Obamaesthete

Is it wrong if my first response was actually "hubba hubba"--and i have no idea what unearthed this deeply lost phrase from the depths of my mind. But good lord....why all men should take styling notes from the President.

Also, I went to the Times talk about Michelle Obama with Thakoon, Maria Cornejo, and Narciso Rodriguez yesterday--moderated by Cathy Horyn. Here was my write up for Allure

I guess what was most interesting, besides what I wrote in the above link, is that all the fuss surrounding her choices, I feel, in fashion circles, has very little to do with the garments themselves--which for the most part are perfectly lovely, usually interesting, and mostly flattering--but rather the fact of the choices. Or rather, the choice in opposition to the expectations. It sends all sorts of subliminal messages that really enforce the ethos and branding of the administration: youth, awareness, ingenuity, change. These smaller designers, like Maria, whom i completely love and actually do support with my $, are the recipients of a certain prestige simply by the fact that 1. Michelle chose them out of obscurity and 2. chose them over the norm. She'd make a great magazine editor with this power...she understands (and is a part of an administration that understands) that the tiniest choices of style and presentation can actually transmit tacit, yet very strong messages. But it is delicate and one day J.Crew can be applauded as the "every woman" and the next day, it can seem patronizing....

Also, Maria Cornejo is pretty much the most beautiful, sophisticated woman i've seen in a long time, and her mannerisms are so effortlessly classy and gracious. It only reaffirms the girl crush: I love her silhouettes, loved her show, love her team (wonderful people), love her husband (photographer Mark Borthwick), and think her son is the cutest thing in existence. And she was wearing these amazing sandals, which i first thought was Margiela but then realized they're from her own line.

Photo from The Moment, NYTimes, pulled from the White House's Flickr account. Because, you know, the White House has a Flickr account....