This Evening's (Thakoon) Dress

Photo by Jim Young / Reuters

The President and First Lady are hosting G20 events in Pittsburgh this evening, posing above with the President and First Lady of Indonesia.

Mrs. O is dazzling in a Thakoon Resort 2010 Collection frock, as seen here. The silk plisse fabric is an ikat print in gray and pink, ruched asymmetrically through the bodice of the dress. This distinct technique of construction and surface embellishment has been a trademark of Thakoon's in recent seasons - and it's working fabulously for the first lady this evening.

Mrs. O has accessorized the look with a single strand of long pearls, pearl earrings, and her hair swept into a low chignon. Pink heels add a pop of color to complete the look. 

From the New York Times:

At 6:15 p.m. Mr. and Mrs. Obama stepped out of the Phipps Conservatory, underneath an awning to greet their first guests. Mr. Obama in a dark blue suit, Mrs. Obama in a taupe, pink and green patterned cocktail dress with straps. Pink patent leather two-inch heels. Hair pulled back in a full, bouffant faux ponytail. Long pearl necklace, pearl earrings. No stockings.

Mr. Obama: “Where’d my First Lady go?”

Mrs. Obama: “Right here,” stepping beside him, as it started to drizzle.

Later in the evening, First Lady Mrs. O hosted a dinner party for the G20 spouses at the Pittsburgh home of Teresa Heinz Kerry.

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

P.S. A glimpse at our favorite and remarkably fashionable first lady friends:

Image by Jewel Samad / Getty Images

Mrs. O Spring 2010

Now that New York Fashion Week has come and gone, we wanted to share the latest work from Mrs. O's favorite designers. We're almost certain to see at least a few of these looks in the coming months. Any favorites?

Shopping Mrs. O's Style

 

We were window shopping at theoutnet.com, and couldn't help but notice several pieces from Mrs. O's wardrobe featured at a considerable discount (though sadly, not quite considerable enough...). Still, we had to share.

The first is a dress that makes our heart flutter -  the rose print dress from Thakoon's Spring 2009 collection. The cheeky, fantasy-filled print, which features roses that have sprouted legs, was the result of a collaboration between designer Thakoon Panichgul and artist Laurie Simmons. Perhaps deemed a bit much for the first lady, Mrs. O wore a pixelated floral version of the same dress, sans legs, when visiting Strasbourg, France in April 2009. (In the New York Times panel this spring, Thakoon also revealed that Mrs. O's version of the dress had been a contender for the Inauguration.)

Next is another dress from a more recent international trip, worn by Mrs. O as she arrived in Moscow this summer. At the time, the linen blend coral dress by Narciso Rodriguez was paired with a coordinating coat by Michael Kors, concealing hidden details such as the cocoon skirt and exposed zip at the back. We are delighted to take them in now!

Finally, we also stumbled upon a dress that goes a bit further back into Mrs. O's wardrobe. Not yet first lady, Mrs. O was a guest on The Ellen Degeneres Show in September 2008. For the appearance, she wore a printed skirt, paired with a purple wrap top and trio of floral brooches. The skirt, we believe, is Hanii Y, shown as a dress here. 

Just a bit of fun to start off the week! P.S. Fans of the White House kitchen garden will be delighted to learn that the Office of the First Lady nonprofit group Fresh Farm Markets has applied for a farmers market permit near the White House, with support from White House chef Sam Kass. Read details here.

Update: We just spotted the same Thakoon dress, in size 8, on ebay, here.

Hot Pink for Volunteerism

Photo by Jonathan Ernst

Tuesday was a full day for the First Lady. Before her gardening duties, Mrs. O spoke at an awards ceremony for Greater DC Cares, the largest coordinator of volunteerism in the Washington, DC area.

For the event Mrs. O wore a black and white textured jacket over a hot pink shell. The jacket and top were paired with a Sonia Rykiel belt, which featured a coordinating hot pink buckle. (We have an idea about the jacket but want to confirm details first...) Update: Mrs. O wears the Bowtie Tweed cardigan jacket from the Thakoon Resort 2009 collection.

Dresses, Old and New

Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton

May 20: To greet a crowd at a meeting of the Corporation for National and Community Service, Mrs. O wore a blue - never seen before! - floral dress by Moschino. The print has some resemblance to this Moschino skirt worn in October 2008. Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton

April 30:To meet hostesses at the annual Congressional Club Luncheon at the Washington Hilton Hotel, Mrs. O wore Thakoon's floral inside-out dress, last worn publicly for the first Presidential debate in September 2008. Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton

May 13: First Lady Mrs. O wore a purple polka dot dress from the 2009 Lanvin resort collection for a meeting with Communities In Schools board members at the Ferebee-Hope Elementary School in Washington. For more fabulous photos of First Lady Mrs. O, see the updated White House Flickr page, here

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