Friday
Feb052010
Purple Reign
Friday, February 5, 2010 at 12:32 PM 
White House Photo by Pete Souza
Purple has certainly become Mrs. O's color of the season. Above Mrs. O is pictured as the first couple honored retiring White House butler James Ramsey on January 25th. Mrs. O wore a purple velvet cut-out jacket by Azzedine Alaia, which coordinates with the dress worn for Oprah's White House Holiday Special in December, below. For last week's event, Mrs. O paired the jacket with slouchy purple trousers and a printed blouse by Peter Pilotto (thank you, chrystelle, for identifying the latter).
White House Photo by Pete Souza
tagged Alaia, Peter Pilotto
Alaia, Peter Pilotto
Reader Comments (40)
I love the richness of the color on her.
the blouse is peter pilotto.she wears the printed blouse with the pant while adressing veterans in virginia.she was with jill biden.
THE FLOTUS LOOKS GREAT IN PURPLE. MR RAMSEY HAVE A HAPPY RETIREMENT I AM GLAD YOU GOT TO WORK FOR THE POTUS FOR A YEAR
The color and design of the jacket, along with the identical sleeve treatment, makes me think that the jacket was designed to go with the dress. Either way, it's beautiful.
Yes, I love it, the colour is fantastic and so is the cut. More importantly, that picture brought a lump to my throat. What genuine love this couple have for everyone around them. It's just fabulous.
Love purple it's my favorite colour.
I live in the UK and am a devoted admirer of the Obamas . They have been my distance mentors and are of great inspiration.
For me I think that dresses enhance FLOTUS nice figure, trousers not too sure------at least this angle doesn't help; I prefer her look with fitted trousers or leggings type.
I love the jacket. I'm with you Posh, you can feel the love and the care that they have for the people around them. TOO TOUCHING!!!
I have to say that this purple color is also my favorite color for winter and it looks splendid on Mrs. O.
(Mr. Ramsey side note--he's worked for the WH for 40 years and was supposed to retire when the Bushes left but wanted to extend working at the WH so that he could serve the Obamas as long as he could. I read last year that several of the scheduled retiring usher staff did the same thing because they've been treated so well by the Obamas and really don't want to retire now....I think stamina may be the only factor for them leaving at this point....I'm sure the pace gets difficult over time. Desiree Rogers said last year in the W. Post that some older staff had tears in their eyes when she was asking for their input, and they told her that no one ever asked that from them before or asked for their opinion.) So this photo puts a lump in my throat as well.
A really sweet and genuine moment, and a photo that Mr. Ramsey and his family will treasure.
Thanks for the link to the blouse, Mrs. T. It's quite elaborate - I hope MO wears it often.
@ Janelle - Thanks for some background info on Mr. Ramsey's retirement.
The way the Obamas treat the WH staff says alot about the type of people they are.
I love FLOTUS in the color purple. She wears really rich, saturated colors very well.
Her eyebrows became too thin lately.
She can go from FLOTUS to mom in an instant in this outfit - we know how important her daughters are to her. Jan. 25th was a Monday - perhaps this was a time of day when she wasn't out working on a cause but was spending time at home being a mom. I like this outfit because of the color and its casual elegance.
I agree with previous posts that you can tell from this picture, and many others, how caring and genuine the Obamas are and how respectfully they deal with everyone around them. If you want to get a little teary from another photo, go to whitehouse.gov and look at the picture of the day that shows POTUS greeting some White House visitors. Precious!
LOVE HER SUIT OUTFIT SHE WEAR VERY NICE SHE DIDNT WEAR THE SAME ON OPRAH IT WAS A DRESS NOT A SUIT SHE WEAR. AND HER DRESS LOOKED NICE ON HER. MINES THE HAIR BUM SHE WEAR LAST YEAR.
I had read the article that Janelle referred to (could not remember what news source though, so thanks) and was moved to tears at some of the experiences that some of the staff had encountered in their employment at The White House. Last year there was some photos of POTUS with Mr. Ramsey and both seemed to enjoy each other.I think he was mentioned in the letter that the Bush daughters left for Sasha & Malia. Great photo and and FLOTUS being in her purple phase did not hurt, everyone looks nice. That Alaia jacket is smokin'!
I would call this color plum or burgundy before purple. Seems to be the case to me. Like the outfit but would love to see other colors now.
You're too good, Mrs. T! I was heading over to tell ya about the new pic...
Beautiful color on Mrs. O.
What a sweet moment. I remember this gentleman from a photo early on. There was some sort of luncheon (maybe the one for young women?). The girls & Mrs. Robinson were sitting together. Mr. Ramsey was helping Sasha. The look on Mrs. R's face was too cute! It was a grandmotherly sort of "You are not asking for anything special are you, missy?" look.
Here's the link to the White House Photo of the Day I referred to above. Love it!
http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/february-2010-photo-day-0
I can't wait for Mrs O. to re-wear that magnificient yellow Jason Wu dress she wore whilst exiting the plane after landing in London last year.
Love this shade on her and her h air is just stunning!
Hey all,
Do you feel as if Michelle Obama's style represents our country? What about it is so symbolic?
I think it's important for us MObama lovers to pin-point what exactly makes her so fabulous!!
xx,
Charlotte
That is not a President and staffer saying thanks and goodbye THAT is a picture of a father and son experiencing a true love moment. The way they are both leaning in and bear hugging each other shows the world that the Obama's are true humble people who have the ability to really touch people with their honesty,warmth and integrity.
BTW, loving the plum colours on Michelle and like LOP I prefer Michelle in sheath dresses but she wears pants very well when they are wide legged rather than fitting.
MO will be on Larry King this Tuesday night discussing the Obama's first year in the White House
@ Jazz
I am so bummed I will be missing this interview. I am out of the country now and the internet connection here is really slow. When I try to watch videos online they just stay buffering.
I love jackets that are fitted at the waist--she looks very sleek--I like both looks and especially the top picture cuz it's sporty looking. My only wish is that she'd vary her hair by making it wavy sometimes and adding those bangs...sorry I have said "add bangs" twice already, but I just think she'd be even cuter...promise I won't suggest it again! This is one of her best colors==have always liked it on her==she wears it well==sets off the beautiful warmth of her glowing skin
That picture brings tears to my eyes. Tears that stream down my face. For so many African Americans, especially those of Mr. Ramsey's generation, the election of the first African American as President of these United States is a miracle. Something they never imagined they'd see in their lifetimes. Yet there he is. And what a man at that. What a family at that. Not just any African American President, but a great one. An honorable one. A good one.
Janelle, I went searching for that story you wrote about, but no luck. I did find this one in the Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/06/AR2008110603948.html?sid=ST2009012004413
It too will make you weep. God bless the Obama family. They are a gift to us. We should treasure them.
This picture has me so weepy. What a good and decent couple our First Lady and President. May the good Lord continue to bless, guide, protect and defend them at every turn!!!
Thanks Ouapiti for the link. The picture of the President with the little boy is priceless. Thanks too Marabout40 for the link to that fascinating account which in an ironic manner still manages to capture and reflect still the many faces of good and evil even in today's America.
@Marabout40 and Janelle, here is the story I think you are referring to this story on NPR http://tinyurl.com/yevllwh
Nice color, but burgundy - not purple.
The pants do not fit properly. Strange fit across the abdomen - too tight below that area?
Many of her clothes do not fit properly and it spoils the look. Is there no White House seamstress/tailor to do alterations?
Lovely color but the pants fit horrible. IMO
I love that dress, the color looks great on her!
I would love to read the article about Desiree asking the opinion of White House staff. I can't find it in the Washington Post archive. Any other clues where it might be?
Thanks for the link, marabout40. That story was very touching.
@Posh Tater---Angrom above provided the correct link. I just remembered hearing Desiree talk and not an article and then thought it was the "Voices of Power" video series interview she gave to the W. Post, but was wrong--- it all got blended in my mind from 2009. She gave a radio interview to NPR where she was discussing it: http://tinyurl.com/yevllwh - at about the 5:35 mark--Desiree really choked up.
@Angrom---thank you, thank you for finding the link! I knew I hadn't lost my mind!
What a modern, fashion forward First Lady we have in Mrs Obama - Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. I love her and her husband so much!
Oops, sorry! Should have read in more detail! Thanks for the link, I'm going off to listen to that now. Thanks Ladies!
Wow. That interview by Desiree Rogers was so emotional. She broke down when she spoke about how the African American stewards and butlers who've served at the White House for many many years received the first family, the first first family that looked like them. Of course, I started crying too. Thank you so much for sharing the story, Janelle, and Angrom, thank you for the link to the NPR interview.
God bless the Obamas.
I'm so glad she didn't wear the jacket over the dress. Her figure owned that dress. And I'm so glad to have a first lady who is not afraid to be publicly sexy.
You're welcome ladies. It was my pleasure.