NY Mag's Caitlin Flannigan: Michelle Obama cuts a pretty figure in her big & tall gal ready-to-wear

[SemiCharmedQuark]

From Jezebel:

"Flanagan - whose mini-essay is just one of many in the magazine's package on the "Power Of Michelle Obama" - starts off by echoing British criticisms of Michelle's gifts to Prime Minister Gordon Brown's sons — she calls the toy helicopters "the diplomatic equivalent of a rewrap." But that's okay, she says, because Michelle Obama is totally cute in other ways! Like how she "cuts a pretty figure in her big-and-tall gal ready-to-wear." And how "she lacks taste; her consumer preferences seem to have been rendered into being by the Mall at Short Hills." "This is not the time for taste," says Flanagan. In fact "American women" just love Michelle more for her "cock-up" with the Brown boys, because it sends the message that "times are lean, the fripperies of entertaining don't come as effortlessly as they once did, and-heads up, folks-the lady of the house is a little bit frazzled right now.""


The NY Mag article:

http://nymag.com/news/politics/55368/

[dflprincess]

1. And Laura Bush always looked so lovely

in those upholstery fabrics.

[peace frog]

2. Compare Michelle Obama's genuine beaming smile

to Laura's spaced out Xanax-Lithium-and-vodka-cocktail grin. See the diference now, Ms. Snotty Superior Brit?

[Catshrink]

6. Do you mean this one?

[peace frog]

12. Yikes! But, um, yes

:evilgrin:

[AndyA]

4. Upholstery fabrics straight out of a 1955 Plymouth! (That's been at the salvage since 1967.)

All those great mid-fifties colors that just don't quite look good with her mousy brown hair, white dandruff flakes, screaming RED RED RED lips, and bloodshot eyes.

:puke:

[Sanity Claws]

3. Snark from the English

I can live without it.

[babylonsister]

5. Toy helicopters for boys? How gawdy.

:sarcasm: And I suppose she rewrapped them after her daughters turned their noses up at them. What a pitiful pos article.

[Vinca]

7. Big-and-tall gal? Try normal looking. Everyone isn't a size 2. nt

[Jennicut]

11. Average size of most women in the US is like size 12

I bet Michelle is a 10 or 8. What a dumb comment.

[jaxx]

8. I guess the idea of having a first lady without unlimited means is a new one for the snobs.

This is part of the reason we like Michelle so much....she's like us in many ways.

[Adsos Letter]

14. I do believe the Obamas qualify as wealthy...

but I agree, she doesn't flaunt it.

And Flannigan can shove it.

[blogslut]

9. Dear Ms. Flannigan:

moo

[chatnoir]

10. What a petty wannabe

13 Women Who Make Us Cringe

Caitlin Flanagan

Feminist? Or anti-feminist? How you view the writings of Caitlin Flanagan depends on which side of that issue you start out on.

The author of the book To Hell With All That: Loving and Loathing Our Inner Housewife is the master of sending mixed messages about modern motherhood and making those on both sides of the fence second-guess their choices. Flanagan, who also has written for the Atlantic Monthly and The New Yorker, often evokes pity for women who “choose” to work full time and forsake the chance to create a warm home environment..

But Flanagan, who purports to be an advocate for stay-at-home moms, is no traditional SAHM herself—she has an extremely successful writing career, which she categorizes as a “hobby.” To allow herself the luxury of that hobby, she has in the past admitted to having a nanny and a housekeeper.

A woman with a high-profile writing career and who has employees to help with the kids and do the laundry? Doesn’t sound like the June Cleaver-existence Flanagan pushes on other women.

http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-life/bigger-picture/staticslideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=8318090&imageindex=11

[Contrary1]

13. Have you seen the April cover of Opah's magazine?

:applause:

[Hello_Kitty]

15. Caitlin Flanagan is such a fucking asshat.

She's made a tidy living publishing drivel wherein she extrapolates her experience as a Manhattan socialite to the entire population. This article is a particularly odious piece of elitist and patronizing codswallop.

Methinks Ms. Flanagan might be jealous?

[ljm2002]

16. Frazzled?

She thinks Michelle Obama is frazzled?

I've gotta say, "frazzled" is not a word that comes to mind for me when I regard Michelle Obama. Stylish, poised, accomplished, a great mom and a loving wife -- those are things that come to mind when I think of Michelle Obama.

Now it may be true that she doesn't wear high fashion -- I wouldn't know. But the thing is, as my mom used to say, "Doesn't matter, she'd look great in a gunny sack!".

Frazzled. Wow. I'm just trying to figure out where that writer came up with that.