Michelle Obama's Election-Night Dress
Future First Lady's Outfit Supports Another U.S. Fashion Designer
Nov 5, 2008
Whilst hearty congratulations were in order for the soon-to-be first lady and her history-making husband, president-elect Barack Obama, Michelle Obama’s unusual election-night dress by Narcisco Rodriquez drew mixed reactions.
Michelle Obama's Fashion Style
Now well on the way to establishing herself as the next first lady of fashion, Michelle Obama is to dresses what Hillary Clinton is to pantsuits. Her much touted Jackie-O style has been acclaimed by much of the fashion press. In an interview with US magazine, September 5, 2008, Nina Garcia, fashion director of Elle and Project Runway judge says of her style, “Michelle is an elegant Jackie-O type. She channels the 50s and 60s.”
Says Amy Collins, special correspondent to Vanity Fair, “She has the kind of style which is accessible and also spans generations. It appeals to young girls and their grandmothers; it translates across class lines and racial lines.”
Obama Supports American Fashion Designers
Michelle has a tendency to favor simple sheath dresses, streamlined silhouettes and gum-ball sized pearls. Both she and Barack have made a point of using American designers (local, Chicago-based Maria Pinto designed her DNC-speech turquoise dress). On the night Barack made his big speech at the DNC, she chose a creation by Thai-born American designer Thakoon Panichgul, . The black, red and lavender print dress, which came from Thakoon’s Resort 2009 collection, showed off Michelle’s enviable muscular build. Even style guru Tim Gunn remarked in the Toronto Star article “Fashion is Political”, September 9, 2008, (thestar.com) as saying “Michelle was not afraid to show her shape.”
Michelle has also been commended for her economy-chic style. Mickey Blum, director of survey research at Baruch College says “ Michelle Obama dresses in clothes that seem much more accessible to ordinary women and working moms.” Michelle wore a $149 Donna Rico dress for her appearance on The View, which sent many women running to the stores to snap-up the same.
On October 27th, in an interview with Jay Leno of The Tonight Show, when the topic of the GOP's controversial $150,000 expenditure for Sarah Palin's wardrobe was raised, Leno asked about the yellow ($340) J Crew outfit Michelle was wearing. She admitted to clothes shopping online.
Michelle Obama’s Election Night Dress
Currently the jury is still out on her unconventional election-night dress. Created by New York fashion designer Narciso Rodriquez, from his Spring 2009 collection, this dress was stunning, unexpected and right-on-trend. The criss-cross black satin cummerbund at the waist wasn’t particularly flattering to her figure, but she and her daughters looked understandably radiant none-the-less. However, LA Times blogger, Elizabeth Snead refered to the dress as "disastrous," in her Dish Rag blog of November 5, 2008, titled "Who designed Michelle Obama's dress for election night?" In it Snead likened the Rodriquez dress to a Halloween costume.
No matter what views emerge on “the dress”, Michelle is to be commended for choosing to move away from the traditional safety of well-known high-end labels such as Oscar de la Renta, favored by other (would-be) first ladies like Laura Bush, Nancy Regan and Cindy McCain.
Katrina Szish of Instyle Magazine was one of the first to comment on the dress. “Michelle Obama made fashion history last night…. America, get ready to see what a true modern style icon is about.”
The fashion industry, forever in search of a new fashion icon, waits with bated breath!
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