Now don’t get me wrong. Up until this point, I was a huge fan of the new First Lady’s style. As soon as she came on the scene, she was compared to THE style icon when it comes to First Ladies, Jackie O’. Like her, Michelle knows the importance of clean lines and the ease of dressing. She dresses without trying to imitate others or looking like a Jackie O’ wannabe. Instead she adds a touch of her own style resulting in a modern, classic look.
Oh, how she impressed me with her slim short sleeve shift dresses in jewel tones or floral prints. Instead of sticking to a traditional strand of pearls, she would take chances opting for an over-sized, exaggerated style or a long strand with floral details. On another occasion, she chose a dress with just a bit of beads at the neckline to add a touch of glamour without going over the top. And of course, what made Michelle an independent (style speaking, of course) was her commitment to a simple flat shoe. Elegant, comfortable, and ensuring she didn’t look taller than our future president, Michelle made a flat look formal instead of casual. I was convinced the First Lady would be a style super star.
And then the other night it happened. She stepped onto the stage in that horrid Narciso Rodriguez Fall ‘09 red shift. I was shocked. This is the guy best known for designing the glorious, elegant and simple wedding dress worn by Carolyn Bessette! And as Barack spoke on this monumental evening, inspiring millions with his words, “Yes we can, ” all I kept thinking was, “No she didn’t!”
The dress was definitely a trendy choice, the cummerbund reminiscent of the bondage theme seen all over the runways. The skirt too, originally sheer (thankfully Michelle had the designer make the change) was another huge fall ’09 trend. Unfortunately, it just didn’t work. The splatter painted bodice and hem were distracting and the black side panels and cummerbund detail did absolutely nothing for Michelle’s shape! Just about the only thing I liked were her kitten shoes and basic black cardigan.
Now don’t get me wrong, I would be thrilled to have a fashion forward First Lady, and in Michelle’s defense, I hope she continues to take chances when it comes to her wardrobe. What a refreshing change that would be to the same old bright ladies-who-lunch suits we’ve all become accustomed to. But as Sarah Palin would say if asked if this a fashion disaster? You betcha!
Oh and one more thing, Michelle, if you’re reading this, you’re daughters are beautiful and looked lovely last night as they always do. But matching their mom? It wasn’t an American Girls Convention.
We look forward to some change!!
