Michelle Obama's Dress: In Defense Of Her Decision

Good morning! Happy Wednesday! Happy Hangovers!, etc, et al. I know it's a good day because everyone's favorite candidate won and people were dancing in the streets like it was 1964 and you're probably nursing a hangover that for the first time in your life you're actually happy to have. So, congratulations!

But I've got some bad news. There are some Debbie Downers out there that in spite of all that is good and in spite of all that is finally, truly, hopefully right in this world, have found something - gasp! - wrong with last night.

Namely: Michelle Obama's dress. (And that right there is a handy link to our Election Night PDA slideshow which -- as it happens -- does a nice job of showcasing both the presidential love the newly-elects have for each other and Michelle's garment quite nicely.)

PopCrunch gives it an "Eh.", Half of Tumblr is calling for the head of Michelle Obama's stylist, and I am clearly prone to exaggeration.

So, what's the big problem? Well, as a friend so eloquently put it: "It looked like someone puked spaghetti on it."

Images: Getty, Imaxtree - via NY Mag

I politely disagree. The dress, which is from Narciso Rodriguez's Spring 2009 collection and which, incidentally and according to NY Mag was "one of the most critically acclaimed of New York Fashion Week" is abso-effing-lutely stunning. At least NY Mag's fashion sense is still decidedly sane.

But all of this begs the question: if the dress was so popular on the runway, why is it now causing the blogosphere such grief? Is it that we are so unaccustomed to a presidential wife and/or political female wearing anything other than the infamous pant and/or skirt suit that we lose our heads over what I would argue is not even a chance-y choice? (Which, while we're on the topic, is yet another barrier Barack broke on his way to the presidency: a rogue, if you will, dresser of a wife!)

The dress was utterly flattering with it's black criss-cross waist (Helpful Fashion Tip: Darker colors around your midsection give the nice illusion of a whittled waist, not that Michelle needs any help in that department!) and the elongating blend of red into black delightfully accentuated her statuesque stature. And mostly, it was interesting to look at. Which is something to be said with regards to the usual wallflower role to which First Ladies are usually relegated - a role to which I'd imagine Michelle Obama would not take kindly, dress or no dress. God, I love her.

And so, that's all there really is to say. While I respect the voices of dissent (to each their own, to-may-toe, to-mah-toe, etc), I felt it was my civic duty to defend Michelle's dress - and defend it I have. The Style page has already devoted plenty of coverage to the sheer genius of Mrs. Obama's wardrobe (Thakoon, anybody?) so I won't blather on. Which brings us to the most important question of all: What do you think?

PS. One last thing! Did you see how well they all matched? Swoon.

Comments

[sowhatdemos]

Michelle is secure in her own skin. She doesn't lose sleep over what we think of her wardrobe. We should'nt either...ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

[sowhatdemos]

I liked her dress! She also coordinates her children's outfits with her's & Barack's choices. The reason the runway dress was better received was the see through nature. Michelle made a revealing dress look acceptable and ladylike (Christian) and got slammed, damn!
I love this woman and people better get ready 'cause the lady wears what she wants and she is a force to be reckoned with.
And finally, an intelligent president who talks in complete sentences!

[RoseMary2008]

Michelle Obama is a beautiful, stylish woman. But the front of that black & red dress made her look like a Black Widow spider!

[littlepuffycloud]

I love that Michelle takes risks and wears what SHE likes..but then again I just love Michelle and think she is beautiful inside and out and she can wear whatever she wants. I love her.

[Kim Mance - Huffpost Blogger]

Was in Grant Park that night, loved the dress in person and on TV. Naysayers just wanted to have something to say. Whatevs.

[honeydiva]

as a stylist, i loved the dress; you need a little daring and imagination to wear the dress. she's a trend setter. some folks are lemmings and don"t have a sense of themselves when it comes to fashion.

[RealHRCFansVoteObama]

Google Michelle Obama and the first ads that come up are usually from White House/Black Market, Target, or J.Crew.

All of them make some reference to some outfit she wore on some show. And if she generates as many sales with each appearance as she did when she went on the View, she can single-handedly end this recession.

I would love to have her wear one of my designs. She makes outfits look cool, and, even more important, she makes people think they could look cool in the same outfit because she is so down-to-earth.

[AZ4thatone]

Although this dress wasn't my favorite of all the outfits I've seen Michelle Obama in, I'd give her an A+ for the look of the family unit as a whole. It was a nice dress, just not spectacular. Perhaps she didn't want to overshadow her handsome, presidential looking husband.

[Aline Binette]

I can live with that. I agree she does not look good in flowered prints. The turquoise dress she wore at the convention was stunning.

It's so good to see someone wear something else than suits!

[wanked]

Michelle Obama always looks stunning, however I thought the sweater did NOT work with the dress.
Also the design made her hips look very WIDE. We'll forgive you on this one. Im sure you will dazzle on inauguration day.....

[Pupadup4oBama]

I agree about the sweater - it actually covered the dress up a little too much and it gave her a more boxy look which kind of went against the whole idea of the dress cinching in at the waist to give her a more slimming effect.
Her hips looked very wide, and not that there's anything wrong with that - because hips are curves and curves are hot - I just think there was something else she should have done with it, but I'm not sure what.
I did, however, love the effect of the whole family together - the girls looked adorable, and while I'm not a fan of little girls wearing black (something my mother was very adamantly against when I was a child) I thought it was girly enough - especially with the tights and the black mary janes.
All in all though - i like Michelle's style - she seems like she feels comfortable in whatever she wears, and even for a big girl she comes off as smart, sophisticated and feminine.

Love her!

[jeniferdaniels]

I didn't like the sweater either but I guess it was chilly...maybe they could have made some sleeves on it

[Yuma]

Hate it!

[Yuma]

I did not like the dress.

[cylindar]

She could wear a plastic garbage bag and I would still love her. Actually she is a fashion maker. Some people just have the ability to make cool whatever it is they are wearing, and she has that capability.

[sowhatdemos]

So true!!

[FdeBear]

Loved the shape of the dress, but the pattern made her look like a lava lamp. Oh well...it didn't dampen my joy.

[OtayPanky]

It made her look like a character from Marvel comix.

But who cares. I wept anyway.