Being Michelle Obama

[question everything]

A beautiful story from the WSJ (and thank you, Make7, for opening the image)




DECEMBER 6, 2008

Over-40 Finds a Muse
Designers for the middle-aged pin hopes on Mrs. Obama

By TERI AGINS

New York designer Elie Tahari invited retail buyers to his showroom this past week to unveil his latest sartorial confection: a $598 purple-floral sheath that he has named "the Michelle dress," after Michelle Obama. The 44-year-old future first lady's immediate influence on fashion "has nothing to do with fashion trends," says Mr. Tahari, who plans to put the dress in ads this spring and in stores in June. "Her style is all about the woman being noticed, not just the dress." After years of unsuccessful attempts to satisfy middle-aged women -- a high-spending but difficult-to-please demographic -- the U.S. apparel industry is rejoicing that it has finally found its muse. In design studios along Seventh Avenue and in retail strategy sessions at stores from Talbots to Saks Fifth Avenue, designers and executives are holding up Mrs. Obama as their Baby Boomer pinup girl.

(snip)

Some styles have already begun to change at Ellen Tracy, a label that is overhauling its look after seeing sales slide in recent years. Some items now fit closer to the body, the way Mrs. Obama tends to wear her clothes. The internal book the company is using to relaunch the Ellen Tracy brand has four pages of images of Mrs. Obama on the campaign trail, wearing sheath dresses and casual sportswear. Designers at Liz Claiborne Inc. have struggled for years to revamp the label for middle-aged women. Now, Mrs. Obama's name is being bandied about as the role model for the company's new flagship collection, which hits stores next month. "Michelle Obama is the incarnation of what we have been thinking," says Isaac Mizrahi, Liz Claiborne's designer.

(snip)

As sales of women's clothes have plunged in the recession, middle-aged women have become a tempting target because of their tendency to spend more than younger women on clothes. Women over 35 spent an estimated $53.2 billion of the $109 billion in women's apparel purchases for the 12 months ended in September, according to market researcher NPD Group. By comparison, women from the ages of 18 to 34 spent only $37.3 billion (girls from 13 to 17 spent the rest).

Many fashion companies steer away from being too closely associated with Baby Boomers -- for fear of typecasting their brands as old. Now Mrs. Obama is proving that it's OK, even chic, to be 40-something. J. Crew wasted no time connecting the dots when it ran the headline "Shop J. Crew for the Michelle Obama Look" on its Web site soon after Mrs. Obama's late-October appearance on "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, where she wore a yellow sweater, shell and skirt, all from J. Crew. "If Michelle Obama can put together three pieces that we didn't show together, that's the validation that gives other women confidence that they can do the same," says Jenna Lyons, creative director at the specialty retailer.

Apparel makers appreciate that Mrs. Obama -- unlike many Hollywood celebrities on the fashion industry radar screen -- has realistic proportions. And she dresses in accessible mall brands, like J. Crew and White House Black Market, as well as in higher-priced designer labels like Maria Pinto and Thakoon. "One thing I love about her is that she isn't a stick figure and not a plus size," says Mr. Mizrahi. "She has a body pride I love."

(snip)

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122852270571084377.html (subscription)

[Captain Hilts]

1. I'm SO tired of 'what will the first lady wear' articles. About ALL of them. Yetch!

What a racket women's clothes are.

It demeans them. It reminds me of those letters Eleanor Roosevelt used to get from friends saying, "I know what you wore at the dinner, but I don't know what you said."

[MarkInCA]

2. As long as people don't think the articles

carry the same weight as her husband's job, or that what she wears has some effect on his job, what's the harm?

Suggestion: Don't read them. I stopped clicking on threads which had anything to do with cabinet picks because there were too many and few stayed civil and on topic.

I hate when people treat famous people as roayalty, the Obama's are no better than you or me. However, she is a beatiful, confident woman who dresses well and that will generate press.

/2 cents

[Captain Hilts]

7. It's in newspapers. It's on the chat shows. Discussions of what she'll wear...

aren't limited to the Internet.

It's maddening.

[question everything]

3. I guess I do not spend a lot of time here, since I have missed all the

articles about what the first lady will wear.

One of the reasons why so many still admire Jacquie Kennedy and, by extension, her daughter, the Senator wannabe, is because of her style. Remember when JFK said, in their visit to Paris: I am the guy who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy, since she was such a sensation and, yes, an ambassador of goodwill.

Both of them are a role model on all aspects. As African Americans, as two professionals, as parents.. At least, no one was raising an eye brow for the first lady being a professional on her own right, the way they did with Hillary. (The Clintons have paved the way to the Obamas in many ways).

I heard the cheers on the Tonight Show when she pointed to her clothes that she purchased online at J. Crew. What a vast difference from the $150K to dress Sarah Palin (and, no doubt, a lot more to dress Cindy McCain).

As long as many people are curious and want to emulate the famous, I hope they take their cue from the Obamas instead of Paris Hilton or any American Idol.

[MarkInCA]

11. Great post, thoughtfull.

You added to what some might think is a silly topic.

[NashVegas]

4. I Agree, But In This Case

It's because Michelle biggest fashion stir was in an old fashioned "bombshell" dress. Plenty of women have trawled vintage clothing shops for those, since the 1980s. The only thing new about Michelle doing it is now, maybe 5th ave will give women something we already *want.*

[mwei924]

8. Why should that be surprising? There are about 20 magazines..

..like Vogue, In Style, Elle, etc. whose entire purpose is to point out what famous women are wearing. Fashion's fun and interesting, and can tell you a lot about current culture.

[angee_is_mad]

10. A Black Fashion ICON!!!

is great for everyone.It makes me pride to see the props the 1st Lady is receiving about her fashion choices. Being fly doesn't make one less intelligent.

I'm still tickled to death that two little girls will be running around the White House with cornrolls and afro puffs. I thought I would never see this day in my lifetime.

[wildflower]

5. 44 = baby boomer?

I know generation names are somewhat subjective, and it's not only about the year one is born, but I'm surprised to see her called a baby boomer.

[question everything]

13. A very very late one

If she is 44 now, this means she was born in 1964 the last year for the generation starting at 1946.

Of course, many argue that this bracket need to be further divided but in the big scheme of things.. she is.

[lukasahero]

6. Shouldn't that be "looking" like Michelle?

Shouldn't her "being" consist of a little more than what she wears?

God I pity this poor woman - she has done so much in her life and for the next 4 - 8 years, she's going to be nothing more than a pin-up poster. :(

[MarkInCA]

12. How she wears her clothes is her

Michelle is a pretty woman, but in my opinion not stunning. However, she carries herself in such a way that she looks stunning.

As a 42 yo, I fail to understand the admiration for Jackie O since I think her face was very odd, eyes too far apart like Oprah or Yoda. As I have gotten older I see how it was how she carried herself.

It's cliche, but beauty is more than skin deep.

[calimary]

9. Hey, fuck it! I like her and I enjoy the conversation about her style.

The best thing she's going to prove to women all over the country, who've been buffetted by images of size 0 or size 2 anorexic models and starlets, socialites who spend king's ransoms to look good and make the magazines, fancy babes who wouldn't go out without being blessed by their high-priced stylists, and the like.

She looks wonderful and proves J. Crew is every bit as respectable as shopping Neimans or Saks or Oscar de la Renta.

Like it or not, one of the things First Ladies have to do is set a style. Women all over the country look to she whom the President escorts as a role model. Yes, it's trivial and superficial, but then again, I'd guess J. Crew's sales may have gone up as a result, and American designers will get more of a break, especially the Maria Pintos and other more local designers. These businesses will get a boost. Nothing wrong about that.

And if I had those upper arms, I'd show 'em off every chance I got. I think it's nice to see a First Lady who won't be looking dowdy or as though she's wearing the upholstery. And as a tall woman, it says something about her as a considerate person when she wears low heels or flats. When people are taller than you are, they can sometimes be intimidating, and she obviously has a sensitivity to that. She's probably used to that, though, towering over everyone she's worked with, and she probably learned to accommodate just for the psychological gesture. More evidence of what a nice, thoughtful woman she is.

[question everything]

14. And the colors

She wears those jewel colors: purple, green, gold and is shining in them.

I don't know how well you can read the comments next to the image, one of them says that her colors are a contrast from the "political safe colors of red, blue and neutrals" that other first ladies used.

[demokatgurrl]

15. I agree, very good post. I am HOPING

that her look will be influential enough to drive those size zero stick figures off the fashion pages. It's unlikely, I know, but maybe 8 years of looking at Michelle will train our eyes to what a WOMAN's body looks like.

Usually I wouldn't care a damn what the First Lady looked like but in this case I'm glad.