped suits are not for everyone. You have to be a certain body type to carry it off well, body types like Mrs. O...tall. lean, and shapely with long arms and legs. So for those of you who complained that you don't like this suit and suggested that she should "break up the jacket and pants", maybe you are projecting your inability to wear this style on Mrs. O. Maybe you lack the body type or the pannache to pull it off, but Mrs. O. doesn't have that problem. She looks fantastic!
In this suit Mrs. O looks like a woman of substance and with a purpose, in other word, a true professional (which is her forte anyway). I'd encourage her to wear more of these types of "power suits" like she did while in Chicago. She is truly wearing this suit and not the other way around.
I really like the suit, but would've preferred to see it with an unexpected blouse (besides the bright white) since that's the expected choice. I also think the brightness of the white takes away from her face, because you notice the white before her face, and she's so pretty! But that's just me; there's absolutely nothing wrong with her look. I like her haircut; I think it would look even sassier with sideswept bangs. Love her little earrings. Always look forward to her next picture on here!
Love this look on Mrs. O. She looks so professional, chic and "in charge". Her lean, tall body type carries any style well, and suits exceptionally well. You go Mrs. O!
i loved the suit also, i like the retro feel to it.
Not a fan of chalk stripes but FLOTUS looks beautiful.
It's her personality::I love when she wears bright colors---this lady would look great in a burlap bag!!
I am personally not a fan of a wide stripe suit on either a man or woman. FLOTUS has made some absolutely beautiful and stunning choices in attire, but this one should go to the back of the closet.
I love Mrs O in this suit and always have done. Shows off her slender shoulders, frames her face and shows off the endless legs. A total winner.
The Times has an article about Michelle and the girls
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7008978.ece
These are chalk stripes, not pinstripes.
Not her best look for what she is trying to do. Remember that she is just short of 6 feet tall in her stocking feet. This is strange and overpowering on someone that large.
Her hair, according to a photograph from the back that appeared at HuffPost in December, was different short lengths then. She was doing a lacquered updo and once the "tousled" look with short spiky pieces on top, sides and back.
This is a very nice wig.
@BeeGee
Strange and Overpowering and a wig on top of it all? After looking at all the other photos of Mrs O, do you seriously believe that is a wig? Actually, even if it were, It wouldn't matter becuase it would be her choice, but your posts are beginning to sound like a broken record.
You've offered up that Huffington Post pic several times in previous posts as your very own forensic evidence of Mrs O's irreparable hair damage. Maybe there's hope that you will someday be able to climb out of that groove you're stuck in, open your eyes, and figure out that there is possibly some other interpretation for the evidence you so fondly love to drag out as Exhibit A.
Cozy, elegant, comfortable. While I'm OK w/Ms. O wearing her sleeveless items any time of year, I do feel there is a little counter-intuitive something to her sleeveless-due-to-thermostat-abilities and the official White House's "energy saving" efforts/programs.
This is a magnificent suit. Love the stripes, the pantsuit! Yey!
I mostly like everything that Mrs. O wears, but I don't like this. The pinstripe suit reminds me of a minstrel show. I do find the shirt interesting.