Marvelous in Marchesa

The state dinner festivities have begun! First Lady Mrs. O looks elegant in an off-the-shoulder blue Marchesa gown, accessorized with strands of Tom Binns pearls.

Of note, this is the first time that Mrs. O has worn Marchesa for a major event. Marchesa is a New York-based label started by British born designers Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig in 2004. A very clever choice by the First Lady!

Update: By request, a photo of Jill Biden in a strapless, white chiffon gown. Samantha Cameron wears a lace gown by Alessandra Rich. 

Regal Ralph Lauren

Photo by Charles Dharapak / AP Images

This evening the President and First Lady are hosting a dinner for Queen Elizabeth at the Winfield House, where the U.S. ambassador to the U.K. lives. For the occasion, Mrs. O has chosen an off-the-shoulder black gown by Ralph Lauren paired with absolutely knock-out jewelry by Tom Binns and a jade and diamond lattice ring by Yewn. Stunning!

The gown originates from the Ralph Lauren Fall 2011 collection, seen here. (Thanks BeeGee!)

The Best of 2009

Before the clock strikes midnight and this officially becomes the second day of 2010, I wanted to take a look back through 2009 to highlight a few favorite Mrs. O ensembles of the year. With my top five outlined below, I'd also love to hear your favorite picks.

#1 Orange gold Rodarte dress in Copenhagen worn with a trio of vintage brooches / October 1, 2009

While the Olympic bid for Chicago was not a success, the trip to Copenhagen did bring one of Mrs. O's most stunning style moments of the year. The first lady has improved perceptions of American culture abroad, in part, by projecting elegance and sophistication through her style. It is a powerful, smart use of fashion, purely embodied through the Rodarte dress and vintage pins below, worn as Mrs. O represented the United States on a world stage in Copenhagen.

Photos by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

#2 Peter Soronen Twilight Gown paired with a Tom Binns necklace for the National Governors' Association Dinner / February 22, 2009

The National Governors' Association Dinner happened to fall on the same night as the Oscars, and as one flicked from TV to laptop screen, it was hard to remember which was which. Mrs. O looked unlike any first lady had looked before in her sequined Peter Soronen corset gown, accessorized with ropes of crystals and pearls by Tom Binns. It was the perfect union of classic glamour and modern edge, and certainly one of the most exciting looks of the year.

Photo credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

#3 Isabel Toledo lemongrass dress and coat chosen for the inauguration / January 20, 2009

Many Americans were introduced to Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo on January 20, enchanted by her inaugural creation for our new first lady. Amidst a sea of navy and black wool winter coats, the eye was instantly drawn to Mrs. O's bold lemongrass hue, which projected an optimistic mood on the cold winter morning.

The ensemble in its entirety is an example of classic Mrs. O style. With the Isabel Toledo dress and coat, Mrs. O wore a Nina Ricci cardigan, a vintage pin from the Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection at the collar, green Jimmy Choo heels and J.Crew leather gloves -- a mix of price points and aesthetics, and a fresh play on color.

Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images

#4 Alaia dress worn for American Ballet Opening Night Spring Gala in New York City / May 18, 2009

Throughout the year, we saw the first lady embrace a wide range of fashion talent -- young, up and comers; established, mainstream labels; and a handful of lesser known, semi-couturiers. Significant among those is Azzedine Alaia, who has been described as the "last true couturier." Mrs. O publicly wore Alaia for the first time during the G-20 and NATO summits overseas in April. Soon following, she chose this frock, said to have been a long-time favorite in her closet, to wear to the American Ballet Opening in New York. The touch of sparkle and structured construction made it one of the best looks of the year.

Image via a kind, anonymous friend

#5 Violet Jason Wu dress with french knot embroidery, worn for a White House kitchen event / February 23, 2009

When seen from afar, one might perceive a simple, printed cocktail dress in this Jason Wu frock. But viewed up close, we discover thousand of hand embroidered knots, clustered in florets to create the pattern on the backdrop of violet fabric. As we whiz through glossy magazine pages, it's often easy to overlook the fine craftsmanship that goes into beautiful dresses. But we see a prime example of it here, offering an entirely new, substantive dimension to following the first lady's style.

White House photo by Joyce N. Boghosian

A White House Christmas

Hooray for the White House Flickr page, which has released new photos from various White House events held over the past month. Below we'll share our favorites, which include first looks at a few new Mrs. O frocks.

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

The president and first lady descend the grand staircase at the White House, to attend the "Christmas in Washington" event on December 13th.  For the occasion, Mrs. O chose a pleated jersey dress by Isabel Toledo ("very Marilyn Monroe" in the designer's words).

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

On December 4th, the president and first lady met Edith Childs of Greenwood, S.C.. Ms. Childs coined the phrase, "Fired Up! Read To Go!" which became the chant of the Obama campaign. Mrs. O wore a Michael Kors Gold Silk Lurex suit jacket and matching pencil skirt for the event. To note, we've seen the first lady wear the same ensemble in bold yellow and metallic red for prior events.

 

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

Above, Mrs. O greeted guests during a holiday reception on December 15th. The first lady wore an emerald green Jason Wu cocktail dress with layered fan detailing through the skirt. The dress is from the designer's Spring 2009 collection, seen here.

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

We're treated to another look at Mrs. O's purple pleated chiffon Peter Soronen gown, paired with an edgy Tom Binns necklace.

Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton

Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton

Above the president and first lady greet the Strings of Joy ensemble during a White House fete on December 14th. The first lady wore an ivory velvet sheath dress for the function.

Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy

We'll end with a look at the winter wonderland at the White House. The photo above was taken just yesterday. Happy Holidays everyone!

Pleated Perfection

Image by Mandel Ngan / Getty Images

Image by Jonathan Ernst / Reuters

First Lady Mrs. O looks stunning in a pleated, orchid purple chiffon gown at the Kennedy Center Honors this evening. More details on the gown and necklace to follow.

Update: Mrs. O wears a corset gown by Peter Soronen and necklace by Tom Binns from the designer's Mutiny of Splendor collection (thanks Torrance!).

Per the New York Times, the evening honored five artists, including Bruce Springsteen, Robert De Niro, Mel Brooks, Gracy Bumbry and Dave Brubeck. Tonight's gala performance followed a dinner hosted by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Saturday night and a reception earlier today at the White House. We are crossing our fingers that a full-length view will surface on the White House Flickr feed. We will also have a chance to watch the event when it airs on December 29 on CBS.

Front and Back of Peter Soronen gown:

Images via Peter Soronen Studio  Tom Binns necklace in detail:

Image via New York Magazine