Editor's Note: In honor of the one year anniversary of Barack Obama's election, we thought it would be fitting to re-publish this defense of Michelle Obama's controversial election night dress. It originally ran on November 5th, 2008. Read designer Narciso Rodriguez's thoughts on the frock here.
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."
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.
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Narciso Rodriguez was already an established designer and sartorial tour de force before the First Lady was photographed wearing his dresses.
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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!
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.
It's so good to see someone wear something else than suits!
Also the design made her hips look very WIDE. We'll forgive you on this one. Im sure you will dazzle on inauguration day.....
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!
But who cares. I wept anyway.