Desiree Rogers On Cover Of Michigan Avenue, Minus Fashion Credits

Desiree Rogers's new Michigan Avenue magazine cover features the White House Social Secretary looking cool in a cream-colored jacket, but some sartorial details were left on the cutting room floor: her clothing credits. According to WWD, this act of fashion negligence comes months after Rogers's Capitol File photoshoot, in which she wore a $3,370 Louis Vuitton coat and $7,900 freshwater pearl and diamond earrings by Jorge Adeler. Insiders think Michigan Avenue omission is intended to tone down her glamor girl image, which could be considered inappropriate for White House employee during a recession.

A spokeswoman for Niche Media, which publishes Michigan Avenue told WWD, "The magazine did not focus on the credits as it was a personality-driven story about Desiree and her efforts and her connection to Chicago."

Rogers seems to have a personal interest in style, once even sitting next to Anna Wintour at a few fashion shows. The Michigan Avenue profile calls her "ultimate 'It' woman about town" and a "stand-out guest on the gala circuit." She's chaired and attended hundreds of parties and has brought that spirit, along with the spirit of service, to the White House.

THE COVER:

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Comments

[nah415]

She 's got great style and she's fun to watch. Much ado about nothing...

[William Young]

Desiree is a beautiful woman, let her shine I'm pretty sure she's not trying to take the limelight away from Michelle.

[Constance Mitchell]

I don't understand how a "social secretary" got so much attention. I thought they worked for the First Ladies in planning events, etc. and is not supposed to overshadow them. This, to me, is in bad taste. Desiree needs to keep in the background. The White House Administrator needs to talk with her. I definitely believe she is outshining the First Lady, and based on protocol, this should not be the case.

[blaharumph]

agreed.

[ladydragon]

Constance:
Deriree gets lots of attention because she's beautiful. all the other "social secretarys" to the First Lady looked like BELLA ABZUG

[ToniaB]

LOL!

[Jeanette Ponder]

Oh, please. You've had a ha.te-on for her since she started working. :P Every com.ment of yours on every DR story screams of jealousy.

[Shzron1946]

The last few months have been so interesting. Shocking how many otherwise well-informed people did not know that there is a whole "invisible" layer of extremely well-to-do black people who live on an extremely grand scale--and have been doing so for generations!

It's fun watching them realize and react to it.

[maiali]

I know. It amuses me to no end.
Can you imagine the reaction once they get wind of some of the exclusive social clubs of the black elite?

[ElsaIndy]

She is very good at promoting herself.

[NALLY]

Very attractive lady, and a real go-getter. Keep up the good work Desiree Rogers!! To coin a phrase, "Be all that you can be".

[ItHadToBeSaid]

She's very good at promoting -- PERIOD.

And she should be, she's a former Public Relations Executive. She's a very talented and personable woman whose skills have taken her a long way. All the way to the WHITE HOUSE, in fact!!

[ToniaB]

You're right and I hope she keeps it up!

[mombabytiger]

These are the silliest arguments about the silliest story that I ever accidentally clicked on in middle-of-the-night boredom.

[jukesgrrl]

Ms. Rogers is a beautiful woman with fantastic style. That said, as a progressive Democrat, I'm offended by someone who works in the White House wearing jewelry and clothes that cost this much. If they were borrowed for the photo shoot and she is returning them, fine, I'm sure the advertisers will be happy to see their work in this magazine and I don't have a problem with it. Also, she certainly has the right to wear what she wants in private. But I think that for public appearances, the President's staff has the same responsibilty the First Lady has shown to promote thrift in these times. Just because Nancy Reagan and Cindy McCain flaunted their wealth doesn't make it right.

[Shzron1946]

Note to Desiree: It is a free country. Wear what you want to wear, no matter where you got it from, just keep your nose clean and do your job.

[jade7243]

Please... one event was a FASHION photoshoot -- you know, where the magazine provides the clothes and the makeup and hairdressing? You know, to promote the DESIGNERS like a photospread in VOGUE?

the other is a personality profile, you know, where you interview the person and find out interesting things about them? You know, where sometimes you capture the person at home or maybe at work doing their thing, maybe in their OWN CLOTHES?

Desiree made beaucoups bucks in the private sector, had a smashing wardrobe then and has taken her style to the White House. She gets a salary commensurate with her job and is entitled to spend it as she sees fit. Michelle Obama simply wears what she likes and is not necessarily being "thifty." I think she just buys what she thinks is cute, and splurges on some stuff and doesn't on other things. Get a grip.

After all, this is America the Oh-So-Beautiful!

[FoxyBrown]

Nancy Regan was a fashionista and no complaints from the GOP.-- Desiree Rodgers is from a 200 year old New Orleans Black Creole family and is quite well educated and well connected from way back. -- Michelle is from humble beginnings and this being America, Desiree works for her. -- Michelle still has her husband whereas Desiree is divorced. I'm glad that Barack chose a brown-skinned black woman. Good for him, good for black women, good for America and good for the diaspora.

[noudidnt]

class warfare
colorism
and political partisanship

You've covered the map.

[ladyskeptik]

Lol that was bad.

I heard Desiree is really pretentious though, and she gave money to George W. Bush AFTER 2004.

[Constance Mitchell]

Desiree is not Nancy Reagan
She is the social secretary and should not be overshadowing the first lady. She needs to work behind the scenes. I think sooner or later, she is going to be gone!!!

[ItHadToBeSaid]

No, Desiree is not Nancy -- and thank goodness for THAT!!

Yes, she is the Social Secretary -- chosen specifically FOR that position by both President and First Lady Obama. As 20-year friends, they know her style, her elegance, AND her work-related talents . . .which is precisely WHY they asked her to be the Social Secretary.

She is not overshadowing the First Lady at all. Not sure how you came up with that. Firstly, we don't hear about Ms. Rogers nearly as much as we do the First Lady. She is, for the most part, behind the scenes planning social activities and helping to shape certain image aspects of the White House. Secondly, when she is front and center, its because 1.) the President and/or First Lady WANT her to be, or 2.) some publication is doing a feature on her. Everything she or anyone else does is APPROVED by the White House first.

Stop projecting and read a little background information on how the White House works . . .

[AudreyH]

katbrew22:
whoa...tha­t was really mean...I like her...and Michelle, actually I think Desiree is prettier than Michelle, but even so, I don't think she's the president's mistress. She's very classy and refined looking...­.and there's lots of other women who dressed well and worked behind the scenes at the White House before. This administration gets more attention because Obama is the first black president, so everything is highlighted more. You don't think other women spent a lot on their clothes, too? Of course they did. Just because Desiree and Michelle happen to have better taste in clothing besides every first lady but Jackie doesn't mean they are wasting all the money. Other women in the white house spent a lot on clothes, too--they just didn't have taste that looked like it.

[Lee Andrew]

She earned her money the old fashion way a la DIVORCE nothing wrong with that. Represent it you swxy brown sugar. :)

[HypocriticalSpamazon]

Sure. If you call having an MBA from Harward and being president of Fortune 500 companies divorce.

[alby91]

you tell em

[sf girl]

When Rogers smiles she looks nice, when she's not smiling I honestly don't think she looks very warm or pretty. That is neither here not there but I don't understand why she is getting so much media attention. When she first came on the D.C. scene I was impressed by her but now I'm over it. Don't know why.

[coco51]

so why mention it if it's neither here nor there? You could have just not written anything, how's that.

[sf girl]

Because I wanted to. How's that?

[rsprags]

You would go nuts if someone made the same statement about you that you just made concerning Desiree . Your observation is very immature and petite - this type of foolishness is what keep women in the position that some of us are in as it relates to business and personal relationship!

This women ran and still own a billion dollar company and as a woman this is all you can concentrate on is her smile not appealing to you sometime- WOW, Jealousy is a terrible negatitive emotion to carry around!

[sf girl]

Haha, I'm not jealous at all. And if you met me you'd know that to be true. I just said the woman looks nice when she smiles. I didn't slam her character or say she's a bad person. I'm just over the coverage of her and I have every right to be. What do her accomplishments have anything to do with the media attention she's getting? None. Calm down and stop judging.

[ChoppyBob]

Wouldn't a President's *social secretary* naturally get media attention?

[sf girl]

No, not necessarily. When was the last time you saw a previous president's social secretary in the front row at Fashion Week or in every fashion magazine out there. It's not normal at all.

[tel8034]

"Insiders think Michigan Avenue omission is intended to tone down her glamor girl image, which could be considered inappropriate for White House employee during a recession.­"

Ronald Reagan left this country in a recession ..........­...... But NO-ONE ever complained (and still do not complain) about Nancy Reagan's expensive designer clothes.

No-one ever complained about the price of Laura Bush's designer clothes, and it was HER husband was responsible for the current WORLD recession.

Cindy McCain wore almost a $500,000 designer ensemble (clothes, jewelry, shoes) for a SINGLE event at the GOP convention, and no-one batted an eye.

Sarah Palin was given a $180,000 designer wardrobe for a mere 4 weeks of appearances, but that was OK for the rethugs.

Desiree Rogers spends HER MONEY for the clothes SHE LIKES, and it's a problem?

Would people be happier if Desiree shows up for work at the White House in a "MAMMY" outfit ?

Are wealthy republicans the ONLY people allowed to spend their money as they see fit? Are wealthy republicans the ONLY people allowed to wear expensive clothes?

Are the "Huxtables" the ONLY black family who are allowed 2 edcuated and successfuly professional parents, the ONLY black family with money, the ONLY black family who wears expensive clothes, the ONLY black family living the "good" life? ..........­... NEWS FLASH .......... THERE ARE MANY REAL LIFE HUXTABLE FAMILIES IN AMERICA.

Desiree Rogers should continue to spend HER money as she sees fit ..........­..... Let the haters stew in their envy.

[coco51]

Yes! they want her and Mrs. Obama to dress like mammies!! don't you know it's the only look black women wear well?

[Dr Manhattan]

Don't mention fashion, Michelle Obama and Desiree Rogers in the same sentence. Michelle is definitively the odd person out.

[MrsVantini]

As long as she is paying fair retail for her clothes & jewellery and i have no reason to assume not, I have no issue.

As for all the rest mentioned, Laura Bush & Cindy McCain either have by themself or by their family, can afford it, so once again, no issue.

For for the GOP to spend that much on clothes for Sarah Palin, here I took issue as for the most part, these were not clothes that she could afford on her own or by her family.

And last but not least, there was quite a hullabaloo during Reagan's first term over Mrs Reagan's wardrobe and it had naught to do with any recession and more to do (if I recall correctly) everything to do with the fact that they were either gifted to her by the designers or she paid some ridiculously low price.

[tel8034]

So what is your issue?....­..........­.... That Desiree Rogers because of who she is shouldn't be able to spend her money on clothes she likes, and can afford?

Just like Cindy and Laura, Desiree CAN AFFORD THE CLOTHES SHE WEARS.

I'm sure if Desiree was receiving deep discounts, or were given clothes as gifts as you claim that Nancy did, there would be a hullabaloo over that, and charges against her of conflict of interest.

As I said before there are MANY HUXTABLE FAMILIES in the USA ..........­... Accept that and get over it..

[CitizenKane16]

"Let the haters stew in their envy."

And they are doing a fine job of it.

[verycold]

I think she looks sharp. Fashion sense is just her thing. Some have it, some don't. Most don't care. It sure beats the heck out of the hippie movement when everybody stunk and looked like they didn't own anything that was shredded.

[Michele Himmel]

Why are the employees getting star billing? Social secretary especially. They keep it up and one day Michelle will be like princess Diana with her nanny. Nannys position went to her head and Diana aptly remarked "who does she think she is?" Fired.....­.......

[montecarlo408]

The difference is that Rogers left a very lucrative career for her stint in public service. She doesn't need the Obama's to be well-known. She was already well-known.

[HypocriticalSpamazon]

Not to mention to Michelle and Desiree have been friends for 10-15 years.

[coco51]

I see you have your hater hat on today! like every other, doesn't it ever get too tight being under there!

[PlanoBlue]

I guess goopers would have FLOTUS' social secretary dressed in potato sacks and jeebus sandals with socks in order to maintain their level of sophistica­tion......­.......

[PlanoBlue]

Maybe she could knock a couple of teeth out to accessoriz­e.........­...