The Narciso Rodriguez dress fashionistas can't stop talking about—and a photo gallery of Michelle's most elegant outfits from the trail.
Last night, as Barack took the stage to announce that “Yes, We Did,” Michelle was by his side, looking—as always—elegant, regal, and like the most fashionable first lady to take the White House since Camelot. But was her Narciso Rodriguez ensemble (from his spring 2009 collection, not even in stores yet) a little too fashion forward? With the lacy material, red fading into black, the cross-sheathing across the torso, and the cardigan topper, there was just a whole lot of dress going on. It was at once a more subdued color palette than her normal jewel tones and seemed too on-trend to match the timeless moment of Barack’s landslide. We are thrilled to have a stylish woman. in the White House again, and cannot wait for the days when little girls look to the presidential wife, rather than MTV, for sartorial inspiration. But we hope Michelle returns to her classic attire—she wears a form-fitting sheath dress like no one else—and stays true to her ageless ensembles. Obama’s nuclear family will be four of the most closely watched people in America for the next four years. Will we want to look back on the photos decades from now and say, “That dress is so 2008?” In the gallery, we look back on some of Michelle’s more successful get-ups.
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John P. Avlon is the author of Independent Nation: How Centrists Can Change American Politics. He writes a weekly column for The Daily Beast and is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. Previously, he served as Chief Speechwriter for New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and was a columnist and associate editor for The New York Sun.
Max Blumenthal is a senior writer for The Daily Beast and writing fellow at The Nation Institute, whose book, Republican Gomorrah (Basic/Nation Books), is forthcoming in Spring 2009. Contact him at maxblumenthal3000@yahoo.com.
The Daily Beast is dedicated to news and commentary, culture, and entertainment. We carefully curate the web’s most essential stories and bring you original must-reads from our talented contributors.
Kevin Buckley was a reporter and Saigon bureau chief for Newsweek between 1968 and 1972. He is the author of Panama—The Whole Story (Simon & Schuster, 1991). He is a contributing editor of Playboy and an adjunct professor at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Michael O'Hanlon specializes in national security policy at the Brookings Institution. He is senior author of the Iraq Index. As a defense budget analyst, he advised members of Congress on military spending.
Abby Ellin regularly writes the "Vows" column for the New York Times, and previously wrote the "Preludes" column for that newspaper about young people and money. Her work has appeared in a range of publications, including Time, Marie Claire, More, Self and Glamour. She is the author of Teenage Waistland, but her greatest claim to fame is naming “Karamel Sutra” ice cream for Ben and Jerry's.
The Daily Beast is dedicated to news and commentary, culture, and entertainment. We carefully curate the web’s most essential stories and bring you original must-reads from our talented contributors.
The Daily Beast is dedicated to news and commentary, culture, and entertainment. We carefully curate the web’s most essential stories and bring you original must-reads from our talented contributors.
The Daily Beast is dedicated to news and commentary, culture, and entertainment. We carefully curate the web’s most essential stories and bring you original must-reads from our talented contributors.
The Narciso Rodriguez dress was a great choice!
I thought the entire family looked elegant-their clothes appeared carefully color-coordinated- however, I agree Michelle could have done without the X in the middle of her otherwise lovely red and black dress.
Narciso Rodriguez is my fave designer--bar none--but the silhouette was not particularly flattering to gorgeous Michelle IMHO. Methinks the lady could use a stylist.
I disagree with Michelle's choice for this momentous night. In the profile angles, the red jumped out and made her look like a bumblebee, albeit with red and black stripes!
I thought the dress rocked and as a jewelry designer, thought the earrings were fierce!
A firstlady with a fashion eye it's about time. Excellent choice on the Rodriguez dress.
You forgot her most beautiful look- the gorgeous turquoise dress she wore on the Colbert Report.
Such a classy lady, can't wait to see the style picks for the next 4 years!
Lose the dress, Michelle! Let's call What Not to Wesr from now on. You gotta live up to your amazing first name....
I can't believe none of you have commented on Bush calling Mrs. O, "your good bride". WTF?
She wore two to-die-for dresses at the convention : a blue one with large details at the neck and later on a beige one with short sleeves, when her hair was in a bun. The pearls she wore at the last debate were absolutely dreamy, they had large flowers in the strand. She should wear her dresses more than once, she could create a trend with the fancy set. Oh, and I love the broach thing with the twin set like she did on Leno. Can't wait to see her again!
What am I missing here? Her fashion sense leaves MUCH to be desired! Lets talk elegant, stylish and just downright gorgeous - take a tip from Cindy McCain, Michelle!
I thought the best dressed woman on the stage after Obama's acceptance speech was Biden's mother. Sure, the other women looked great (Michelle, Michelle's mother, the girls), but Mrs Biden rocked. She was perfectly appropriate for her age and her role/position and that color drew your eyes to her immediately even though she's tiny and could have easily been lost in the crowd.
Thanks for informing me on who was the great designer on this fabulous dress.....but loved the earrings....who designed them?
Michelle Obama ROCKS!!!! (So does the President-elect and their girls. All fabulous.)
HOWEVER, I don't want to offend anyone, but I think perhaps the Narciso Rodriguez black and red dress didn't transmit well on TV. The photo here looks better, but this wasn't a dress that worked for the occasion. As TimGunn would say, "That's a lotta look.
The dress looks great in 2-D print which is probably how it was selected. It was simply not a good choice for 3D live TV but give the lady some credit, she's got Style!
I'm amazed that so many of you think michelle so well dressed. Wearing expensive and designer labelled clothes doesn't make you well dressed ie elegant and stylish. michelle generally looks dowdy and chooses clothes that wear her and not the other way round. she is dominated by her clothes. who on earth is advising her? they are doing a lousy job. perhaps she should be left to dress herself.
Michelle will make a fantastic first lady, one we can all be proud of. However, I thought the dress was awful. The red blotches made her look like a target. She looks best in sleek dresses that are one color. She would also look great in suits.
The First Family-elect, all coordinated in dramatic black with accents of passionate red (what a great choice for a night event on an outside stage), all looked stunning at the acceptance speech --- except for, I'm afraid, Michelle. I was aghast when she came out looking as though she had been in a paint-ball battle --- and been wounded, twice! (Sorry, Mr Rodriguez.) But she has on all other occasions looked stunning, so I'm sure she'll back on top of her game soon. And let's give her credit for boldness and daring in style, sort of refreshing for first ladies.
Thank God, though, that for the next 4-8 years we won't have to endure Mrs. Clinton's wedgy, monochromatic pant suits (at least in the White House)! If Hillary does make it there in 2012, I'm sure she'll look like Queen Elizabeth II if Her Majesty were given a severe feminist makeover (that would certainly exclude the tiara and the hand bouquet, of course) ..
the dress was not appropriate for this momentous event although i dislike it less the more i see it. 'what is she wearing' was my first reaction. it looks like a bad knockoff of the design on the model. also i don't like dressing young children in black. they are a beautiful family but have not really found their style. except for the president elect of course, he's impeccable.
That dress looked as if it was worn at a slaughter house...Fashion? Perhaps....
She looked good. Only one suggestion... work on the posture.
michelle has no great taste yet.
armani should look good on her.
probably kalvin klein, if it needs to be an american designer.
she also should not straiten her hair.
children also should leave hair natural
Everyone talks about this woman's clothes. I don't believe she is a fashion icon by any means and everyone should stop comapring her to Jackie O. But more importantly, people "love" her clothes, but no one is remarking about how AWFUL HER SHOE PICKS are. SHe wears the worst SENSIBLE, UN-SEXY shoes I ever seen. I know she is tall and she is avoiding looking too tall, but come on. I am her height and I have no reservation throwing on a nice pair of 3 inch shoes, boots are otherwise. What tall women don't understand, when you wear flat shoes, it ruins the outfit and makes you look even taller and goofier. Heels gives you a presence and makes you look refined, elegant and confident.
Black is the new color for spring. Black and white with touches of red.
The red and black dress caught the light wrong. This is the first, first lady in ages to wear large jewelry pieces and not just that little string of pearls.
Anyone who thinks she is dowdy did not see that wow red dress she wore to meet the Bushes.
Thank you.
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