Four Inauguration Day Dress Designs for Michelle Obama

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

Exclusive to VF Daily
vanityfair.com/online/style/2008/11/project-beltway.html


"Michelle has shown that she’s got her own, modern style,” said Peter Som from his studio in New York City’s Garment District. “I would do a variation on look 37 from my spring ’09 collection, which is a notch-neckline short-sleeve dress with fitted waistband. However, for Michelle, I would do it in a longer length and in a solid winter-white peau de soie.” He added that “on such a special evening, she should continue her streamlined look.” And, if he was given free rein on time and budget, he sees little need to edit or augment. “She is already there,” he says. “I would just accentuate her innate sense of style.” Not a bad idea.


Given the haute democracy of the moment, designer Brian Reyes is looking to the ancients. “I’m inspired by the robes worn in ancient government, and Michelle’s radiance,” he says. “With that in mind, I’d create a classic gown with a modern twist.”


Vena Cava’s Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai, who are recent Vogue/C.F.D.A. Fashion Fund runners-up, proclaim Obama’s entrée into the White House as an “end to the skirt suit!” The designers see her in one of their Egyptian-inspired gowns from their spring ’09 collection, such as the one above.


Erin Fetherston applauds Obama’s “out-of-the-box” style as an opportunity to make a statement. “Michelle is beautiful and has a great figure for clothing,” she says. “I feel our holiday-resort ’09 collection is full of dresses that would be perfect to attend the inaugural ball in. I think Michelle we would be beautiful in the long gowns.”

[madrchsod]

1. no more "what not to wear" first lady!

it will be a pleasant change to actually comment on how well a first lady dresses. no more drapery or sofa fabric and ill fitting 50`s lane byrant pants suits. i think the long flowing dress would look better than the others.

[JNelson6563]

2. The white one is rather "bridal"

and the rest shown, um....no.

Julie

[yardwork]

22. Agree.

They're all wrong. The middle one is particularly....

[Lerkfish]

3. not a fashion nut, but ugh.

don't like any of those. The red dress she wore to the white house is 10 times better than any of those choices.

[cali]

4. not that it matters, and I'm sure our first lady will look stunning

but here's my take on the four designs:

1)elegant and classic but perhaps a tad too derivative and reminiscent of Jackie Kennedy's inaugural gown.

2)not a great line and I don't love the color. It doesn't have enough shape.

3) too casual

4) ugh. Don't care for the super high waist line or the big bow- not to mention the yucky color.

[annabanana]

8. I'm not sure that #2 is actually a dress..

Or if it is,, why did they leave it hanging on a hook like that?

[yardwork]

23. It looks more like a bundle of newspapers that need to be recycled.

[Olney Blue]

5. I'm sure Michelle is reading this. Michelle- wear the first one!

[Kahuna]

11. I agree. Michele has fabulous arms and shoulders. She should show them. nt

[dorkulon]

13. I like the first too.

A couple of them are awful--but IMHO anything is better than that strange thing she wore on election night.

[yardwork]

24. But not in bridal white.

[surrealAmerican]

29. Definitely, and perhaps in a different color.

[Buzz Clik]

6. What no Fashion Forum at DU? No Tabloid Forum?

sigh.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

10. Whaa?

Oh, have I sullied the intellectual purity of GD? Despoiled serious discourse with frippery?

Brappp.

[Buzz Clik]

14. Sullied? Hardly. I simply wish there was an appropriate forum for such discussions.

[JNelson6563]

30. Don't worry, this is nothing

This is at least somewhat related to the political realm. Considering health reports for family members, weather reports and, worst of all, certain DUers actually pimping out very personal, tragic stories of loved ones to garner sympathetic attention on an obscure DB are all allowed to stand, this is more than appropriate.

Personally I think not one of these designs does a single positive thing for our incoming First Lady and I hope she goes with something more like her usual impeccable taste. Frankly I have to say that would excclude the dress she wore on election night which I thought was rather dreadful--especially for her body type.

Julie

[crispini]

31. I agree. And, these stories cheer me up.

I like Michelle Obama's fashion sense and she will be a joy to watch. If only I had her physique! :D

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

7. Mark to read tonight. I think something Grecian would be great.

different color thou.
http://www.metmuseum.org/special/Jacqueline_Kennedy/22.R.htm

[Mari333]

16. Now I really like that gown

shallow of me, but the colour and the lines are fabulous, darlink.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

32. That's not being shallow, & You are right. That dress is a work of Art.

It's the line and drape of it, I could look at it for an hour. How difficult it must have been to make, to work that fabric into those perfect pleats, wondering what the interior looks like? Does it have boning for support?
How would it look on her in Violet? Periwinkle? Red?

Timeless.

[Lyric]

9. I love the style of the last gown, but not the color.

For Michelle, I'd go with a light shade of purple--maybe a pale lilac, and the bow on the back in pale lavender with modest diamonds and amethyst for jewelry. She looks fantastic in purple, and we all know that it's become her signature color.

My quick-and-dirty revision :)

[patricia92243]

12. She seems to like sheeth like dresses, so I vote for #1. I wonder if it could be in another color,

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

15. The first is the only one whose lines impress me

though another color would be great--like a turquoise or shade of purple. The others are simply--strange. No delineation of shape, and the color of the last one is pukey!

[lunatica]

17. The first one is nice but too much like Jackie Kennedy

Michelle should be Michelle and not an imitation of Jackie'

With her height she could really carry off the toga look if it were more fitted and not gray. No belts are needed. Michelle has never worn belts and that's a good thing. Belts never do anything to enhance a dress unless they're very broad to accentuate the waist or draped loosely around the hips.

Michelle will wear something stunning that fits her perfectly. I just don't think she's going to imitate Jackie because she has her own figure and her own style.

[sinkingfeeling]

18. The only one acceptable is the last one. Top is too 'old-fashioned' and the next two are

just strange.

[Kalyke]

19. I can't wait for the day when this doesn't matter.

I'm a woman. I like nice clothes, but I'm about so much more than that... and so is Michelle Obama.

I don't care what she wears. I care what she does.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

20. It doesn't matter. It's just a bit of fun.

It's allowed.

[blogslut]

25. The dress she wears will go on display in the Smithsonian

This is a very important dress.

I favor the first one but in a different color and with a scoopier neckline.

[bdamomma]

21. Red and purple colors look good on her.

but I am sure she will have her own style, she can carry anything, she has the height.

[CTyankee]

26. I saw a photo of her in a summer cocktail dress in pink. I never thought

she would do well in pastel pink cuz I thought jewel tones would set her off better. But she looked fabulous in the pink dress...

[annabanana]

27. How about a warmish peach color?. . (and this is just for fun, idle talk..

for those of you who have no interest.... I watch the Emmys just for the clothes)

[Blue Belle]

28. I don't think Michelle Obama will pick any of these...

While these designs are simple and elegant, if the person wearing the dress doesn't have a waif-like figure it will make them look frumpy. Michelle Obama knows how to dress for her figure and I think she will choose a simple, classic style but one that will enhance her figure. These styles would make her look like she fell into the curtains.