Last night was only the second formal state dinner of the Obama Administration, and it is the first black-tie event since the somewhat over-played disaster of the first state dinner last fall, in which those dumbass party-crashers became the story. From what I can tell, at last night’s dinner for the Mexican president and first lady (Felipe Calderon and Margarita Zavala), everyone behaved themselves, there were no crashers and nobody got invaded.
But this is about fashion! I love love love Michelle Obama’s gorgeous Peter Soronen gown. She’s worn Soronen before, and he’s quickly becoming one of my favorites of Michelle’s favorites. Michelle is showing off her arms again, of course. And even though I’m not a general fan of the whole one-strap/one-shoulder thing, the cut of the neckline and strap compliments Michelle’s shoulders and bust, so it works on her. I’m sure there will be those who talk about the hint of cleavage – I like it, it’s sexy. She doesn’t have her boobs on a platter, she just offering the barest hint of cleavage and it’s not trashy in the least. I’m also loving Michelle’s hair for the event. In the South, we call that “having your hair twitched.” Sure, her hair looks (over) worked. But the effect is dazzling, and it softens her so much. And oh yeah, the President looks great in black tie. They really do make such an attractive (and tall) couple.
By the way, what in the Walmart nightgown hell was the Mexican First Lady wearing? That dress looks like A) cotton jersey B) budget C) horribly cut D) all of the above. Fashion fail, Margarita Zavala.
Michelle & Barack Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife Margarita Zavala at the White House on May 19, 2010. Credit: WENN.
Love the way her hair is styled! The dress, eh.. it’s alright.
Whoa Nellie, that get-up is most unfortunate.
Honestly? I think it’s kind of tacky. But I’m not a huge sparkles person. And the glitter plus the obnoxious color = tacky in my eyes.
She looks beautiful, her dress looks great, but I think her shoes are too informal for the event. In my opinion, the First Lady should wear closed toed shoes to an event like this. Just my opinion and aside from the shoes I think she looks great. I also wish that they would have altered the dress to fit her a little better under her right arm.
Her skin look amazing!
The fat or bold fold under the right arm makes the dress a fail.
She certainly looks softer than usual, though.
The color is amazing on her, and the style works too, but what’s up with the fit? The extra skin pouring over really detracts from her great arms.
I agree – great dress, great color, but a terrible fit.
I agree with the shoes being too informal and what is with her right armpit? Looks painful.
But I like the look. She really is a stunning looking woman! What a beautiful couple too.
Ugh makes me jealous. Up here in Canada, our leader looks like an android. I am convinced he is not human.
Her right armpit looks really unconfortable. The dress was probably designed to be worn a little lower, but she might have deceided to put it up to avoid too much cleavage. The designer should have made some modification to the dress for a proper fit.
The rest looks great.
I really like the dress but the strapless side needed adjusting as sunspot mentioned. Agree with Leticia, the shoes don’t really go with it 100% maybe closed toed would have been better.
She just looks young and fresh (not that Mrs Bush looked old and stuffy) and it’s great to see. Also interesting to see so many world leaders are on the shorter side…
Looks like Barbie’s fanciest party dress. Looks like the kind of dress a person might wear “Fancy Nights” to accompany their sparkly beauty. Maybe she borrowed it from Jessica?
Somebody bring me a tall glass of ice cold water please . . . and QUICK! My monitor is glowing and smokes coming out from all sides! (She looks luscious. And I love her “twitched” hair too.)
I was shocked by it at first, not realizing it was a formal shindig. I think I like the dress but hate what it’s doing to her armpit. The biggest problem, I think, is the blue eye shadow. Softer makeup with the extreme hair and dress would’ve worked better.
I think she looks gorgeous. Love the color. It really makes her skin pop. I LOVE sparkly stuff. Can’t you tell I’ve got no taste, whatsoever?
I do agree with other posters, however, in that the fit does look uncomfortable. Like the bodice is attemping to hold her up and failing.
Did First Lady Zavala really wear a basement bargain dress to a White House formal?
great…if it’s her recycled prom dress from back in the day.
I really don’t understand why Michelle Obama is constantly praised as a fashionista and this dress makes my confusion only larger:
a) it’s ill fitted, her right breast and armpit are squashed
b) that material looks like glittery rubber
c) the shoes don’t compliment the dress
d) when you wear a dress as bold as that one, tone everything else down, the hair is overdone, the sparkly earrings are too much
e) even though you can still see it on red carpets, one shoulder dresses are totally last season, sleaves are in.
She’s beautiful, but she should definitely employ a better stylist.
Edit:
f) that material looks heavy and heavy materials only make her look larger and don’t soften her at all in my opinion.
Total Hit. She looks beautiful.
She should wear her hair like that all of the time, or in a bob. I don’t like her day-to day feathered pseudo-mullet.
The dress is tacky, ugly and something that was left over from the Dynasty tv series!
I think she looks absolutely AMAZING!!
i think she’s an attractive woman but beautiful? hardly. and that dress is fug.
I saw this yesterday and thought man, she looks so beautiful!!
Hit~~
I think she herself looks gorgeous. The dress – I love the color, and would like the style if the top had been properly fitted for her. Not crazy about the shiny/glittery fabric.
Zavala’s dress is awful.
The dress looks great on her! On the other hand, her hair is OFF. It makes her face look way broader than it is.
I like that color on her. But something about how it fits her makes her look like she is hunching over (like a self-conscious teenager).
Michelle looks darn close to stunning here. They sure are a handsome couple! I agree with the other posters who commented on the fit of the dress though – it obviously could have used some further tailoring, around that right arm. It looks painfully tight. The shoes are a questionable choice, yes, but maybe it was warm. I do wish she’d give the “one-strap/one-shoulder thing” a rest, it’s not all that flattering on anyone. But all in all, I like this look better than her inaugural ball “toilet paper” gown.
Well she looks better than the first lady of Mexico thats for sure. But I dont like the dress, and her eyebrows scare me.
she’s undoubtedly stylish and stunning. i dont care if her boobish arm area looks a little squished. its endearing and makes us remember she’s a lawyer and mom of two and a busy woman. VV that was hilarious-you are so right-your guy totally does look like an android!
Not so good. One shouldered and sparkly is fine if you’re a 22 year old Hollywood bimbette. For a woman of her position, she should have chosen something more classic.
beautiful. LOVE her – doing great things for the “image” of what a powerful woman “should” look like – goodbye boring-ass laura bush! – michelle obama is a powerful, intelligent woman who does not feel the need to constantly wear a pantsuit or dowdy colors – in other words, she does not feel the need to hide the fact that she is a GIRL 🙂
Gorgeous, she looks like a superhero! i bet she has an invisible plane 🙂 I would give anything to be that tall!!
This dress is awful… it’s great for prom or something, but not on a first lady. I don’t get why she would wear this. It’s so the opposite of “take me seriously”. Maybe she thinks people take her too seriously? But considering her last controversial political messages such as gardening and obesity, I don’t think that’s a problem :-/.
I miss Hillary, she was so KICK ASS!
That’s not a question, that’s obvious. The dress is fugly as hell. Too bad you Americans have no sense at all what to wear. It’s a pity, not even a housewife in Bulgaria would wear that “dress”
I think it’s pretty, but can someone take her aside and ask her to please please PLEASE stand up straight? She is a lovely and tall woman – STOP HUNCHING. Almost every picture of her has her shoulders rolled forward. Stand up STRAIGHT!
she needs to throw her shoulders back and stand up straight.
my grandmother would grab her shoulders and give a good tug.
@Andrea above
The topic under discussion is the blue dress of our lovely current First Lady, Michelle Obama. I wish you hadn’t felt the need to insult Laura Bush. What does she have to do with this dress??
not so much…it makes her armpit look weird, and there’s something off about the fullness of the skirt compared to the length of the dress. maybe it should be a little longer? and obama’s pants are too long. they bag at his calves.
Not good. Poor fit, too dated (yes, looks like something from the “Dynasty” era), and the blue eyeshadow and tacky earrings are a disaster. If this same color dress had been properly fitter, in a soft chiffon material with no sparkle, it would have been great. Also, the sandals are completely wrong for this dress.
horrible as usual
that the media continues to say this woman has fashion sense, priceless propaganda
I want her arms!!!
I love the color and style of the dress. She’s a tall, striking woman and she can pull both off easily. I’m also thrilled to see her use a belt that isn’t directly under her boobs.
I agree that the fabric seems iffy, but once you get inside a formal dinner, it wouldn’t be so glaring. Something in a softer, less glitzy fabric that was more draped would suit her body type wonderfully. Meh on the shoes, but it’s sandal-y weather and I don’t think anyone gave it much thought, which has sort of been an issue with her wardrobe for a while.
Lose the earrings, substitute a gorgeous glittery bracelet and loosen up the hair. And soften the makeup a bit, stick with shadowy colors and leave the lighter highlights (in a cinnamon color?) for the browbone.
Okay, that’s my fashion lesson. 😀
She looks uncomfortable, the dress makes her look flat chested. I love her hairdo though, and yes she does have beautiful skin.
Stand up straight!! Her posture is horrible and it would give a different energy to the dress if she owned it with her body language.
Love her hair, it does look softer I agree Kaiser.
The color of the dress is very pretty next to her skin and looks interesting enough on her. Wouldn’t be my first choice, but at least we have some female oomph going on in the white house…
Her shoes are not good though and I totally agree with Snowball on the jewelry and makeup “issue”..
urgh.. it’s like miss world dress AHAHAHA. but I love her make up and hair.
This is a flattering style on her. She has big hips and some dresses come off as making her look overweight, which she isn’t. Her arms look good here, a little less muscle is good. Except for the dress and arm fold mistake. It should have been fitted better for her. I blame the designer for that.
And love her hair. Since she has moved to the white house, her hair looks fabulous all the time.
MISS. the fabric is chintzy, the fit is poor and her makeup is bad. She knows it, too. See that look on her face? yuck.
love love love!
In any other (Republican) administration, all you sycophants would be asking how much the dress costs. I wouldn’t care except my kids have both been out of work for over a year, we are trillions of dollars in debt from all the useless government stimulus, and these guys act like nothings going on in the empire.
Don’t like the dress. It doesn’t look first lady-ish. It’s like she’s going to some hollywood event.
The dress is okay and can we please stop talking about “”her” arms! Anyone can have arms like that if they will get off their rears and workout. The shoes are entirely to small for her feet. WHen your big toe hangs off the end of the shoe, get a size larger.
BO will be totally grey when he leaves office in 2 years!
Annette Kay, you got that right!
I agree with Lara…..I don’t get it. I don’t even find her to be an attractive woman.
Nothing against her, I just don’t see anything “special”….other than being first lady of course 😉
She looks stunning…man, she is a fashion maven! Love her!
I don’t like the dress, but maybe it looked better in person? Just doesn’t photograph well? Love, love, love her hair. That should be her everyday hair. However, you should NEVER match your makeup to your clothes. Tacky. And she needs to stop hunching. I’m tall, so I know it’s hard not to do it when you’re around shorter people, but own the tall Mrs. Obama!
Color is great on her, but the sparkly squished armpit, wrong shoes, bad posture and BLUE EYESHADOW make this outfit a fail. And why does she always look so p*ssed off, even when she’s smiling?
Sra. Zavala’s “Wal-Mart nightgown”: HIDEOUS and inappropriate for a black-tie state occasion!
Um, Annette Kay, isn’t the whole schtick of MO’s fashion that it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, partially in response to the economic crisis? See all the posts on this site about Oscar de LaRenta bitching about her not wearing his clothes.
Gorgeous. I wouldn’t like the dress for myself, but it looks GREAT on her. It makes her look strong and vibrant. Very classy.
her brows are a little severe, but i think she looks amazing. While the shoe situation might be a bit off, I think the overall effect is quite modern and pretty.
She has such a presence about her. She draws you in. Don’t love the dress but she looks good.
frenchie: i totally agree. it looks uncomfortable!
it is a little too barbie i think… but her hair looks beautiful!
I love it!!
I think she looks good if not a little “overdone” and a tad tacky but still good. They are a handsome couple for sure.
LoL@the android comment. Perfect description of Harper.
I love the dress – and I bet it fit well when she was STANDING UP STRAIGHT at her fittings. It’s the posture! She’s hunching! That’s why her right side looks mashed! Maybe it’s taller ladies that do it more, but I don’t understand why any woman would suffer her look to be ruined by slouchy posture.
Wow, we got a lot to say about this! I love it. It’s nice to see a first lady looking fresh and young. I agree fully w/Emmay, I just wish she would stand up straight and not slouch. I know she’s a tall woman but posture is everything in this type of situation.
I think you guys are right.. 1 – stand up straight 2 dress – nice color, bad fit 3 wrong shoes… overall.. she looks great!! I love her hair and I don’t love the blue eyeshadow either.. something softer would be better. Her skin is so gorgeous!! They are handsome couple.
i like the color, and her hair looks nice that way. the shoes? no. i love the photo where she is smoothing his lapel – such a girl thing to do. the obamas are a sexy couple.
I’m just glad we have a first lady who can pull stuff like this off. I mean, if Laura Bush or Hilary Clinton ever bore cleavage, there’d be vomiting in the streets. Michelle Obama is a gorgeous, dare I say sexy, woman…and I think it’s perfectly acceptable for her to dress this way.
Shouldn’t have worn that eyeshadow.
I get the feeling that even though she is the first lady she is a bit shy…..She is very beautiful, but the way she carries herself makes me wonder if she is really comfortable in the spot light…
I think it is a size too small for her and looks painful, as it digs into her at the top. Yucky.
it does not fit her, she looks tacky
Fit Fail. Also, her forearms look like scrawny sticks and from the elbow up look normal.
These are supposed to be “great arms” just because she doesn’t have bingo wings? fail.
Her hair is a no…the dress is a yes with simple hair. However a big NO is the matching blue eye shadow she is wearing! Plus the woman needs some posture lessons.
Her skin is gorgeous. Just gorgeous.
Anyway, the dress is a tad tacky but she’s never really been great on figuring out good formal fashions. Great day-to-day wear but fashions made for taller women rely on them to stand up straight and she doesn’t. Probably because she’s insecure about her height which is really a shame. She’d be a formidable woman if she just threw her shoulders back.
She is gorgeous, but that dress looks like a leftover curtain from the old Merv Griffin Show set. And I don’t care who designs it or who wears it, that one shoulder thing has GOT TO GO. Hate it! And since I’m on a rant, she really needs to let go of the high-waisted belted look. It’s fine once in awhile, but she overdoes it. She should take a page from the way Princess Diana used to dress and update it. She could totally pull it off. Overall, I like Michelle’s style, though, and think she’s far more fashion-forward than any First Lady in recent memory.
“Walmart nightgown hell,”….absolutely hilarious!
@VV, you’re right about the android, it’s just more sad than funny.
I personally love the dress but I think it might have looked much better in person than it photographs.
From the photos it looks like some kind of waxy new age material, but from its description on the Mrs.O site, I understand it’s chiffon layered over lame. So it’s not heavy or rough.
I also think the boob situation is unfortunate because the eye is immediately drawn to it, but really, the only criticism I’ve ever had for Mrs. O is that she has the same complaint of really tall people everywhere, especially really tall women who were teased for their height in school – and hunches over a bit.
Walk proud, Michelle! You’re gorgeous!
I think the dress is tacky. It looks cheap, which is unfortunate because I’m sure it isn’t. The cut of it, and the way it fits over her hips and boobs makes her look dumpy. Now, next to the Mexican First Lady, she looks almost good. I’m with gg too: her arms aren’t that impressive to me. Totally hyped.
Love that dress. Shoes don’t match.
Hahahaha! Just saw this from another poster on another site: “looks like Holiday Barbie during the 1980’s”.
She is beautiful!
That hair is fabulous!
It feels like she said to herself, “Go big or go home,” about that dress. If you have any excuse to wear an over the top glitzy crazy color gown, wouldn’t “I’m the FLOTUS at a state dinner” be just about the best ever?
This dress sponsored by Reynold’s Wrap Blue Crystal Saran Wrap.
I think this dress looks fabulous on her. And I have never liked another one of her outfits. This one is a winner.
Chiffon over lame? Who in the eff would wear lame to a formal occasion? She looks like a low rent version of Malibu beach Barbie. Her daughters need to stop doing her make-up. The blue eyeshadow? Let go of your high school prom Lady and get a new stylist (or get a stylist in general).
The vivid shade of cobalt blue flatters her, but the sparkles make the fabric look cheap. The strapless side cuts into her upper chest, causing unsightly flesh bulges. Mrs. Obama’s dress still outshines the Mexican first lady’s housecoat.
I don’t care what anyone says, I think she looks gorgeous. She looks like a Barbie doll with that dress and makeup, and I’m totally into this look for her. Usually I find her a little school-marmish. The hair really softens her up…
“we are trillions of dollars in debt from all the useless government stimulus”
actually, annette kay, we are trillions of dollars in debt because of a war that we didn’t need to wage (about $900 billion) and from bush and cheney spending money like there is no tomorrow. that is an inherited debt not one obama caused. as for michelle, she doesn’t spend that much on clothes, actually – alot of her clothes come from stores like j. crew. and what exactly is the first lady supposed to wear when hosting a state dinner – a burlap sack?
Beautiful hair and make up.
Beautiful dress minus the fit near her right armpit. I think it would have looked better with two straps, that way no extra skin hanging out!
She has beautiful skin. Love a woman with pretty toes.
Actually, original kate, you might want to do a *little* more research on where the debt is coming from.
letitia – in my opinion, laura bush’s tenure as first lady was a disappointing one, characterized by much standing in the background, literally and figuratively. i am pleased to see a first lady who does not seem to share laura’s mindset of accepting standing in the shadows behind the man. i like my first ladies with pizazz, plenty to say – michelle is much more the “modern woman” than laura and i think that makes her a much better example than laura.
A miss. I hate it !
The color is beautiful. the cut and the material are tacky. It looks cheap and too sparky with an hollywoodian movie set vibe.
She is a tall beautiful woman with an amazing skintone, she should have put a beautiful long silky gown that flatters her long silouhette.
Also go for more sobriety and sophistication in the cut and add a little youth and fantasy with that color and hairstyle.
Also, the shoes are ugly as hell.
She looks great and they make a stunning couple. I’m so glad to see a young and fashionable 1st Lady that doesn’t dress like a grandma (or is one)
“Actually, original kate, you might want to do a *little* more research on where the debt is coming from.”
please…enlighten us.
The First Lady is absolutely gorgeous!!! It’s obvious that she’s trying to wear a very sexy gown in a much more conservative fashion and her hair and accessories are very complementary. Mrs. Obama is a very attractive “woman of color” and she’s not comparable to former First Ladies. Keeping in mind that fashion and style are overwhelmingly biased in favor of Caucasians, there is nothing that Mrs. Obama could wear that will please bigots.
Miss, although I liked her hair for once
She is a tall beautiful woman with an amazing skintone, she should have put a beautiful long silky gown that flatters her long silouhette.
actually don’t like the dress itself all that much, too blingy-dazzly, yet she looks stunning, classy, not to mention tall and thin.
the Obamas are just beautiful people.
i feel bad for the first lady of mexico tho, it’s like we shouldn’t harsh on her for her less-dazzliness or something.
Add another sleeve and it’s perfect. So… not so much.
I’m sorry but every one says OMG look at her arms!! She looks very soft with no muscle tone to me! No on the dress!
I like the dress. Except the part where her right arm is. Looks kind of uncomfortable and queezed.
“please…enlighten us”
original kate, you can start with this:
CBO: $10 trillion jump in debt under Obama budget:
http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/05/news/economy/cbo_obama_budget/
“original kate, you can start with this”
um, this article is about a budget that hasn’t passed yet. when obama took office the deficit left by bush was at $1.3 trillion dollars. i am talking about the deficit we already had when obama took office. my original point to annette was why blame michelle obama for the enormous debt left by bush? and should she shop at wal-mart for a gown to wear for a state dinner? that was the original point. but thanks anyway.
Beautiful woman, horrible dress.
Sigh…
She’s got boobie-puffs like me. Lovely dress, but those damn ‘puffs suck. She is much slimmer than me, so there is some justice that boobie-puffs effect a lot of ladies.
Wrong shoes for it, and the side fits weird, but otherwise I like it. Even when I don’t like a particular outfit she’s wearing, I really like that she deviates from the typical first lady Jackie-O wannabe thing and at least tries to set her own pace. I have to admire her for that.
She and the dress looked amazing, if only they’d made it looser around the armpit it would be a 10 out of 10.
p.s MEXICO GET YOUR GIRL SOME NEW CLOTHES! -_-
@sincerity:
how did you jump to the conclusion that those of us who think the FLOTUS’ fashion is lacking means we’re bigoted?
ok original kate, then how about this one–O has ALREADY quadrupled Bush’s debt. And add this to the prior link I gave you: DISASTER. Trust me, I am not saying Bush was fiscally responsible, but holy hell I have no idea what O is even thinking with all this spending. Why people are not shrieking from the rooftops about this I have NO IDEA.
http://www.audacityofhypocrisy.com/2010/03/28/obama-quadrupled-the-deficitbush-deficit-vs-obama-deficit-in-pictures/
Margarita’s Dress look SO budget! YUCK YUCK YUCK! and her navy shoes are disgusting.
And for all you saying that the first lady’s shoes aren’t formal enough- what are you talking about? Open toed shoes are a delicate addition to a dress that heavy and full of color, if she wore closed toed shoes it would be TOO much with that solid dress.
Michelle looks beautiful.
I simply Love The President and the First Lady. They just ooze classiness in my opinion.
The dress would be fine if it fit her…but it doesn’t. It looks painful to be honest.
She looks gorgeous. Her skin is amazing. I just don’t love the belt.
Loooks Good??You’re kidding right!! She’s got chicken cutlets back and front in every shot. Shiny, glittery, ill fitting. Cheap, Tacky and embarrassing. And that wig…JEEZ Why not get a stylist? I’m sure Halle Berry’s would jump at the chance.
This is a celebrity site. Not a political one. Who cares if some of us think this dress looks like a dump? And I’m sorry “original kate”–no amount of deflection or blame on Bush takes away from Obama’s spending. Anybody who reads a newspaper knows that he’s blowing money left and right. Nevermind Bush. He had his own problems. I fail to see how Obama’s debt is justified by Bush’s. Not really a valid argument there.
I hate to add to the political/budget discussion, but it’s misleading to say that Obama has tripled Bush’s budget and that Obama’s budget decisions are unrelated to what occurred during Bush’s term when the transfer of the presidency included 2 wars that in total cost our nation over $1 trillion dollars per year, the historically high unemployment rate, and the near failure of the financial system that is the backbone of our economy.
In order to address each of these issues, you have to spend a great deal of money, the money for the wars, the initial $800 million bailout (initiated by the previous administration) and the secondary bailout ($900m, which most economists and academics saw as absolutely necessary) and the extension of unemployment benefits and job stimulation. It would have been easy to eliminate the debt by ignoring each of these (and other) major issues, but we, as a nation, would not have been better off (except for ending the wars).
You can blame Obama (and every other current mainstream politico) for not advocating honest discussions concerning how to handle Social Security (like raising the minimum age), and other major money drainers, but it’s unfair to just say that he increased the deficit without any other context.
Sorry, back to basic gossiping.
I really like the look and the fact that she bucks the ‘integrate quietly into the background’ trend of past first ladies.
Monica Bellucci is hot.
Codzilla where have you been?
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elegant this prom dress ~~~~~~“
Monica Bellucci is hot.