Isn't She Lovely

Photo by Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images

The great Stevie Wonder is being honored with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at the White House this evening. The prize celebrates "the work of an artist whose career reflects lifetime achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding". The event, the first in the "In Performance at the White House" series, will air Thursday night at 8PM EST on PBS. Check local listings here.

For the occasion, First Lady Mrs. O is wearing a deep v-neck, emerald green dress. Her hair is voluminous. And her wrist is sparkling with Loree Rodkin diamond bangles. We can't be certain, but we believe this dress may be a design by Stevie Wonder's wife, designer Kai Milla. An article in the New York Daily News earlier this year revealed:

Michelle Obama and Milla talked fashion at the Democratic National Convention when Stevie Wonder performed, and though Milla won't disclose the juicy details of their fashion huddle, she feels confident the two will work together at some point.

"If it doesn't happen for the inaugural I'm sure that she and I will work in the future on some level," says Milla who described Michelle as "a very genuine person."

While we don't recognize this exact design from any of Kai Milla's collections, the green, iridescent chiffon fabric does show resemblance to this dress from Milla's Spring 2008 collection.

Update: We've received confirmation that Mrs. O's emerald green, tea length, silk chiffon dress was in fact designed by Stevie Wonder's designer wife, Kai Milla. In her signature style, the black sash was the First Lady's own addition. To hear Mrs. O introduce Stevie Wonder, continue reading the rest of the post.

Pretty in Pink for People

Image via People  

First Lady Mrs. O is featured in the latest issue of People magazine, on stands Friday. On the cover and throughout the feature, Mrs. O wears Tracy Reese's Guipure Lace Kimono Dress in Dried Azalea. We are delighted to see Tracy Reese in the First Lady's wardrobe mix! In the interview, Mrs. O discusses progress on finding First Puppy O and how the First Family is adjusting to life at the White House. To learn more, the Today Show ran a great segment this morning:

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

A full length image of Mrs. O's Tracy Reese dress follows after the jump.

Image used with kind permission from Tracy Reese

Style to Suit the Times

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images

Tonight President Mr. O will address a joint session of Congress in what will no doubt entail painting a very serious, sober picture of our country's economic state. It's often difficult to reconcile the unprecedented crisis we're living through with the vast source of inspiration and optimism that President Mr. O and First Lady Mrs. O bring. More than ever, though, we're grateful for the latter - Mrs. O's style included of course.

We imagine the First Lady's dresscode this evening will go one of two routes - modest and understated, with respect for the times (the blue Narciso Rodriguez suit worn for the Lily Ledbetter reception comes to mind), or perhaps less expected, a bolder projection of optimism (with similar effect to the lemongrass Isabel Toledo ensemble worn for the Inauguration). In just an hour or so, we'll know the answer.

While the focus tonight isn't on Mrs. O's fashion, the First Lady's style is part of this living, evolving history, and the broader narrative shaped by these times. And as bleak as things may sometimes seem, we can always look forward to celebrating Mrs. O and her fabulously chic, modern style. As several have mentioned in the post before, Mrs. O will be joined tonight by at least three special guests. Details are posted at Whitehouse.gov.

Update: Mrs. O is wearing a plum silk and wool sleeveless dress, which we're almost certain is Narciso Rodriguez. The dress first debuted during the Inauguration, paired with the long lavender Narciso Rodriguez coat worn again tonight. The dress - with a feminine, modern cut, in a flattering color that was neither solemn nor inappropriately attention grabbing - achieved a tasteful balance.

And contrary to our earlier prediction, the dress didn't seem to make a direct comment on the economy. Rather, in a regal plum, showcasing the First Lady's enviably toned arms, it was a statement of classic Mrs. O style. Additional images here and here.

Musings: Influences on Jason Wu

When Jason Wu, in a recent interview about his 2009 Spring Collection, cited two influences for his current work, our interest was piqued. After all, even the most successful designers repeatedly turn to many different sources to find fresh inspiration for their work. These muses serve as a springboard for the designers’ creativity. So we couldn’t help but be curious about Wu’s stated influences: illustrator Arthur Rackham and designer Norman Norell.

It is a fascinating revelation, both for the glimpse it offers of the designers behind the designer and because Rackham and Norell are so strikingly different in their styles. Born in London, Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) was an Edwardian era illustrator whose primary work was on children’s books. His most illustrations were for Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, The Wind in the Willows, and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

By 1900, Rackham was the most sought-after illustrator of his time. His storybook style, with flowing movement and bits of whimsy, is a definitively romantic look. Today his Alice looks surprisingly modern in her black tights and a floral shirtwaist dress. So it is easy to see how Rackham’s drawings—with their emphasis on girlish heroines—have inspired Wu. At first glance, though, the connection between Wu and Norman Norell (1900-1972) appears more challenging.

Born in Indiana as Norman David Levinson, Norell started his career by designing clothes for silent screen actresses, for Broadway shows, or at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club. In each of those venues, the clothes had to project to an audience—that is, their lines needed to be understood from a distance. Norell then worked for the company Hattie Carnegie, where he adapted French designs for the American market. Prices for his clothes rivaled those of the French originals, but his superb craftsmanship was considered worth the money.

In the 1940s, Norell departed from the established flared day dresses of the time to create wool jersey shirtwaist dresses—his designs established a natural waist and a softer silhouette. By 1968, he was showing streamlined clothes, their minimalist lines often emphasized with one important detail like a leather belt worn over a cloth jacket or a coat. He loved round plain necklines and emphatic short sleeves; he often showed evening wear details, like paillettes, on simple daytime sweaters. Today Norell’s clothes can be found in numerous museums, including the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum and the Smithsonian.

Simple lines combined with unexpected detailing, minimalist shapes accented with dramatic materials—understanding Norell this makes it easy to see how Wu was inspired by him. But combining both the romantic and minimalist in one cohesive, fashionable style—that is the particular fashion genius of Jason Wu.

Inside the White House Kitchen

White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian

Before dazzling us at the Governors' Dinner last evening, Mrs. O welcomed a group of students from L'Academie de Cuisine to the White House kitchen to preview the menu. Mrs. Obama said one of her goals with this event was to "showcase some of this talent" working in the White House kitchen. As Lynn Sweet reported for the Chicago Sun Times, Mrs. Obama also revealed a few of the First Family's dining secrets:

• "The president loves scallops," according to First Lady Michelle Obama.
• The White House Huckleberry Cobbler is "one of the First Family's favorites."
• Mrs. Obama is fond of a White House soup that "tastes creamy without being creamy, because that is something that we work on, 'how do we keep the calories down but keep the flavors up."'

According to the White House blog, Mrs. O went on to speak of the value of fresh, local foods:

"When you grow something yourself and it's close and it's local, oftentimes it tastes really good," Mrs. Obama said. "And when you're dealing with kids, for example, you want to get them to try that carrot. Well, if it tastes like a real carrot and it's really sweet, they're going to think that it's a piece of candy. So my kids are more inclined to try different vegetables if they're fresh and local and delicious."

On a style note, Mrs. O's cocktail length cobalt blue gem from Jason Wu’s Spring 2009 collection was just an appetizer for the fashion to come - but a great appetizer at that. Similar to the Jason Wu design that Mrs. O wore for an interview with Barbara Walters in late 2008, the raw silk dress was dotted with hand-embroidered knots. For additional photos, the Huffington Post has a great slideshow. A CSPAN video of the White House kitchen event follows after the jump.