Voolavex

I love Michelle and Barack Obama.  I think their two daughters are wonderful and I am one of the happy people who voted all of them into the White House.  Sasha and Malia may be in a goldfish bowl – but the experience ahead of them is going to be so important not only for them but for so many little girls growing up worldwide that it thrills me to think about it. I am proud and happy to be an American in an Obama America. Our president, who has a plateful of nasty leftovers to digest is a good man for this country.  He and his wife have a relationship that is both honest and inspirational and should make us all proud.  Having said all this – I don’t think Michelle is a style icon. 

 

Michelle Obama – tall and athletic and frankly quite lovely to see, needs to get a good stylist to tweak her wardrobe so that nothing but oohs and ahhs will be heard when she appears.  So far it’s not quite right.  The G-20 trip had some serious faux pas and I am not sure why.  I should say too, that Mrs. Obama brings Princess Diana to mind.  And we all watched Diana go through similar missteps as her elegant and breathtaking style finally evolved – too short a time to mature into mid-life – but it did finally let out its own breath.   Michelle – starting out a good deal older – should be allowed the same space, yet her time is limited by the immediacy of her position and term limits.  I have loved some of her choices but she is clearly not a woman who looks good in anything too frilly or sparkly.  Fussy prints do nothing to show us her sleek figure and fabulous energy.  Jewel tones age her.  As an African American woman she can carry off bolder patterns and bright colors – but the bright colors should not be confused with the Lane Bryant version of jewel tones –  those that are frankly designed to busy the eye and move it from a tummy or hip or portentous bosom.  Michelle doesn’t need the eye to move anywhere but up and down in admiration.  She is quite frankly “built” and she has the shape of a beautiful woman of color – curvy and luscious and refreshing.  I think J. Crew and its sister looks are good ones for her.  Black dresses, basic shapes and preppy looks befitting an Ivy league woman.  I love her shoes in particular – but she needs someone like Ralph Lauren or Calvin Klein to kit her out for big events.  For daytimes she cries out for cleaner lines, solid colors and lots of warming corals, yellows, good reds and white.  Lots of white.  Sparkles and spangles belong around her neck and on her ears.  Some of her clothes are frankly cheesy looking.  Young designers included.  Her tall figure is the kind that designers crave and the ones she loves should exalt that height to her advantage.  In my opinion there is not much one can wear to meet the Queen that is okay.  HRM dresses her age and her bra size and I saw nothing wrong with Michelle’s black and white outfit.  I loved the black coat and the chartreuse ensemble she wore was  gorgeous.  Argyle though, belongs with pleated skirts.  That dippy little fuchsia flowered suit was just that – dippy.  But to be fair I didn’t love Carla Bruni’s get up either.  Our First Lady is clearly a woman with her own idea of what she likes to wear – but  since she is dressing for the world, her clothes fall under scrutiny and she could use some help.  I suspect she will get it sooner than later and I suspect when she does  we will all be trying for the Michelle look.