After the red-and-black butcher's apron monstrosity of election night, Michelle Obama has been fairly muted and reserved in terms of wardrobe. Yesterday was her day to shine, but she merely produced a faint glimmer, and even that could have been the sunlight reflecting off of Obama's flag-pin.
During the ceremony her green/yellow soupy business look didn't really go over well, but whatever, it was 20 degrees and everyone was busy looking at Obama (has he gotten smaller?). Plus, as they say, yellow can be mellow, and hence take the edge off some of those nerves.
The nighttime gown, however, that was the opportunity for elegance, fashion, whimsy, hope, all those lame semi-descriptive terms that can be applied to clothes ad nauseum. However, once again, she picked an ill-fitting, poorly designed 'prom dress'.
If this were reality I'd say 'Auf Wiedersehen', but it's just a show, so I'll let her stay on for another 4 years.
Besides, its a new world order now, and she's got a bunch of colors to choose from, such as black, brown, even red. But not white, right Reverend?
It's a pure retro thing - which necessarily includes an aspect of playful chic and dowdiness. Look at actual shots of women from the 20's through the early sixties and you will see a that no one outfit, however iconic, avoids a certain clumsiness. Even Dietrich and Hepburn were not exempt.
ReplyDeleteI think Jason Wu nailed it and she looked beautiful in an authentically retro way. The Toledo had its moments (color was superb, concept excellent) but got tangled in the layers of cashmere and weak tailoring that was beyond the bounds of authenticity. The tiara was perfect, however, precisely because it was NOT organically connected to the dress, but was charmingly awkward.
Of the world agrees about the Narcisso disaster...as you say, a butcher apron...or an illegal abortion.