The shocking cost of the dress Michelle Obama wore on

[NYCGirl]

REGIS AND KELLY and TODAY…$34.50 from H&M!

I bet that dress sells out fast!



This morning, First Lady Michelle Obama wore a $34.50 H&M polka-dot dress on the Today show. Hey CFDA and Oscar de la Renta, are you guys freaking out yet, because omg H&M is a Swedish brand!

For the record, we think Mrs. Obama looks fantastic. We love the dress, we love the belt, and we think she should wear whatever she wants. This First Lady has done more to support young American fashion designers than any other First Lady in our lifetimes (and it's not like we're spring chickens or anything) so good on her for looking awesome all the time and yay H&M!

http://racked.com/archives/2011/02/09/michelle-obama-wore-hm-on-tvis-a-cfda-meltdown-imminent.php

[CrossChris]

1. I love it!

LOL!

[xchrom]

2. you do know Lanvin is designing for h&m now? nt

[NYCGirl]

5. But at affordable prices. H&M is wonderful.

BTW, here in NYC, when H&M gets a good designer line, people line up on the day of release. Often, the collection is sold out within the first day.

[PassingFair]

6. Wonderful if you have tiny shoulders and a big rear....

Not so good if you have a "swimmers" build.

[blogslut]

7. So...?

Is the implication that because the dress has a noted designer's name attached to it, it's some sort of elitist dress?

Philippe Starck designed $20.00 chairs for WalMart Target. Were these elitist chairs?

[xchrom]

12. it's a response to this:

'Hey CFDA and Oscar de la Renta, are you guys freaking out yet, because omg H&M is a Swedish brand!'

the big design houses are not freaking out -- lanvin IS a big, expensive design house who is experimenting -- as many established design houses do -- with branding for a younger generation.

[blogslut]

14. I think the comment to CFDA and de la Renta had more to do with this

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1352472/Michelle-Obama-hits-U-S-fashion-designers-criticise-Alexander-McQueen-dress.html

One of the leading fashion designers, Oscar de la Renta, was the first to comment.

He told Women's Wear Daily: 'My understanding is that the visit was to promote American-Chinese trade.

'American products in China and Chinese products in America. Why do you wear European clothes?'

Diane Von Furstenberg, president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, told the same publication: 'Our First Lady Michelle Obama has been wonderful at promoting our designers, so we were surprised and a little disappointed not to be represented for this major state dinner.'

[xchrom]

17. h&m does seem to have an 'ok' track record on labor

http://www.alternet.org/story/23267/

Finally, I found the "Code of Conduct" page. Here's what it says:

"H&M does not have any factories of its own. Instead we buy all our garments and other goods from around 700 suppliers, primarily in Europe and Asia. Since we do not have direct control over this production we have drawn up guidelines for our suppliers, which together form our Code of Conduct. This Code of Conduct is partly based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and ILO conventions on working conditions and rights at work. It is there so that we can be sure that our products are produced under good working conditions."

[blogslut]

19. Good to know

As for 'American designers' getting all worked up over the first lady's choice of dress, I. Just. Don't. Care.

[Drale]

3. I bet Sarah "You Betcha" Palin doesn't own a pair of underwear

that costs less then $34.40 :rofl::puke:

[KittyWampus]

4. Her new stylist should wean her off those damn belts. She's a beautiful person

and woman though. She could wear anything.

[GoCubsGo]

10. I hate those belts, too.

But, she's about the only woman I've seen that can get away with it.

[aquart]

23. Belts seem to be in this year. Damn them.

[SoCalDem]

11. If they were at her waist, and not directly under her boobs, I wouldn't mind them

but those belts are too wide & too high (according to me..International fashion critic, that I am :)..)

Back in the day when I bought & sold fashion, the customary "usage" of belts was to "break" the line of an extremely long-waisted woman...or to emphasize a waist that did not really exist in an extremely "boyish" figure:) Neither example fits her. She has a very nice hour-glass-y shape, and does not need big chunky belts to draw extra attention to any one area.

[eShirl]

13. in the photo it reminds me *a little* of a Japanese obi

[SoCalDem]

15. Yes, it does.. Obis look fine on slender, small Japanese women

but not all that great on zaftig, tall American women:)

[LuckyLib]

18. Right on target, fashionista! Those belts around the rib cage need a visit from

the fashion police!

[CTyankee]

16. I wonder if she wears them to make her mid section look slimmer.

Maybe a belt at her waist doesn't flatter her...

[Brickbat]

8. Swedish brand, made in Bangladesh.

At least it wasn't made at the factory that supplies H&M with sweaters. You know, the one that burned last year and where 21 people died because the exits were blocked.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/02/hm-factory-fire-in-bangla_n_482170.html

[Brother Buzz]

9. Michelle Obama can make a flour sack dress look regal

That's a fact, Jack.

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. That's what I'm say'n.

[Vinca]

20. It looks great on her, too!

There was an article in last month's Rolling Stone about Jimmy Carter. He and Rosalyn buy their clothes at the Dollar General Store!

[PADemD]

22. I love the red dress that she wore to the state dinner.

[spanone]

24. remember: Cindy McCain's $300,000 Outfit

One of the persistent memes in the Republican line of attack against Barack Obama is the notion that he is an elitist, whereas the G.O.P. represent real working Americans like Levi “F-in’ Redneck” Johnston.

It caught our attention, then, when First Lady Laura Bush and would-be First Lady Cindy McCain took the stage Tuesday night wearing some rather fancy designer clothes. So we asked our fashion department to price out their outfits.

Laura Bush
Oscar de la Renta suit: $2,500
Stuart Weitzman heels: $325
Pearl stud earrings: $600–$1,500
Total: Between $3,425 and $4,325

Cindy McCain
Oscar de la Renta dress: $3,000
Chanel J12 White Ceramic Watch: $4,500
Three-carat diamond earrings: $280,000
Four-strand pearl necklace: $11,000–$25,000
Shoes, designer unknown: $600
Total: Between $299,100 and $313,100

http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2008/09/cindy-mccains-300000-outfit.html

[JDPriestly]

25. Michelle's style is to our day what Jackie Kennedy's was back in her day.

Michelle always looks great.