PHOTO POLL: Michelle, clothes and stuff. Trivial? God yeah.

[Jackeens]

Poll question: PHOTO POLL: Michelle, clothes and stuff. Trivial? God yeah.

Please forgive the overly technical fashionista-type language in the options.


1

2

3a

3b

4

5

6

7a

7b

8

9

10

[Skittles]

1. I think she always looks lovely

one of those rare folk who seem to be able to pull of any color of clothing, for sure

[Raine]

2. I LOVE them all

it's too hard to choose just one. :-)

[firedupdem]

3. I picked the black party dress, but I really liked everything she wore. n/t

[alsame]

4. In 7b, why does the President look tilted? Is that one of

those cardboard cutout Obamas?:rofl: :rofl:

[Jackeens]

7. Jeez, well spotted. Although...

....not quite as tilted as:

[alsame]

12. ...

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[PopSixSquish]

5. On the Latest Real Time with Bill Mahr

He showed a side by side comparison of the Obamas leaving Washington and them arriving in London stating that the fact that the President was smiling and that Mrs. Obama had changed dresses indicated that...um....nevermind...

:blush:

[fortyfeetunder]

41. Bill is just plain ol' jealous

he doesn't have an attractive and intelligent woman like Michelle.

[Occam Bandage]

8 needs more love. nt

[GreenPartyVoter]

97. Yes it does!

[noamnety]

6. Yes, it's trivial

and it makes me wonder what you respect about her. Is this it? The clothes she wears? How she looks?

I hope it's not, but I don't recall you posting half as much (anything?) about her political beliefs or accomplishments.

Posts like these have changed my view of her. I used to associate her with intellect and speaking her mind. Now, when I see her name on DU, I assume it's going to be a post about her body. That's the association that's replaced the previous one.

It makes me sad. It makes me sad that someone who appears to look up to her is being so instrumental in making her look like a bubble-headed beauty queen. I posted this elsewhere, but she's no longer someone I would want my daughter to use as a role model.


What do you find most notable about her?

[firedupdem]

10. Ha!

She's no longer someone you would want your daughter to look up to because of photo threads?

[Jackeens]

14. That's a fair post noamnety,

I completely understand your point. The truth is - and you might find this hard to believe (although, read my, um, descriptions of the 'outfits') - I have absolutely no interest in fashion, so this is just a bit of fun. No more than that. I've posted dozens of equally trivial threads about the President and others, it doesn't mean I see them as mere fashion icons. Trivial is just my thing :blush:

To me Michelle Obama is a wonderfully articulate, intelligent, inspirational, gifted, compassionate woman - the highlight, for me, of her European trip was her talk to the children at the language school in London. I thought it was magnificent. But trivial photo threads are my thing on DU. They make some people smile, and that's no bad thing these days.

She captured Europe's heart on this trip - you should have seen the Irish and British papers the past week - primarily because of her personality and intellect, but also because she looked beautiful. Not in a vacuous supermodel kind of way, that personality and intellect shone through. I don't think there's any harm in celebrating beauty of such depth and authenticity.

But again, I understand your point - so no arguing from me.

Take care.

[noamnety]

22. It doesn't need to be this way.

"the highlight, for me, of her European trip was her talk to the children at the language school in London. I thought it was magnificent. But trivial photo threads are my thing on DU."

What if you posted the photo threads, if they make you happy, but you also posted threads about the substance of her talk to the children?

I think I saw one thread about that talk here, and it wasn't about the substance, it didn't say what she talked about, it only said "the kids look up to her so much" and then maybe had photos so we could see how she looked while she was speaking to them.

My complaint isn't about you specifically posting photo threads. It's that DU (with these threads as a contributing factor) has reduced her to a very one-dimensional caricature of a first-lady-as-fashion-accessory.

[rosesaylavee]

27. Then why don't you find the info and post it?

Not meaning to be snarky here but that seems like a logical thing to suggest. She is a fascinating person and I am sure as she becomes more and more comfortable in her role she will have more and more to say. I don't think there was a transcript of her words to the school in England but maybe there was and I missed it? Please post it and I would be more than happy to k & r. I have said elsewhere on other threads that Michelle Obama is an amazing human and we are just beginning to find out who she is. Jackeens feels more at home with the photo threads as part of her contribution here. Perhaps you could be known as the person who helps fill out the picture of Michelle Obama the humanitarian and role model for our youth and whatever else we find her to be?

Peace.

[Number23]

57. Very well said.

[Mira]

78. Frankly - Jackeens has found her role and fills it wonderfully.

How about YOU taking the spot you suggest for her instead. She is perfect as she is in my world.

[rosesaylavee]

83. Um, you meant the poster I was replying to, right?

And I agree that Jackeens is perfect in every way - even better than Mary Poppins as she is Irish. :)

[Mira]

85. Of course I did. If that was not clear I start another "Jackeens" appreciation thread..

Remember the first one? I started it. I think what she does is close to unequalled in what she presents and they work involved.

[rosesaylavee]

89. Me too.

We agree that Jackeens is the best. :)

[Jackeens]

29. Is that fair?

I saw lots of discussion about the substance of what she said to those kids, and JayMusgrove - I think? - was at least one poster who gave us links to videos of her talk.

I didn't even check the Political Videos' section because I saw the whole talk live on British TV, but I'd guess there were lots of links there too.

I genuinely don't believe, even with threads like mine, that Michelle Obama has been "reduced to a one-dimensional caricature of a first-lady-as-fashion-accessory" on DU, every day I read threads here admiring the substance of the woman.

[noamnety]

31. I think it's fair.

I know there was one video, which I didn't watch because I didn't have speakers hooked to the computer. But I did scan through threads for the last couple of days, and didn't find anything of substance, only threads about her appearance, or threads about some actor joking that his character would maybe "date" her if she went on his show.

Maybe there were other threads there, but scanning for her name in the titles gave me what I would guess is a fairly representative sample of what DU thinks is discussion-worthy. If you have extra time some day, scan the day's thread titles in GD-P and see for yourself what the ratio of fashion to substance is.

Do you think there's something she could be doing differently to put more focus on her accomplishments and goals, and less on her fashion sense? Or do you think it's all driven by what the media and public wants to focus on?

[Jackeens]

36. No

I still don't think you're being fair, a very quick search - and I have no clue how to find what I'm looking for with the DU search fucntion - found four threads primarily addressing her talk to the kids in London:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8314904

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x8316721

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5393364

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=124&topic_id=268889&mesg_id=269449

I'm certain I read others that day, ones that solely focussed on that address.

But of course you're absolutely right, the 'lighter' media concentrate on how she looks, as they always do with prominent women - and, again, no arguments, I can be accused of the same with my photo threads - but to somehow suggest she encourages this - is there "something she could be doing differently to put more focus on her accomplishments and goals, and less on her fashion sense" - is, I think, to sorely underestimate and misread the woman. And perhaps to be a little sexist?

She prides herself, evidently, in looking great and representing America well when she's at work - that, surely, is to be admired? I watched footage of my Irish P.M. at the EU-US summit in Prague today and I hung my head in embarrassment - he looked like he'd just fallen out of a pub. No, I don't expect or want him to look like a male model, I just want him to have some pride in himself when he represents Ireland abroad.

But, above all, I believe, the wonderful impression she has made so far is largely down to her words and actions, not her looks. And I still maintain that has been widely celebrated and acknowledged on DU by people who actually admire her, rather than by those who look for any way possible to criticise her.

[noamnety]

44. Thanks for linking those (and finding them)

They aren't really what I am hoping to read about her, to be honest, though it's probably the best of what the media covered.

I didn't find the speech to the kids to be anything more than what I'd consider a typical high school graduation-style speech. I keep hoping she'll address real issues that need to be addressed in this country. It's what I originally found appealing in her - that she wasn't afraid to speak her mind, even when that truth was difficult or uncomfortable for Americans to face at times.

I miss that side of her, I am increasingly convinced she's going to bury that part of herself in favor of some vision of how the "ideal first lady" is supposed to look and behave. Maybe it's the fault of her handlers during the campaign, or a necessary evil of how proper wives behave once their husbands reach a certain level of prominence (like general's wives).

For me it's a step down from who she was. I put more value on her expressing what she wanted to say back then, than I do on her ability to be gracious or elegant.

I remember reading a study once of the most glamorous professions for women in Russia - as rated by Russian women. The top answer was "the wife of a physician."

That gets to the edges of how I viewed Michelle before vs. after the election. Pre-election Michelle was someone I'd want my kid to be. Post-election Michelle, not so much.

Like I said, I originally thought it was maybe something she was doing, Then, like you suggest, I started wondering if I was being sexist, and I started looking for other answers (how the media/DU treats her). But I do think she's decided to be a proper supportive wife and first lady, and maybe the part of that that upholds the patriarchy is what I'm having a negative reaction to. I don't want her to go out of her way to look like a bum or be disrespectful, but maybe there's a happy medium that she'll find (or the media and DU will find) at some point, where the main thing that stands out about her is that she is challenging us to think and to question the status quo.

[Jackeens]

46. Well.....

Fair enough, as you might have suspected I’m fluffly-hearted when it comes to reading in to talks by Michelle Obama, but I’m still really surprised that you weren’t moved by her talk to the London kids. To me it was much, much more than a “typical high school graduation-style speech’, largely because she spoke, from the bottom of her heart, as the first African-American First Lady to a room-full of black and Asian girls. As my usually blisteringly cynical sister said to me, “can you imagine the impression that made on them?”

Other than her choice of husband I have no problem with Laura Bush, but I’m mystified by your reluctance to acknowledge that a talk by a privileged white woman from Texas, married to the son of a future-President, would have no more significance to a group of young girls, from every racial background, than a talk from Michelle Obama? Seriously, can you not see how differently those talks would be received?

But the main issue here, in my humble eyes, is that Michelle Obama wasn’t elected. I wish she was, but she wasn’t. Therefore, I don’t believe she has any right or obligation to promote any agenda other than that of the person who WAS elected – he happens to be her husband. That’s not sexism, that’s democracy.

In Ireland we have a female president (a largely ceremonial role), everyone – including me – would object if her husband started trying to impose himself on the role. Democracy, for all its faults, is sacred – if you’re not elected by the people you, surely, have no right to attempt to speak for them?

So, yes, until Michelle offers herself to the electorate she is the “the wife of a physician”, just as Bill would – and should – have been a ‘mere’ husband if Hillary had been elected president.

Being a supportive wife, in these circumstances, isn’t, I believe, relegating Michelle Obama to a frothy, meaningless role – if you’re fair you’ll acknowledge she’s been far from that to date……don’t blame her for the media obsession with her looks, or for the photo threads on DU!

But, again, remember: she wasn’t elected. And that's not a gender issue.

[noamnety]

49. The race stuff is new, yes.

There's a difference between the president's wife being white, and the president's wife being black. That's a hugely symbolic thing, and that in and of itself is inspirational to children who have been raised in a culture where minorities have been marginalized right out of the political sphere.

But her words and actions are what I would look at regarding role model material, not her skin color.

Speeches to kids tend to be without a lot of real substance, and it doesn't take much to inspire them. They are easily impressed. "He made me think that I can be whatever I want to be when I grow up and the sky is the limit to learning," Pettaway said. <-- a 5th grader after dubya spoke to her school.

[rosesaylavee]

52. I am curious. Who DO you think a worthy role model for your children?

Are there living female role models who meet your standards in this regard? And what about them places them on that list?

[noamnety]

54. A few people come to mind

Col Ann Wright, who quit the state department to speak out against the war. My daughter and I were fortunate enough to spend a week camping with her (and a bunch of other people) in 2007.

Kelly Dougherty, one of the founders of IVAW. She's young still and sometimes that shows, but I am often in awe of what she's been able to accomplish.

DeAnander (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stan-goff/its-not-rocket-science-la_b_176754.html) who is one of the smartest people I know, and can do everything from raising worms to fixing diesel engines to programming computers.

Vandana Shiva's another one (physicist, environmentalist).

They're each on the role-model list because they are brilliant - AND they have issues that they feel so passionate about that there is almost no distinction between them and what they are fighting for. They have an ability to use the media consistently and methodically to push those issues. They almost give the impression that they don't give a shit about what you think of them personally, their own ego/fashion/place in the patriarchy is almost nonexistent (at least as far as their public persona goes). That doesn't mean they are unpleasant, I don't know Vandana, but the first three I've worked with - and are really nice caring people and it shows in their interactions. What I mean is they aren't putting attention on themselves so much as they put it on the issues, and it's obvious that's what drives them.

That's the kind of person I want my kid to be.

[rosesaylavee]

61. Thank you for the list.

I am certain each of the women you have listed are quality human beings. None of them are in the pressure cooker Michelle Obama is in right now. I think I will give her more than a few months to prove herself worthy of my respect and admiration.

[Number23]

58. I completely agree. Nicely said

[rosesaylavee]

63. Your user name is my favorite prime number.

Thanks for your positive input on this thread. :hi:

[Number23]

68. My pleasure! It's easy to be positive in such a positive thread.

Well, it should be anyway... :hi:

[JanusAscending]

69. Excuse me...........

You're putting our first lady down, and "not worthy for your children to look up to" because of photo's here on DU? And you think this is fair? We are the ones doing the damage to her? Please..........get over yourself!! We love the new first family, and want to SEE as up close and personal as we can possibly ever get. I suppose you think that all of the photo press that Jackie Kennedy received on trips abroad cheapened her as well???? I really don't think so. That LADY was brilliant and gracious to the end. I love listening to them speak,and I love seeing them interacting as a family as well as with Royalty. It's very refreshing, for a change, to be proud of our First Family!! Oh, and by the way, I want to see lot's of pictures of the kids with the new "first dog" when it arrives too!! So there!! (I'm also going to venture a guess that it will be a gift from a Senator we all know and love, and it will be a Portuguese Water dog! I hope it's a puppy!!! Thanks Uncle Teddy !) You heard it here first!

[zeemike]

72. With all due respects Noamnety

People celebrate our first family in different ways.
What Jakeen gives us is a visual connection to the person and we get precious little of that in the media.
But just because they are an attractive couple does not mean that they are thought of as shallow.
They are really a good role model for children because through these images they show that they love and respect one another. And we need more of that in this world.
Being able to see positive images of people interacting is just as important as the substance of their words.

[Spazito]

39. Your argument is specious and quite disingenuous, imo...

You purport to blame the First Lady for the media obsession on her attire, hold her responsible for photo threads on a political forum as if she is responsible for any of it and that is ridiculous on it's face. Were you to cite a quote from Mrs. Obama talking about her choice of attire while speaking at any of the places she has spoken and you might have a legitimate complaint. She has not done that.

To say Mrs. Obama is no longer considered by you as a good role model because of the focus of OTHERS on her attire says more about you than it does about her, imo.

[rosesaylavee]

15. Did you feel the same about Jackie Kennedy?

I don't mind these photo threads at all. Jackeens is all about photo threads and all are quite positive during a time that is both personally and nationally full of negative news.

I also read here on DU other amazing threads about what Michelle is communicating to young girls and youth in general. It's too bad you are focusing on just one thing and not the whole woman. ALL first ladies are singled out and judged on their attire. Hasn't been one first ladywho hasn't been thoroughly discussed, approved/disapproved of etc. Part of the underlying message here too is - Michelle Obama is playing the game and winning at it at least on the clothes deal issue. Jackeens and others here of course know there is so much more to this woman than this. Come on, don't be such a party pooper. Otherwise, there is hide thread.

[Jackeens]

17. Thank you rosesaylavee

[rosesaylavee]

20. Love your threads Jackeen!

These are such terribly tough times... it's nice to see something nice and pleasant and not related to what is falling apart and never going to be the same again. Keep 'em coming and don't let the naysayers get you down.

[Jackeens]

21. Love YOU rosesaylavee!

[noamnety]

28. This is exactly why I wouldn't look to her as a role model.

"Michelle Obama is playing the game and winning at it at least on the clothes deal issue."

That's becoming what she's known for. That's not why I want my daughter to be known for.

I don't know why DU focuses on that to the exclusion of everything else about her. Hiding the threads doesn't confront the problem from a feminist perspective. I don't want to just "ignore" the problem of women being reduced to this again and again. I would rather have people ask themselves why that was the focus of Laura Bush on DU, and why it has become the focus of Michelle Obama.

Why are the people who most admire her (from what I can tell) satisfied with her winning on the clothes deal - as if that's something for the first lady "to win"?

[rosesaylavee]

32. Well, now I get your point.

But I still don't think that that is what these threads are about. There are several levels to the role of first lady - and until we have a first husband, these will be hard to change between you and me. As I said upthread, ALL first ladies go thru this and for her to successfully navigate the 'fashion police' is just one less thing that will stand in the way of what she decides to work on. She is gaining a following by showing she has a certain creativity and frugalness in how she appears in public. She is sporting clothes that are more accessible to other woman, she is mixing and matching rather than wearing one 100,000 suit after another. There are lots of messages here other than her smiling and waving in my opinion.

She is breaking ground in how she appears to spontaneously seek out children in disadvantaged situations and speaking to them in optimistic and supportive ways. She started doing this her first week in the WH when she and President Obama visited that first grade class. And again most recently when she went to speak to the local DC high school and again when she invited 100 DC highschool girls to the WH to meet with successful woman from all walks of life and careers. To have the media and the pundits leave her alone on fashion issues is huge. Unfortunately, that's the state of our culture right now. But I don't think anyone here is just all about the clothes. It's a pleasant side issue now and one that doesn't touch immediately hot buttons re deaths in Iraq/Afganistan, our collapsing world economy, growing species lost, our climate crisis, our personal money issues and home losses.

As a long time feminist, I hear your point but ask you to look again and see the many other levels at play here.

[noamnety]

35. This would be huge for me:

"To have the media and the pundits leave her alone on fashion issues is huge."

I'm just not seeing the other levels at play here that you are. I see thread after thread after thread where we discuss whether this outfit makes her hips look big, whether a specific cardigan is appropriate or not with a specific skirt, and so on.

I don't think it's groundbreaking for the first lady to meet with school children. I think that's been a typical thing for a long time, that if we rise above first ladies being seen as fashion plates or fashion mistakes, the other role they are allowed to step into is nurturer for school children - nonthreatening I guess because they can still be like moms in that role - it's not perceived as an intrusion into men's business (economics, war).

http://bp0.blogger.com/_L6pDyjqqsvY/SFU3gsAvu3I/AAAAAAAAOXU/LY1-6nKh09Q/s320/laura+bush+hug.JPG





Nothing ground breaking, see?

This just seems like a discouraging messy continuation of how we treated Laura Bush, with variations in the conclusions of our fashion critiques. I was hoping we would move past that, that it was a symptom of disdain for Laura, that we thought she had nothing else of importance in her head.

[Jackeens]

38. "I don't think it's groundbreaking for the first lady to meet with school children."

But do you not think it's groundbreaking for school children to hear a talk like the one Michelle Obama gave in London?

Do the photos you posted suggest you saw or heard no difference between Michelle Obama's words and those of Laura Bush?

Did you only see the hugs, but miss out on the message?

[noamnety]

47. What part of her talk was ground-breaking?

The part where she says children are our future? Or the part where she says study hard and you can be successful?

No, I didn't see anything of real substance there. And maybe that's not the right age group for a real talk of substance, to be fair, but no. I saw some slogans and graduation speech style pep talk, nothing ground breaking in her words.

[Jackeens]

48. Oh.....

......see the stuff I just posted.

We'll never agree if you didn't understand the effect of that talk in London on that multi-racial audience of young girls and if you can see no difference between Michelle Obama and Laura Bush.

Let's just agree to differ?

I'm off to bed, take care.

[rosesaylavee]

50. Part of what I think is ground breaking about Michelle Obama is

that she is from that group. None of the other first ladies have come from humble or middle class beginnings. None of the other first ladies have been people of color. Her speaking with these young people is light years more impressive and more meaningful for them than Laura or Barbara reading a book to them. I don't remember Hillary's work in this area - but I would think she would have been close to the effect that Michelle is producing. But if you remember, Hillary was villified in the press for her clothes, the way she spoke, and that, I think, led into her fight with the press on other, broader social issues like health care, etc.

I think we just won't agree. And that is too bad imo. I think you get part of this but not the bigger picture. I hope you do eventually as I think this is something to celebrate and there is so little to celebrate right now... I hate to see any of it lost on a good person.

[noamnety]

55. That's not exactly true.

"None of the other first ladies have come from humble or middle class beginnings."

What about Rosalynn Carter and Pat Nixon? Betty Ford?

[Number23]

60. Noamnety, thanks for your comments.

I thoroughly appreciate what you are saying and what you are trying to do in this thread.

It is eye-rolllingly, heart-breakingly frustrating as a woman in the 21st century to see our sisters forever relegated to the traditional roles of wife, mother, and (more recently) fashion plate. But I think you have truly, SERIOUSLY misunderestimated Michelle Obama if that is who you think she sees HERSELF as.

She is new to the role as First Lady. People forget that it has only been a few months. She was castigated and called everything from The Wicked Witch of Chicago to "America's most unhappy millionaire" when she dared to speak out against the status quo and voice her opinion on things outside of China patterns and White House puppies. I think she is happy to play this role as the "good woman standing behind her good man" -- for NOW. I have every confidence that when she's gotten her sea legs, she will be wowing all of us here with her impassioned advocacy for human rights and whatever issue she wants to fight for. We've already seen take her first steps in this direction even now.

So I'm happy with the fashion threads because I know that's not all who she is and I think the vast majority of people in the world know that's not who she is. I currently live in Australia and people speak so highly of both Obamas it would make your puff your chest out with pride. And their words of admiration and respect have almost nothing to do with how either one of them looks.

[noamnety]

62. I hope you are right.

I hated all the crap that Princess Di was culturally, but I did grow to respect her when she became a fierce advocate against land mines.

If Michelle gets away from the Princess Di beauty queen stuff and moves back toward fierce advocacy, I will go back to associating her with substance. Right now, she's fallen off the right path from my perspective. I hope it's temporary, but this part of who she is - it's just completely meaningless to me and a disappointment given where she looked to be headed. I hope she's not just going to back down and play the good wife every time the media criticizes her for speaking her mind.

We've had other strong first ladies. Betty Ford was an interesting first lady because she was very outspoken about the causes she believed in even when they were controversial, and took a lot of crap from her own party because of it.

[Jackeens]

33. That just isn't what she becoming known for.

I'll cite my beloved - but admittedly crazy - Jack Cafferty here. Okay, he admitted he had a "crush" on her, but then went on to talk about her qualities, none of which was remotely related to how she looked. He spoke of all the stuff I mentioned above, eg compassion, intellect, articulacy and the ability to make a 'connection' with people.

That's just the effect she is having on people. She, quite evidently, is not your traditional blonde-haired, blue-eyed, catwalk babe, she is so much more than that, so I genuinely believe when people talk of her beauty they intrinsically connect it to her personality and intellect. That is what makes her so attractive - not the clothes that my 'poll' is having fun with, she is about much, much more that, and I see that acknowledged on DU every day. Remember, there are countless women here who are inspired by her, including me. And yes, despite all my faults, I'm a feminist.

[Spazito]

16. Wow! Your opinion of The First Lady can be changed merely because of...

some photo threads on an internet forum? I can't help but think your opinion of the First Lady wasn't the greatest to begin with if it can be "changed" so easily.

[Name removed]

67. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ms liberty]

74. You're sad about this? I'm sad, too...

I'm sad that you have changed your opinion of Michelle Obama based on your perception of someone else's perception. You've said in this post that your previous perception of her was one of intellect and outspokenness, but because some members of DU enjoy and appreciate her sense of style and chic you have changed your view of her to "a bubble-headed beauty queen."

That is very sad - that you would not want your daughter to use MO as a role model, simply because of what some other people on the internet that you've never met in real life sometimes think about and discuss - that is incredibly sad.

You also make the mistake of assuming that someone who is interested MO and her fashion sense is therefore also empty and bubble-headed - but someone like that would not even be here at DU in the first place, would they? It would be too much work for them; they'd be at people dot com (is there even such an animal?) or something.

What you don't acknowledge is that fashion and style are important, particularly at the level in which MO is now operating. It's obvious that MO understands the importance of it. If she appeared sloppy, disheveled, or frumpish would she be as effective? No, not by a long shot. She'd be not so much ignored, but covered minimally by the press and treated more dismissively. Instead, the press is covering everything she says and does, and she's gaining a bully pulpit that will be very useful at some point, I'm sure - and she'll look good using it

Michelle Obama is a well rounded, modern woman: smart, educated, caring, gracious, well mannered, strong and independent. She is also charming, graceful, chic, and fashionable. So is her husband, btw. It's an awesome combination, well worth enjoying and celebrating.

I said before the election that one of the reasons we needed the Obamas in the WH is because they could make it hip to be smart, educated, and politically active again - and a Democrat, of course (lol)! Young people, kids, they are not interested in "looking up" to people who are boring to listen to and look boring too, like they dress out of my grandmother's closet...and I don't want them to either, since that description fits most of the Republican party! :P

[otohara]

81. You Are Sad

Posts like this have changed your view of her? Good grief, what does that say about you?

She dresses nicely and that somehow makes her less of a role model for your daughter. The school girls in France see her as a role model. I'm pretty sure they were thrilled and teary eyed by her words vs the dress.

She is opening the doors for many young American designers. What would you have her wear to these important dinners & meetings of world leaders?

She's beautiful and that is a detriment and threatening to some - like you!

[JuniperLea]

88. Wow... you seem to be weak-willed and easily swayed...

How very sad that trivial things upset you so much, to the degree that the subject of said trivia would actually be trivialized in your mind.

[SharonRB]

8. I can't even imagine having to take something different

for every event for a trip like that. There were a couple of things I really disliked (especially that argyle sweater, although the dress itself was nice), but all in all, I liked everything. That black dress was definitely my fave, though. She looked stunning in it.

[treestar]

9. I love your fashionista language!

That's about how I would describe the outfits, too!

[Jackeens]

19. Sssh, Vogue will be begging me to write for them and I just don't have the time.

[Bucky]

11. I like that she takes the occasional awkward photo

She doesn't have that pasted on "perfect" sorority girl smile at the ready. She looks genuine. She reminds me that for the first time in 30 years, we have normal people--not super ambitious power people--in the White House keeping an eye on the government for us.

[yy4me]

13. On her worst day she looks better than most of us. Beautiful in

all she wears. He's not bad either. It is nice to see some fun and personal reflection in the clothes worn by the first lady. Enough drab, no shape pant suits. (I voted for the suit in the poll.)

[JayMusgrove]

18. Did any of you fashionista's notice that ???

The black belt in #1 is the SAME BLACK belt in #10?

As for the shoes, I think she had about 3 or 4 pr with different heel sizes, but 2 black, 1 blue, 1 grey?

She only wore ONE pair of slacks, (black) with the double-breasted black short coat number?

She most often wore a white blouse top?

Only three dresses, the others were all skirt and top ensembles?

Am I right or wrong.

[tblue37]

73. I wrote about her "mix and match" practicality on another thread:

One thing I notice about her is that she obviously packs like a mom and a working woman.

For example, that bolero sweater served as her evening wrap for the NATO concert on Friday and as her day wrap when she got off the plane in Prague. Her black belt in today's outfit has been worn with other outfits on this trip, including being belted over a coat worn with a yellow dress. Her black sweaters have done double and triple duty, too. Even her crinoline slip that she wore under her skirt at Buckingham Palace showed up again under her evening dress at the concert. The black and white outfits are obviously intended to be practical "mix and match" pieces so that she can pack fewer different garments.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8322498&mesg_id=8323949

BTW, she also wore that black belt with her sleeveless purple sheath at one campaign appearance. It's obviously a favorite wardrobe element for her.

[JayMusgrove]

76. Thanks for the amplification of the mix and match wisdom! n/t

[Grey]

23. 7a is a 'cropped sweater' and

I want to knit several of them for my daughters.
I may even add beads.......

as for # 10, she should do either the bow or the belt, not both.

[JayMusgrove]

25. I don't see a problem with both, but to each his own. n/t\

[rocktivity]

24. Liked everything except the school outfit (2)

<fashionista>
The sweater must have come from Frankenstein's laboratory, and the low-slung, multi-pleated full skirt makes her look twenty pounds (bottom) heavier. The beaded sweater in (5) would have worked fine with a dark solid-colored skirt--she needs to stay away from "obvious" patterns and textures, and should definitely stop mixing them. Also, the jackets she wears with pants (6) should always be hip-length for a more flattering silhouette (especially from the back).

Dresses 1 and 8 work because they feature a quiet pattern, strong colors, and simple, form-fitting lines. And her party dresses are perfection: though they're both full-skirted, they make her look fuller on top while slimming her hips and legs because of #3's single pleat and #7's subtle textures. Thank you, Michelle!
</fashionista>

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Liberal_in_LA]

26. I followed the crowd and voted for 7 but the pantsuit is cool also.

[xiamiam]

30. yellow, black without jacket, pantsuit, purple print without jacket

in that order...i voted for the yellow although i think it is chartreuse...not yellow...because it is beautiful on her..the black cocktail is easily the best but i just listed my favorites in order...the big bow was my least favorite..thanks for all of the photo threads..i Love them...

[Clio the Leo]

34. #7 is elegant, fun and comfortable ... the perfect combination. NT

[jenmarie]

37. I like #8

The pinky and black silky kind of dress thing.

Does she have nice teeth? I just wonder if she's embarrassed about her teeth because she seems to always smile close lipped.

[gmoney]

40. I hope she asked Carla Bruni Sarkozy for some poise tips...

In the posed shots here she looks really awkward and uncomfortable and out of her element. She could make some simple adjustments to project more confidence while looking better. Ladies, NEVER pose for a photo with your hips square to the camera if at all avoidable. Even if you're thin, it will make you look frumpy. And figure out something to do with your hands, Michelle. The sweaters she's wearing with the green gingham skirt and the black/blue/white nightmare look like they would fit her daughters, but it don't fit her at all.

And a lot of these shots have this sort of puckering smirk she does, rather than a relaxed expression or a pleasant smile like she has in the 3rd and last shots. And I'm not sure if she has a problem with her right eye, or the photogs are catching her at a bad time, but it almost looks like she's doing her "Winky" Palin or Popeye impression. Stepping off AF1 in the second to last shot, she looks fine.

By the way, this IS the superficial thread, so I can pick on superficial stuff like this... if she's going to be a clothes horse, she gets the cheers and the jeers. Like I said, maybe Carla took her aside and gave her a few pointers and things will start to improve in this regard. Yes, she's a wonderful first lady and we're all be proud of her, but unfortunately, presentation is part of the job.

[Jackeens]

42. Good Lord!

I thought I was the Queen of Superficial until I read your post!!

"Out of her element", "a puckering smirk", "I'm not sure if she has a problem with her right eye....", "it almost looks like she's doing her "Winky" Palin or Popeye impression", "if she's going to be a clothes horse, she gets the cheers and the jeers", "maybe Carla took her aside and gave her a few pointers and things will start to improve in this regard".....

You really don't like her, do you?

:shrug:

[gmoney]

86. I don't have a problem with her personally...

It's just when people keep going on and on about her looks and style and how ravishing she is, ad nauseum, it gets to be a little much. She can be very attractive and elegant at times, but the selection of images presented included a lot of quirks and frankly unflattering aspects of her appearance, most of which I think may be things she could better manage if she was aware of them.

I am by NO MEANS anything to look at, and I'm the first to admit it. A few months ago, someone took a snapshot of me at an event making a particularly unpleasant face, sort of a squinty sneer. I was mortified, and my girlfriend said, "Oh, well, you make that face all the time!" So, now that I'm aware of it, I think I'm able to catch myself doing it and stop myself.

If I was going to have my picture in every newspaper and website in the free world, I'd appreciate it if people told me I was making a strange face that I wasn't aware of... I'm not advocating the Pickles Bush Stepford smile mask, but just suggesting a few things that would help her live up to the hype.

Of course, it may also be the way paparazzi/media work, in that they often pick the most UNflattering frame to use, just for editorial effect... some of these may have been examples of that.

And I stand by the statement that if she's going to try to do the designer thing, we have every right to critique the empress's new clothes.

And you know if these were shots of Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachman (?) wearing some of these same outfits and expressions, everyone would be howling with derisive laughter.

[Realtalk]

92. Oh

"It's just when people keep going on and on about her looks and style and how ravishing she is, ad nauseum, it gets to be a little much."

So it annoyed you so much that you had to post your critique about her looks in certain snaphots just to even it out, huh? Okay...

[gmoney]

95. I don't have a problem with her looks, either...

I just think some of these shots aren't very flattering, and that in a thread that's acting like she's a runway model, I'm just saying she ain't there yet.

But I forgot that dissent has been outlawed here.

[jesus_of_suburbia]

43. If 2 didn't have that horribly unflattering skirt part, I'd say 2... I said 8.

Though I also like 1 and 10.

[rocktivity]

45. LOL--THIS JUST IN!!

Do you think Michelle Obama should branch out and wear the bigger luxury labels? (link)

While Michelle Obama has made lesser known designers like Jason Wu, Thakoon, and Isabel Toledo household names by wearing their labels...(Women's Wear Daily fashion trade magazine) asks where the love has gone for big name designers like Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren...

"American fashion right now is struggling," says Oscar de la Renta. "...I don't object to the fact that Mrs. Obama is wearing J. Crew to whatever because the diversity of America is what makes this country great. But there are a lot of great designers out there. I think it's wrong to go in one direction only."He also took a jab at the outfit the first lady wore to meet Queen Elizabeth: "You don't...go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater..."

More

:rofl:
rocktivity

[Political Heretic]

51. I don't like the yellow dress and the one with the huge fuck off bow lol I LOVE all others!!!!

[WorseBeforeBetter]

53. Criticism and praise...

Love 1, 7b and 8.

The brown/blue/white outfit (2) could have worked if the cardigan was paired with a shell, tailored trousers and menswear-ish flats. Or maybe just a dark fitted skirt. That poofy dress was not flattering to her at all, but for the color.

Thought that the green gingham number (5) was too casual for the event and the sweater looks awkward the way it is buttoned.

Think a longer jacket would have been more flattering in 6.

The fuchsia dress (8) was stunning, but something seems off with the proportion of the sleeves.

And 10 is a complete disaster.

All that aside, I'm thrilled to have a "real," non-Stepford First Lady again -- one who exudes intelligence and warmth and represents this country well.

[BlooInBloo]

56. I love her in heels. To hell with short wussy men she might be standing next to.

[Captain Hilts]

59. No. 4 is formal, but fun. Gets my vote. nt

[TreasonousBastard]

64. OK, threads like this make me crazy, but not...

for the reason you might think.

It's the invitable "it's trivial" "it's sexist" blather that that is guaranteed to pop up within seconds. OK, when men buy the bulk of hair care products, miniskirts and high-heel sandals and get on the cover of Vogue I'll buy that.

Fact is, most people accept that even accomplished Harvard lawyers can, and often do, look good, and women looking good is the last thing holding up our economy. I'm not about to pass judgment on this particular bit of social evolution, but no one's out there doing much to devolve any of us from being good looking women or admiring good looking women.

Michelle Obama took one of the world's fashion capitals by storm and wowed the French, to say nothing of every other sentient European, by holding her own fashion sense standing next to Carla Sarkozy. And they had some very nice things to say about each other besides how they dressed.

Does all this mean much in the grand scheme of things? Of course not, but it's a lot of fun watching a First Lady making a splash like Jackie Kennedy did, and it in no way demeans or lessens her.

(And what about the new hair?)

[noamnety]

71. this is a problem

"women looking good is the last thing holding up our economy"

Not that it's necessarily true, but there is some kernel of truth behind it, and it's a problem that the people who earn the least and disproportionately live in poverty have the most social pressure to spend the most money to look acceptable in public. There are some issues behind that (objectification of women, economic punishment of women who don't do makeup or do fashion "right") that are NOT a healthy thing to be holding up here as something that is good for society.

[kid a]

65. rec 5 and vote #80 for black dress

[kid a]

66. MIchelle doesn't like to show her teeth in pictures - she closes up tight.

My wife is the same way. If she knows a camera is poited, the lips go sealed.

That's too bad - she has a great smile! (Michelle and my wife)

[glowing]

70. I loved the white coat she left in, loved the yellow outfit, loved the black party dress, and

thought the paint suit and the jacket was perfect for the little walk-about, and thought the bow blouse was cute.

[lunatica]

75. I really can't pick a favorite. I like the variety

And I really like that she thinks for herself.

[ms liberty]

77. The black dress, 7a&b, definitely...

I love how they have taken Europe by storm and charmed everyone they met.

Thanks Jackeens for your photo threads. Its always a pleasure to take a break from the serious stuff and enjoy some pics!

K&R

[Mira]

79. Well - you asked ! To me # 2/4/5/9/10 are all awful to varying degrees.

numbers five and two should be burned.
The rest are very acceptable, esp. 6, 7 a and b, and 1.
Why she carries a belt under her chest and above the waist I will never know, but it works in outfit number 1.

edited to add number 10 to the pyre.

[Beacool]

80. I'm pretty OK with all of them, except the last one.

That darn belt did absolutely nothing for her figure. Looked weird from the back and made her appear pregnant in profile.

My favorite ones were the satin black and white with the satin coat, though I could do without the innumerable little sweaters. I also liked the black dress on pic 7a & 7b, again I would have preferred a bolero in the same material of the dress (maybe beaded black on black) and not a little sweater.

Oddest outfit must have been the jacquard sweater she wore at Convent Garden with her green inaugural shoes, unusual choice all around.

:-)

[DevonRex]

82. I love everything but the skirt in #5 and maybe the blouse in #10.

[Cha]

84. OT, but Michelle looks like

she could play piano quite well.

I like this one..

[Jennicut]

87. The black dress rocked!

[blaze]

90. What a great thread!!

Not just for the photos, which I always love, but for the wonderful and civil debate that followed.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

91. PLEASE ... unbuttoned bottom cardigan buttons ? Looks sloppy.

[greenbriar]

93. I wish my LEGS looked that GOOD without hose

I am jealous

[varelse]

94. What, no "all of the above" option?

well, ok... how about "all of the above EXCEPT for the 'The bluey cardigany skirty thingy'. But then again, that's just a bad camera angle. There are other pics of her in that outfit that are more flattering, even if that sweater makes me die a little inside.

[Norrin Radd]

96. I like her sartorial choices. She's got punk rock sensibilities.