After the daytime inaugural festivities carried on more than an hour over schedule, the Obamas still had ten inaugural balls to attend. Granted, the tradition is for a president to simply come in, greet the guests for a few minutes, dance one dance with his wife, then perhaps give or participate in a toast. So, at tops, each ball appearance should theoretically take about ten to fifteen minutes. Still, it’s a really long night for an already exhausted first couple.
President Barack Obama chose to go with the white tie rather than the black, and the white really agrees with him. But guys clothes are boring, so let’s get to the good stuff. First Lady Michelle donned a white, ruffled gown that had one shoulder strap. The gown was designed by 26-year-old New York designer Jason Wu, a wunderkind whose designs tend towards chiffons with a soft palette.
First lady Michelle Obama chose a white chiffon one-shoulder gown for a series of balls celebrating the inauguration of her husband.
At the Neighborhood Ball at Washington’s Convention Center, President Barack Obama, said: “First of all, how good-looking is my wife?”
Her full-skirted dress had a strap across her right shoulder, a ruched bodice, fluffy appliques and sparkly beading. Mrs. Obama is wearing a Jason Wu gown this evening, which per tradition, will be donated to the Smithsonian.
The president and first lady were dropping in on 10 official balls Tuesday night, kicking up their heels after a day of pomp and ceremony in the nation’s capital.
From The Associated Press Hosted by Google
The first couple danced their first dance at The Neighborhood Ball to Beyonce’s version of the classic Etta James song “At Last”. President Obama looked more into the dance than the First Lady, who seemed a little shy and embarrassed, but I‘m starting to wonder if the dress was uncomfortable. For their second dance, at The Home States Ball, Michelle repeatedly had to stop dancing to adjust the hem of her dress.
Even though Michelle Obama has a great figure, and even though she could look great in a potato sack, I didn’t really care for the dress. I’d like to see her in more streamlined, clean looks that would accentuate her amazing figure. But I’m sure this young designer Jason Wu will get a lot of mileage out of dressing the First Lady for such an important event, and good for him.
Photo Credit: Newscom
Her dress: exquisite! The day: extraordinary!!!!
The most attractive presidential couple ever. God Bless America.
I think the dress was lovely-but too long. It might have been okay at an event where she just had to walk in and then either stand, or sit down-but it was really impractical for dancing.
I’d have to say it was a safe choice. Nothing too out there. And maybe that’s the issue.
We’ve been accustomed to a very sensible and boring wardrobe from the First Lady, so when Michelle Obama came along with her fashion-forward sense, we liiiiked it. I too would have preferred something more daring, not shocking of course. More color. The cut was nice although I usually don’t like the whole “one-shoulder” concept.
The photos turned out beautiful, though.
I love Michelle, I like her because she looks relatively normal as well, as opposed to nose-jobbed and brow-lifted. She’s attractive but not plastic.
I don’t like the shoulderstrap-thing. It looks too cavewomanish. It makes her broad shoulders look even broader. But I liked the colour and everything was so magical that I didn’t matter what she wore.
I like the dress.
Beautiful woman, gorgeous dress. I think it makes her look a little thick in the middle (white has a tendency to make you look bigger) but that may be because she is a normal woman and not a cadaver. And he also looks divine.
I believe that there is somewhat of a tradition for the first lady wearing white. I think she looked gorgeous in the dress–young, feminine, fresh, and elegant! I think that there was a kind of “dream-like” quality to the gown that suited the message of this new administration. Most importantly, Michelle did not look frumpy or matronly like previous first ladies…It’s so refreshing to have a first family that is youthful and energetic in the White House! Regarding the gold Inauguration outfit that Michelle wore during the day, I really liked the unusual color and unique design (she’s clearly a fashion leader and not a fashion follower), but I wasn’t so crazy about the jeweled collar or the shoes (didn’t quite match her gloves). All in all, though, I think we have a gorgeous first family! (And could Malia and Sasha be any more adorable?!)
I caught up with the balls on the CNN website this morning, and the clip really didn’t do them justice, Barack’s suit looked grey and they were both stretched.
Brave enough choice by himself to go for a tuxedo suit with white-tie because, as far as I’m aware, it’s more formal than black-tie and is usually coupled with tails.
The photos here really do Michelle’s dress more justice – the detailing is extraordinary and looks so much better when it’s in motion. Although the designer could have borrowed a trick from bridal gowns and had a loop on the right hand side to lift the overskirt up slightly for dancing.
But seriously, how soppy is Barack’s face when looking at Michelle? Methinks that HE at least approves of the dress and the woman (rocking) it.
I agree that it made her look thick in the middle. Is it me or does she have poor posture? At times she seems to have an odd gait and makes me wonder if she suffers/ed from back issues.
It’s a lovely dress but overall it’s a little bridal-looking for my taste. I agree about the shoulder strap doing nothing for it, it looks like an afterthought. The dress would have looked much nicer strapless I think.
And again with the ho-hum hair!
But seriously, how soppy is Barack’s face when looking at Michelle? Methinks that HE at least approves of the dress and the woman (rocking) it.
Totally! And how proud was she while he was swearing in? I tell ya. Hottest presidential couple ever!
I really love how crazy they are about each other and their kids.
Getting that silly smile and watery eyes here again.
They looked liked they just got married…lol but they dress was okay. Maybe she didnt want to out do her husband. I still believe she’s the best dress first lady ever.
She is really a beautiful woman. And she has a very good taste for dresses and fashion in general. The Jason Wu dress was marvellous, like a fairy tale dress.
gorgeous dress. she seemed so genuinely happy yesterday. her expressions were priceless.
I thought she looked great in the white gown (not so much in the day outfit, which made her look bulky) but would have liked to see her hair in an elegant up-do…
I love the dress! Hell I love them! I can’t stop grinning even a day later. I think they both looked very eligent.
Ditto on the Barack soppy-face. So nice to see a couple still so in love after 16 years.
I thought she looked great all day, but … is it just me, or did she look slightly pregnant in the ‘swearing-in’ outfit?
Would that be a first for the White House? A pregnancy and birth? Talk about symbolism…
Yay… there’s finally sex in the White House again!
love the dress, love them as a couple!
Watching them dance to Beyonce singing “At Last” at the Neighborhood Ball was magical. I totally teared up. Again. IMO they both looked beautiful last night. Somewhere between getting sworn in and that dance President Obama put a hold on the prosecutions at Guantanamo. Now that’s off to a good start !
Yay… there’s finally sex in the White House again!
LMFAO!!!
liked Mrs. Obama’s sheath dress for the day but the gown was a washout, unfortunately – did nothing for her,infact it reminded me of bandages on a Mummy!
I loved the fairy-tale quality to the gown. It was romantic — and it clearly had that effect on Barack. He is so obviously still smitten with her. I love the fact that he doesn’t hold back is feelings for her.
I think Michelle likes clothes with interesting details to them. And some times, those sorts of designs don’t photograph well. My guess is that as she spends more time in the White House, she’ll develope a more camera-friendly style of dress.
eek — no edit feature any more. That would be his* feelings… sigh
Didn’t care much for either outfit and that dress is way too weddingcakeish and fussy but I was too busy looking at her face to care one way or another about what she was wearing. She looked absolutely, jaw-droppingly beautiful and so did he.
i thought that was a sling or bandage over her shoulder. i didn’t like that part. would have looked better strapless. also the skirt was way too long. she kept flinging it around to avoid tripping over it. i would have liked to see her in something form-fitting, but yes, the colour was way better than the one she wore during the inauguration.
Wow, now that’s a handsome couple !
Beautiful applique on the gown but too “top of the wedding cake” looking. Agree that it made her look thick around the middle. Overall, not a good look on Michelle. Would have also preferred a more sophisticated hair style. I give her a C+ Thought her daytime outfit was a solid A, though. Very stylish…she is a very attractive woman.
She looked great as did he. I did notice her posture, but it was only a little slumped at the end of the night when she had already been to 8 other balls. The two of them looked so happy, but exhausted, towards the end of the night!
First time I like one of Michelle Obama’s outfits!!
I bet this dress looked better in person. It looked pretty, but it looked like someone from Project Runway had glued cotton balls on the skirt on tv.
I think the dress is pretty but I’m not a big fan of appliques and rosettes. The placement of the strap is very modern-I suspect there will be copies of this dress everywhere.
I also think like someone said above that as time goes on she’ll get a more camera-friendly style. She likes things with little details that don’t photograph well. But Michelle Obama is just gorgeous and tall and has fabulous shoulders and arms. I’m friggin jealous and I’m 22…:P
Anyway, i think she slumps a bit like that because she’s insecure about her height. I know a couple of girls who are on the taller side (5’10” to 6’2″) who are very uncomfortable being as tall as they are so they try to seem smaller by hunching. She may have made a habit of that growing up. Or her shoes could have been uncomfortable…or she could have been tired…who knows?
None of us could have danced in that dress. Michelle didn’t seem shy to me, she seemed mortified that she had on a dress that was impossible to dance in and she had 10 dances. The president wanted so to dance with her. I would have taken some scissors to the hem of that dress! Or changed. Put two dresses in the Smithsonian. She’s the First Lady after all. Don’t suffer the whole evening because of the dress. She was totally frustrated in it and practically immobilized.
I loved the gown, she looked etherea and regal. To comment on the observations about how “bulky” her dress for the swearing in seemed – my husband observed that both the president and first lady seemed to be wearing bulet-proof vests under their clothing. I don’t know how true that may be, but if it is it explains the bulkiness, I guess.
Someone said it best “dreamlike”
I really felt like that dress had me in a reverie.
It’s so elegant and lack of bright color aside (I mean, hi, Jill wore AMAZING red, and earlier that day, Michelle was rocking LEMONGRASS, can’t get brighter than that)
I mean, it dazzled and went amazing with her skin tone and features. She looked absolutely gorgeous.
And hey, I just gotta say this, if I were her, I’d go for the long train too (impracticalities aside) Heck! At my wedding, you bet I’m going to have this ridiculously long train swirling all around me. And dangit, why not? lol
Didn’t really care for either outfit, but the gown does look better in pics than on TV, I agree with everyone else though, she glowed, she seemed so happy and they seem so in love and hopefully she will find the right fashion team.
The dress looks fantastic in the photos…don’t they look wonderful…and I agree with everyone who has said it already the love they have for each other and their children shines out of both of them. I like that the Pres is so unashameadly soppy about his wife…they look young and energetic and HAPPY!
Hooray! I was so happy at work today I think my team was wondering what I was on 🙂
I love the dress, I just love Michelle. She has such grace and elegance.
ruby..my thoughts exactly….and everyone else around me agreed. her belly is a little round and the dress gathered in the wrong places. she also kept touching it…america’s love affair may have another chapter?
Loved her dress and thought it was a good style for her. The suggestion of a loop to hold up the back for dancing would have been good. Just smitten with that couple and those precious girls included. At my granddaughter’s wedding they wore strapless gowns and all evening they were tugging at them even though they had the bosoms to fill them out–sooner pull at the back. Aren’t we fortunate to have such a wonderful, capable family in the White House! Months back I saw her in another straighter lined outfit and wondered then if she might be pregnant. It was mentioned shortly after that they probably had their family, so I would guess not. It’s not that I don’t love babies–I do–my little “Muffin” is now a foot long and hopefully will be born in May–my greatgrandchild! P.S.–they know best.