The American fashion industry is obviously impressed with our new First Lady and her focus on bright, young designers. The chic inaugural ensemble chosen by Michelle Obama was designed by Cuban American designer Isabel Toledo. That was blown away by last night's inaugural gown designed by Jason Wu, the 26-year-old openly gay Taiwanese-born fashion designer and the über-hottie who created the RuPaul Doll.
Booth Moore at the Los Angeles Times:
The gown is an unusual choice. Obama is wearing white in the winter and white at night. (President Obama's white bow tie and tux combo is even more unusual.) The gown could even be a wedding dress. But Michelle Obama is rewriting the fashion rules and she looks every inch the style icon she is becoming. The one-shouldered style is sexy and the powdery hue reflects the trends we saw on the Golden Globes red carpet. And won't it look nice in the Smithsonian alongside the other first lady gowns?
Obama first wore Wu when she appeared on a Barbara Walters television interview wearing an adaptation of a silk sheath dress
from his S/S 2009 collection. The hand-embroidered dress was a "confident departure
from the relatively matronly skirt suits" of Oscar de la
Renta and the usual suspects that have
epitomized first lady attire for years. "I believe her whole [message] is about
newness, about change," Jason Wu tells The Advocate of
Obama’s style. "And what better way to
represent that than from a fashion standpoint?"
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This is going a bit off subject but I want to thank the media for sparing us the faces and comments of Alan Keyes, Ward Connerly, Armstrong Williams, and last but not least Uncle Clarence Thomas.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
I was hoping to see someone kick Bush dead center so the entire world could see that there are plenty of americans who feel the same way about him as did that lone Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes.
But alas, I, just as the rest of america, had to settle for seeing the frustration and embarrassment in his face as he boarded the helicopter that took him out of Washington DC. That and the shoe incident was the only time I ever clapped for anything involving Bush.
Posted by: gu | 21 January 2009 at 10:16
Rod, that was a good look; thanks.
Posted by: Mel Smith | 21 January 2009 at 14:20
I liked the Wu Dress, however Toledo i didn't like as much....looked like something you'd wear to church or something.
and the hair...LOL
but great post...and i do too like how she is highlighting young designers on the come-up
Posted by: D. | 21 January 2009 at 16:02
Hey D she actually did attend Prayer Service before heading over to the event. I think it was a safe choice to wear and giving the two designers a great dig. Kudos to Michelle! Hey Rod glad u r back!
Posted by: cedric | 21 January 2009 at 16:31
I think that thus far Mrs. Obama's choices in apparal have been frightful.
Her Inauguration Day dress while lovely, was a horrible color, as were the gloves.
The ball gown looked as if it was made of toilet paper and cotton balls. It wasn't the least bit elegant.
Finally, the dress she wore to the prayer service was too much of a frock. Michelle looked like a black Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music." She ought to have been in a suit.
Michelle may be young, but she ain't THAT young. And the White House is no place to try out urban chic. This woman is in the world spotlight. European designers and fashionistas are laughing their asses off at the tacky Americans.
I love fashion. I want to love Michelle's clothes. But so far she is a huge let down.
Posted by: BettyBoop | 30 January 2009 at 20:09