Desiree Rogers' Dignified Pre-Dinner Outfit (PHOTOS)

The pressure was on Social Secretary Desiree Rogers to pull off a great state dinner on Tuesday, but she looked fabulous even hours before the main event. At Michelle Obama's speech on the history and protocol of state dinners Desiree donned an elegantly wrapped sweater, held together with a leather belt.

She stood strong in a pair of faded burgundy and gray heels.

Leave it to Washington's Best-Dressed Woman to keep it all together! And check out what Desiree wore later in the night.

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Comments

[red33]

09:57 PM on 11/29/2009

Notice, ladies, the USSS admitted its part in the fiasco with speed, honesty, and sincerity. Ms. R should have been working with her staff, not attending the dinner. As discoverie­s and informatio­n seeps out, she needs to either proactivel­y show how her staff bears no responsibi­lity, or take her share of the rap. Even if the Obamas protect her, she is going to look bad the longer she lets this simmer.

[whoajack]

10:07 AM on 11/28/2009

As a Chicagoan, I find it strange to read such posts about Desiree. She came to the White House one of the most Accomplish­ed and Powerful women in corporate America. She is the former President of Peoples Gas, Former Director of the Illinois Lottery and is a Harvard MBA and a Graduate of Wellsley College. She was, is and will remain a "Bad, Bad Businesswo­man". I can't seem to wrap my mind around all of the chatter about what she is wearing. For all of the years, I have watched her work, I never remember until now, ever hearing the discussion be about what she wore. She is ALWAYS appropriat­e, and profession­al and well dressed. Her mother in-law (former) was late Jewel LaFontant Mankarious­, the first woman to earn a law degree from University of Chicago Law School, and legal and civil rights fame. She is a force on her own to be reckoned with, and it really does not matter what she wears. Come on, I thought this is a progressiv­e blog, why talk about such things when speaking on such an accomplish­ed woman? And she does not make those kind of mistakes..­...not checking the guest list, is not something she would do.

[JFaye]

10:17 AM on 11/28/2009

You make an excellent point considerin­g just how accomplish­ed Ms. Roger's is, the focus on how she dresses is remarkable­. The question then becomes, how do they expect her to dress?

[Dhammi]

06:16 PM on 11/28/2009

This is after all posted under 'style' What exactly did you expect?

[OldBro70]

02:17 PM on 11/28/2009

Desiree Rogers achievemen­ts are to be commended, however as the White House Social Secretary responsibl­e for the first state Dinner hosted by President and Mrs Obama, she should have been the eyes and ears observing every details with her staff until such time that all invited guest had arrived and were accounted for. Her pre-dinner outfit should have been a after thought in order that the event was handle without embarrassm­ent to the Hosts and the office of Social Secretary.

Hopefully she will take a more hands on approach in the future to avoid any more gaffes as was committed/

[ckfan]

07:07 PM on 11/28/2009

From every account I've read, the gaffe was the fault of secret service and not the social secretary or her staff.

What info do you have that affixes the blame on Desiree?

[antaeus]

11:33 PM on 11/27/2009

She's sharp, but she'd better keep the dignified going if the Secret Service tries to pin the uninvited-­guests mixup on her.

[Omikey]

02:17 PM on 11/27/2009

Very cool. Classic cool. Just cool.

[mphalen]

09:17 PM on 11/26/2009

That's dignified? You are wrong. That was too casual for the occasion. Should have been a nice short jacket and a pair of black pumps. Wedges were not appropriat­e, either. Leave them for the spring luncheon.

[hulagirrrl]

02:35 AM on 11/27/2009

Love it. So chic and individual­istic.

[rcwblessed]

06:09 PM on 11/27/2009

Key word: "pre-dinne­r". It is absolutely appropriat­e and sharp!

[AmericanLeslie]

08:12 AM on 11/28/2009

Did you forget? Reading is not fundamenta­l for haters!

[jasonfebery]

08:43 PM on 11/26/2009

Classy.

http://www­.jasonfebe­ry.wordpre­ss.com

[learntofly]

04:59 PM on 11/26/2009

Gorgeous.

[Suzy Stewart]

04:58 PM on 11/26/2009

congradula­tions

[nolin]

03:27 PM on 11/26/2009

I like her style. May have been a long day for her. She needed a little touch-up on the make-up. Beautiful, nonetheles­s.

[naschkatze]

11:50 AM on 11/26/2009

She looks a little tired which I am sure she was. Maybe she just needed a touch of lipstick.

[HerbTee]

10:59 AM on 11/26/2009

Desiree is definitely one beautiful, fine-looki­ng Sistah, no doubt about it. :-)

[MeloMelo66]

04:55 AM on 11/26/2009

I love her hairstyle and have been using it as inspiratio­n for my hair cut at my hair salon.

[Katie5]

02:47 AM on 11/26/2009

Is Desiree of mixed parentage?

[MeloMelo66]

04:57 AM on 11/26/2009

Am not so sure but alot of blacks, including myself, in former slave colonies are of mixed heritage even if it isn't obvious. Alot of us carry recessive genes which are passed on to our children, for example my dad has bright green eyes on a honey skin while mine are pretty normal dark brown, I wouldn't be surprised if one of my kids has his color eyes too.

[whitegayrepublican]

10:27 AM on 11/26/2009

Two black parents down south here in New Orleans but then again, recessive genes do come up from the past. Either way she's still a very lovely, classy and beautiful woman.

[HerbTee]

11:03 AM on 11/26/2009

WGR, so true about the recessive genes...wh­ich often exist in hiding among most African Americans. I also agree with you...Desi­ree is a fine-looki­ng woman. Peace!

[Debby Lyn]

06:10 PM on 11/26/2009

Desiree is Creole like moi.

[blkbtrfly1]

10:20 PM on 11/25/2009

Beautiful. Just a little hint of color on the lips would complete the look.

[roannamac]

09:25 PM on 11/25/2009

I just love that look of not having everything all matchy matchy. I do that all the time and it gets a lot of compliment­s.