Isn't She Lovely
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 8:07 PM 
Photo by Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images
The great Stevie Wonder is being honored with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at the White House this evening. The prize celebrates "the work of an artist whose career reflects lifetime achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding". The event, the first in the "In Performance at the White House" series, will air Thursday night at 8PM EST on PBS. Check local listings here.
For the occasion, First Lady Mrs. O is wearing a deep v-neck, emerald green dress. Her hair is voluminous. And her wrist is sparkling with Loree Rodkin diamond bangles. We can't be certain, but we believe this dress may be a design by Stevie Wonder's wife, designer Kai Milla. An article in the New York Daily News earlier this year revealed:
Michelle Obama and Milla talked fashion at the Democratic National Convention when Stevie Wonder performed, and though Milla won't disclose the juicy details of their fashion huddle, she feels confident the two will work together at some point.
"If it doesn't happen for the inaugural I'm sure that she and I will work in the future on some level," says Milla who described Michelle as "a very genuine person."
While we don't recognize this exact design from any of Kai Milla's collections, the green, iridescent chiffon fabric does show resemblance to this dress from Milla's Spring 2008 collection.
Update: We've received confirmation that Mrs. O's emerald green, tea length, silk chiffon dress was in fact designed by Stevie Wonder's designer wife, Kai Milla. In her signature style, the black sash was the First Lady's own addition. To hear Mrs. O introduce Stevie Wonder, continue reading the rest of the post.
Reader Comments (121)
Beautiful!!!
I love it! I can't wait to see more. Different hair this evening. I have to say---this blog is fun Mrs. T. Thank you!
it looks like the inaugural bangles might be back with this outfit. she looks great, and it sounds like it's going to be a great event.
Oh, just gorgeous- i love her in these rich jewel tones. And the new hair is great.
I do wonder why Mrs. O is being so adventurous with her hair these days. Could it be a new hairdresser? I really welcome it though. I like the recent variety.
Yahoo has a great shot of her hair.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Michelle-Obama/ss/events/pl/050108michelleobama#photoViewer=/090226/482/4f02413b9f35417683cd0b86c961e699
I love the black high waisted band - it's a great contrast to the emerald hue of the dress. Spectacular!
Love the hair, it's soft, feminine and playful. The color of the dress is amazing on her.
@Jenna
I doubt its a new hairdresser. She just wants to switch it up. No big deal!!
Also, that is the great thing about black hair you can do so many things with it. Curl it, flat iron, ponytails it or wear it curly.
thanks for the pics. The First Lady looks wonderful
Oh, cute shoes!! Nice contrast with the outfit
She really knows how to put a great look together while being mindful of the tough economic times. Too much bling would hit a sour note with the public. She looks chic, but never extravagant (except for the Inaugural balls, which called for extravagant). The hair is FABULOUS! I love it.
Simply stunning! I LOVE her hair this way.
im not sure im a fan of this look....its neither high nor low, for me its just...a dress
but im still reeling over the tracy reese dress she wore for the cover of people!!! i really hope she adds Ms. Reese to her repertoire of designers!! :-)
oooo, Edwina, that is a great shot of the hair!!
i might not be a fan of this look, but the hair looks AWSOME!!!
She reminds me of Sasha in that shot :-)
Excuse me? The silver shoes and red toe polish are terrific! I love Michelle's playful attitude about her clothes and the way she wears them.
I think she shows respect for her role as FLOTUS while at the same time setting a new tone. She is very approachable, and her clothes exude a youthful air that draws people to her, rather than keeping them at arm's length. It's a new era with new rules - or maybe the new rule is no rules.
She has quickly become an American fashion icon and she really does like to look pretty. And I am just amazed at her ability to speak to all sorts of groups with ease and poise - she really does her homework.
Bravo, our lovely FLOTUS!
love Love LOVE the hair!
She knows how to accessorize. The silver bangles and shoes add just the right touch of glamour for evening.
Events like this are definitely one of the perks of the job!
I don't know if I like this; she should have worn something with sleeves, don't you think?
Ha! I kid. I kid. She looks beautiful.
Cheers.
I absolutely love the "mystery" of Mrs. O when it comes to fashion...she knows what she likes and goes with it. She always keeps you guessing, which I love. And she is really making me jealous with those arms doggone it...5 times this week, one in the WH kitchen, then later that night at the Gov dinner, then last night's Pres address, then the cover of People, now tonight with Stevie Wonder!! Do you Mrs. O!!!
I am not sure about this dress...seems a bit too much cleavage for a first lady...but hey I might be wrong here.
Matt -- ha ha ha!
By the way, how nice to have a male perspective on the blog!
The dress is OK and the color is great, but I don't like the dress on her though. However, her hair looks fantastic!
I love the color of the dress and imho the hair looks fabulous
WOW. she looks AMAZING. seriously. i think this might be my favorite look of hers, um, ever. am i crazy? i always think she looks awesome, but i think she looks even more gorgeous than usual here. well played, michelle!
Gracious, chic, stunning...I wonder how she does it! Certainly, it takes energy, strength and intestinal fortitude to stand before the public everyday and look beautiful!!! Only God can be with her to enable her.
FABULOUS!!! What a glorious, glamorous look! This dress is just to die for... she's channeling a 20's flapper, but in an updated way. That color just rocks... you can see her glowing in every shot.
Mrs. T, any info on the earrings? They look like moonstones, but it's hard to tell. There's a great Getty Images shot, if you can pull it: http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/85114454/AFP
Hey! She's totally copying Kathleen Sebelius from the governors' ball...
Just kidding. Doesn't she look awesome? That pic just makes me smile. Mrs. O is going to ruin my budget b/c she makes me want to go shopping in the worst way. I want to go shopping with her, though. THAT would be a fun girl's day out!
So who is the dress by?
OMG she looks so radiant, love the new hairdo
Very nice pictures and nice diamond earrings. WOW, there have been a FEW big parties at the White House lately!
Chicagoan, that is a GREAT picture you posted. The dress fabric looks much thicker in that close-up--I had thought it was like a shiny silk. And it has a lot of subtle detailing, like slight ruffling at the top of the shoulders and the edges of the neckline.
The White House Stevie Wonder event will air on television on PBS tomorrow.
7pm Central time - 6pm ET
Be sure to set your DVRs if you can't watch it in real time ;)
I know, Jenna, isn't it great? I keep blowing it up to 200% to see the detail... the dress almost looks like a silk jersy, but what's most remarkable is the bits of ruching, pin tucks and other details. Makes me think it's couture. Maybe even vintage, although we haven't seen her wear vintage before, have we?
Heads up!
The White House Stevie Wonder event will air on television on PBS tomorrow.
7pm Central time - 6pm Eastern time.
Be sure to set your DVRs if you can’t watch it in real time.
Always such great little details. This is the difference between designer clothing and the duds I wear. Oh well. G'night, ladies and gent!
Wow! Well, this made me double-take. I came onto this site and wasn't expecting this version of Mrs. O. The playful, flirty look she's got going on tonight is awesome.
I just love her spunk and her boldness. She's taking fashion risks, and it's unexpected considering how guarded and disciplined she and her husband have been throughout the campaign. It's almost like getting a glimpse of a daring part of her, that she keeps hidden. And the President's obvious appreciation of how she carries and style's herself shows that he enjoys her flashing that side of herself too.
I really love this look. It's a nice surprise, especially her hair. Mrs. O is a very dynamic woman.
I may be WAAAY off but I bet this is a Kai Milla original. Just a guess :-)
Actually YOLA, I think you may be on to something. Check out this dress from Kai Milla's Spring 2008 collection:
http://www.oprah.com/slideshow/style/fashion/slideshow2_ss_fashion_20071025/13
I will investigate and report back.
(For those who don't know, Kai Milla is a designer and Stevie Wonder's wife.)
She looks absolutely fabulous in that dress! The whole outfit works, the green is gorgeous and the v-neck suits her upper body. Her hair and makeup are to die for. Her jewelry is fantastic. She looks beautiful and classic all at the same time!
Great pics! Do your magic, Mrs. T. :-) This one was a winner!
I'm going with everyone here in saying that this is a great look for Mrs. O. The hair and makeup work well for this look. The simplicity of it all is quite lovely. I saying this, I must say that I like most, if not all, of the outfits in Kai Milla's collection. Nothing flashy:clean, simple, feminine, beatuful.
The new hairdo takes years off her! She looks absolutely fresh and radiant.
I know some will condemn me for this, but I think Michelle can work a bit on her posture.
well heeled. Like it. beautiful dress.
LOVE THE HAIR!!! So soft and feminine.
I love this look. She looks gorgeous. I hope the 'no sleeveless club' will shut up tonight.
My God...she looks better than most women in their twenties and thirties....
I have stepped up my upper body workout! Thank you Michelle!
Yes Alison, some people like their First Ladies buttoned up and predictable. At least she's not going to bore us for the next four years.
She's a breath of fresh air I think. So expressive in how she dresses- she really creates a different mood with every outfit.