Thursday
Sep222011
Mrs. O in Isabel Toledo
Thursday, September 22, 2011 at 9:50 PM 
Photo by Mandel Ngan / Getty Images
The President and First Lady returned to Washington, D.C. last evening after attending the U.N. General Assembly in New York City. For the return trip, Mrs. O donned one of her Isabel Toledo dresses, last seen in 2009, here.
tagged Isabel Toledo
Isabel Toledo
Reader Comments (25)
Classic American Beauty. Mrs. Obama looks relaxed, comfortable and classy.
This dress has too much fabric in the skirt. Makes Mrs. O look too big.
Beautiful dress. Judging by her hair and makeup she probably wore it to the UN reception that she and the President were suppose to have attended earlier that evening.
Charlotte, I totally agree.
I have loved the sight of fabulous repeats here lately. I want to see that Lanvin number first worn in Oslo again.
I thin it's great that Mrs. O. repeats her outifts. I just wish it hadn't been this one. I like virtually everything by Isabel Toledo that I have seen our First Lady wear, except for this one dress. It just looks too much like a little girl's party dress.
I remember the first time Mrs Obama wore this dress, I really didn't like it. However, on this occassion I absolutely love it. The little bolero jacket and jewellry completely transforms the entire ensemble but high heels would have nailed it. Nonetheless, she looks like the belle of the ball.
There is a brief view of FLOTUS in the Toledo dress at the very end of The West Wing Week video attending a reception at the New York Public Library without the sweater and with heels. The reception was their last event during the UN visit. She probably added the sweater and flats for comfort during the trip back to DC.
I loved the dress then, and I love it now. When Mrs. O wore it to the opening of the Ford Theater, I thought the dress had an appropriate antebellum look to it.
This is not only my favorite Maria Pinto dress but this is my favorite dress of FLOTUS. I just love this dress! There is just something about the juxtaposition of the masculine pattern of window pane against such a feminine silhouette, then adding the fabric being sheer just works for me. I wish that I could see a close up of the necklace she's wearing, it sets it up for a winning look. I think our Michelle looks adorable deplaning.
I love, love, love, love this outfit, especially the dress, and hair.
It is official for me. I absolutely love Mrs. O in dresses!
@ Charlotte-Your words were spot on. She is a Classic American Beauty. Compliments to you.
Peace.
Hate the first time, love it now, strange isn(t it ?! Is it the bolero ? In fact it hate the movment of the dress as seen in the spot, this strange an stiff swing makes me think of betty Drapers's dresses in Mad men. And this character is not my favourite. Anyway your FLOTUS looks great, whatever she wears.
Has this pic of Mrs. O from 9./20 been posted? Was at the Wome For Obama Luncheon.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/297375_10150819751115578_22092775577_20810427_1445800290_n.jpg
"Classic American beauty"--what an interesting and evocative comment! Thank you. Mrs. O has singlehandedly redefined, or at least expanded the definition of, that term. Think of the long tradition of the image of the blond, hipless, blue-eyed beauty of someone like Grace Kelly and now contrast that with Mrs. O's complexion and unmistakably womanly shape. It has been a beautiful thing to watch and an inspiration for girls and women.
I like it much better here. It might be the bolero, but I think it's also the lighting. The fabric doesn't look as nice in the bright lights of the 2009 photo.
And I think switching to flats for the flight is a perfectly reasonable compromise.
Ladies, no one knows what Mrs. O wears on the flight. Her clothes to and from the airplane are for the photo-op. She surely gets comfy; maybe even in her slippers for the flight and then changes into flats for the arrival. Maybe she even keeps sweats on the plane for the ride and then gets back
into her arrival outfit. She looks very nice in this dress.
Char
She looks SO PRETTY!!
absolute gorgeousness. the cut and fabric pattern of the dress give it a regal feel. oddly enough, i don't remember seeing her wear this frock at the previous event. in any case, it looked great at both occasions, with heels then and with flats and a black cropped cardigan now. i actually prefer the latter look.
@Charlotte: You said it best. ...Mrs. Obama looks superb in this dress, which communicates a lot (of good, that is): Classy, relaxed, stylish, lady-like, comfort, polished, yin-yang (dress pattern and colors), youthful "girl" party dress (most men appreciate a small dose of "girl" in their woman--and I mean that in terms of "energy" or aura), eclectic (in combination w/the bolero sweater), confidence and grandeur.
On a side note--and I'm daring to say it--most women would not be able to carry off this outfit, if for nothing else other than their own "fear" of what others (mostly women) might say or think about how they're dressed. (I have 9 maternal aunts and am amazed by how if only one doesn't like an outfit of the other, she will stress and either modify or completely changer her dress--no matter if several others nod in approval.) ...I'm beginning to believe that women really do "dress for each other," as I've heard it said many times. Most men however, don't give a damn.
That said, one of the most appealing things to me about Mrs. O., beside her intelligence and sparkling and warm manner, is her confidence!--in this case, her "fashion confidence." Like her clothing choices or not (waist-high belts, sweaters worn backwards, glossy candy-colored flats, sleeveless tops and dresses, fashion repeats, etc.), she, it appears, defines and adheres to her OWN style/fashion philosophy. Now, THAT'S a style icon for you.
Here's another photo from the UN reception: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150456216517589&set=a.10150137711997589.341498.277092882588&type=1&theater
I think the reason why we like this better now than what we did at the Ford Theater opening is that in the first showing, she wore a lot of under skirting that pushed it out into an unnatural look. This time the skirt falls into easier folds.
@sharon I think you are right about the fullness of the skirt.
@designs thanks for the link to that lovely picture
She looks HOT tonight!!!
Also, it looks like she is growing her hair out back to the length she had it years ago, when Malia was really young.
What a perfect vision of Femininity our gorgeous First Lady is! I'm speechless, as usual.