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7 Reasons Michelle Obama Outshined Carla Bruni
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Sipa / AP Photo
The Obamas' first overseas trip will have lasting impact on the first lady's legacy—here's why she resonated in Europe.
1) SHE INTIMIDATED CARLA
Carla Bruni’s absence in London meant it was Michelle’s time to shine. Of course, there were the Parisian mauvaise langues who claimed that the media-savvy Carla knew that she couldn't top last year's performance and wanted to avoid comparison to Michelle...
2) SHE SHOWED COURAGE
Michelle has won over the French. They appreciate that she's good-natured, dynamic, and trained as a lawyer—law being next to politics in France. There were a few squawks about her touching the Queen's back—zut alors! But they find her very warm and vrai. And vrai is the mood in Paris at the moment, with smart people giving dinners in the kitchen.
3) SHE’S A NEW BREED
Major bravos for her natural smile, big white American teeth and fit, strong body that isn’t starved. Having heaps of inner glamour, Michelle has finally broken the Jackie Kennedy myth. Jackie was geisha-like, chic but cheated on. And with high-profile politicians like Rachida Dati having babies out of wedlock, female submissiveness is very old guard and out in France. Michelle, on the other hand, represents the new guard. Viewed as an equal by her husband (considered rock star-like over here), she glows and has his love and respect.
4) HER STYLE IS NEW
Michelle won for being fresh and original. She was praised for wearing what she wants and what she senses suits her. Big labels (Oscar, Calvin, Donna), be damned! A cardigan to Buckingham Palace, she felt comfortable. Bare arms in April—why not when they’re toned? Carla's Dior convent-girl look, however, is getting tired. As one wag put it, "she's like the former showgirl who wants to win over her bourgeois belle-mère (mother-in-law)—ça suffit!' The fact that Michelle wore Azzedine Alaia twice—considered today’s designer du jour—suggests that she's more fashion forward than Carla. Weird when Carla used to model for Alaia and wear him a lot.
Carla's choice of a mouse-gray suede Dior coat with pussycat bow was dismissed as dowdy. Michelle's Thakoon coat and dress outfit was praised as a sharp, well-cut upper. There again, the following morning, Carla got a thumbs up for her lilac Dior coat—it had swing and suited her complexion—whereas Michelle’s choice of cropped Alaia jacket with Gunex’s pants did nothing for her shapely derrière. Note to MO—next time a skirt!
5) CARLA CAN LEARN FROM MICHELLE
Carla is a great girlfriend (as long as she isn't after your man!) Very loyal, she hasn't dropped any of her old friends since becoming first lady. Appointing herself as Michelle’s translator was quick way to get acquainted. Judging from their first "cozy chat" photo, Michelle seemed keen and was stretched forward whereas the coltish Carla initially looked a little stiff. If this relationship grows, Michelle could help with Carla’s public speaking. Although an entertaining interviewee, her first AIDS speech screamed "room for improvement."
6) MICHELLE “GETS IT”
Michelle’s gift of an acoustic Gibson guitar to the pop-singing Carla sent France’s radio into a furor. They described it as charming, hip, and assez amusant.
7) MICHELLE IS A LADY
A brief exchange with President Sarkozy made Michelle blush. That's appreciated too: that she’s accessible but capable of being taken aback.
VIVE MICHELLE
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Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
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Martin Jacques is the cofounder of the UK think tank Demos, writes a regular column for The Guardian, and is a visiting research fellow at the London School of Economics Asia Research Centre. His new book, When China Rules the World, is available now.
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Christopher Buckley's books include Supreme Courtship, The White House Mess, Thank You for Smoking, Little Green Men, and Florence of Arabia. He was chief speechwriter for Vice President George H.W. Bush, and is editor-at-large of ForbesLife magazine. His new book is Losing Mum and Pup, a memoir. Buckley's Daily Beast column is the winner of an Online Journalism Award in the category of Online Commentary.
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Based in Paris, Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni freelances for the International Herald Tribune, English Vogue, Elle Decor, Glamour, the Times Magazine (UK) and is the author of Sam Spiegel—The Biography of a Hollywood Legend, published in 2003.
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Based in Paris, Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni freelances for the International Herald Tribune, English Vogue, Elle Decor, Glamour, the Times Magazine (UK) and is the author of Sam Spiegel—The Biography of a Hollywood Legend, published in 2003.
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Based in Paris, Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni freelances for the International Herald Tribune, English Vogue, Elle Decor, Glamour, the Times Magazine (UK) and is the author of Sam Spiegel—The Biography of a Hollywood Legend, published in 2003.
Wow, substitute Zac Efron for Michelle and Hannah Montana for Carla and this would be a great article for Tiger Beat! About what I've come to expect from The Daily Blegh...
One reason this article sucked... it reduced the First Lady to being a character in a Tiger Beat article.
Why does one have to win and one to lose -- other than in a so-called "news" article, that is? Can't both women be accomplished, modern, confident...in their respective cultures without having to turn this into an implied cat fight?
This is the kind of immature writing that gets America a black eye abroad. We do not have to be "first" or "best" in everything -- and aren't.
Other countries and cultures -- from which we draw our citizens -- were here long before the U.S. was. Let's develop a civil discourse with them instead of flaunting teenage journalism. This doesn't deserve space in The Daily Beast.
You are so right, sippewissett - comparisons are odious, and make the comparer look foolish and provincial, while denigrating individual style. In the case of these two women, each of them has great personal style, and style is not about comparison. (Incidentally, the word "outshined" doesn't exist - the correct expression is "outshone".)
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Ummmm. How, exactly, does one tell when Lady MacBama blushes?
I dunno that I care that Michelle "won over the French".
On the face of it, the statement is stupid and a fraud. You are telling me you have the insight and knowledge to speak for every French person? How stupid do you think I am? I was married for almost 29 years and I couldn't speak for my ex with any reliability at any time over that stretch. This reporter speaks for France? I think not.
Tiger Beat, indeed, same level of understanding and knowledge. This is PR, not informed reporting...just more of the slobbering love affair of media idiots with Obama.
You would think someone bloviating this way would have some tiny sense of how ludicrous they sound...obviously no ability for objective self-reflection somewhere in the chain between "reporter" and publisher.
Yeah, Michelle, the average-looking American woman totally outshone that supermodel.
Also, Obama can totally run faster than Usain Bolt, and he is smarter than Einstein, and he is more ruggedly handsome than Sean Connery at his prime...
I mean, since we're lying; why not go full bore. Since nobody will ever call us on making up implausible bullcrap; why go small? Go big or go home.
Sure if you wanted to keep some credibility you might tone it down and restrict yourself to "factual information"; but since that wasn't an option (obviously) why bother with these artificial and useless limits.
Obama can fly like superman, and he can see the future. No really, he totally can.
This daily dose of fawning over Michelle is sickening.
Perhaps you are competing with the British tabloids?
...calm down guys. not every story on the website is going to be hard hitting exposes about everything we loath.
fluff peices have their place in the news too, and this was an entertaining thing to read.
Thank you.
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