Karen Knows Best » Are You Guys Crazy?

Are You Guys Crazy?

Posted in American Politics, I love that bitch like a fat kid loves cake, Michelle Obama Tuesday November 25, 2008

I totally LOVED Michelle Obama’s election night dress!

Apparently she got slated in the press for it though:

Mrs Obama wore a red and black scoop-neck dress by Narciso Rodriguez for the historic moment, a decision that has sparked instant debate among the fashion-focussed. Some branded it an eyesore, others said it was a simple mistake. Most agreed Ms Obama had suffered a rare lapse of taste.

“I voted for Obama, but I didn’t vote for that dress,” Jessica Bettencourt told the New York Times.

Amazing, I thought her dress rocked on a grand scale.

Posted by Karen Scott · Trackback · 34 comments

34 Comments »

34 piped up to “Are You Guys Crazy?”

Leslee
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 11:49 am

I did too! I loved the dress, loved the kids clothes, everything! Just because she didn’t pick a boring suit. I think we are going to hear a lot of this stuff because she isn’t going to do the typical first lady stuff. And I thank the lord for that!!

Nora Roberts
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 12:03 pm

I didn’t like it. I loved the red dress she wore when they visited the White House after the election. Stunning on her. But I didn’t like the pattern or the shape of this one.

joanne
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 12:59 pm

I didn’t like it at all. That was her only fashion mis-step so far though. She has great fashion sense, but that was a lapse IMO.

Karen Scott
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 1:23 pm

Author Comment

Now, ya see, I didn’t like that red dress that she wore to the White House at all. This must be an American vs Brit taste thing, because all of my friends agreed that they loved her dress. Far more so than the outfits that she’s been applauded for.

vanessa jaye
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 1:32 pm

I confess, I hated it. Spent a lot of time trying to figure out exactly what was going on there.

And I’ve given a coworker a REALLY hard time for liking the dress. (Well, not a really hard time, just more yanking her chain. *g*) I took a front page pic around the office for an informal straw poll and the result were unanimous. We all hated it. lol.

Then I googled “Michell Obama + Ugly dress”, and sent my friend the resulting google page– which came up with all the links were discussing this dress. lol.

Yeah. I’m evil. I admit it.

Maybe if Michelle hadn’t worn the cardigan, or if that satiny criss-cross thing wasn’t around the waist? I liked the red sequins, but on the whole the dress was just a mishmash of too much. All she was missing was the church-lady hat with the dyed cockeral feather, imo. lol.

On the other hand, I thought the red dress she wore on the visit to the White House was marvelous, simple, elegant, powerful, striking.

Las
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 1:53 pm

I didn’t love it, but I don’t think it was anywhere near as bad as most people claim. I think losing the cardigan would have helped tremendously.

And I thought she looked fabulous during her visit to the White House.

Ebony
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 2:03 pm

I thought she looked nice. She had the body shape to wear it. On me, it wouldn’t have looked as great. I also liked the dress SHE wore to the White House.

Ebony
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
8

I wonder which designer she will choose for her inauguration dress.

Katrina Strauss
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 2:11 pm

I think she looked fabulous. I also love how when she wears heels, she’s nearly the same height as her tall husband.

Not all first ladies have to look like Barbara Bush. (My god I am still traumatized by those clunky pearls…) Just Google Jackie Kennedy.

Jessica
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
10

I thought it was a very rare misstep for the first first lady who equals Jackie O in style.

Eve Vaughn
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 2:43 pm

I had no strong feelings one way or another about the dress, but I think Michelle is simply elegant no matter what she wears.

M E 2
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
12

I didn’t like it either.

vein
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 3:01 pm

My first thought on seeing it was that it was an ugly dress, but really–completely unimportant on the scale of what was happening. Isn;t it time that we either stopped going on and on about the dresses or tstarted hassling the males in the spotlight about their dull suits and ugly ties (not to mention those hair cuts).

Angela James
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 3:17 pm
14

I didn’t care for it either, but as a family they were all nicely color coordinated.

kirsten saell
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 4:13 pm

Yeah, Barbara Bush was much more stylish…

[/sarcasm]

ETA, haha, I didn’t even see Katrina’s Barbara Bush comment til after I wrote mine.

delta dupree
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 5:40 pm

For me, clothes don’t make the person. But, I’m not fashion-oriented since I live in jammies.

Dee Tenorio
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 6:06 pm

It certainly didn’t change my view of her as a classy lady, but as Jaye mentioned, there were so many elements to that dress that had even one been removed, it would have been more complimentary.

Since I regularly complain about people who say they don’t like stuff and then don’t say why, lol, I’ll explain. I loved the bleed look of the red sequins on the black. I even liked the crisscross center–though not sure I’d have gone for a shiny fabric with that against the plushy look of the red. And that’s a cardigan? I thought it was part of the dress. Mind you, it was probably cold that night, out in the open, but it’s a bad match. The hard lines of the waist crisscross are off compared to the rounded edges of the shoulders and the half-sleeves… seriously, is it keeping her warm or for looks? Plus, she’s essentially wearing three shades of black, and none of them match textures. Just not her best choice all around.

Emmy
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 6:14 pm

Not the best thing I’ve seen her in.

I thought that hourglasss shape in the middle made her look like a black widow spider. Creepy.

Fae Sutherland
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 6:47 pm

I wasn’t fond of it. But then, it was a bit hard to see through the tears and I was too happy to care what she was wearing. It wasn’t until after the fact that I went “Um, not her best outfit ever.” She could have worn jeans and a tshirt for all i cared that night, what mattered was our new president.

curlyq
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 7:21 pm

I didn’t like this dress. It looks like she just finished butchering something, the satiny crisscross is totally unflattering and the cardigan could not have been a worse shape.

But it doesn’t matter cause I think she’s stunning. She’s gorgeous with a great figure and fabulous style. I love that she wears patterns and bright colours and she’s goingt o be an exciting first lady to watch.

JenB
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 8:20 pm

Emmy, THANK YOU for saying that! I wondered if I was the only person who immediately thought of a black widow spider when I saw that dress.

GrowlyCub
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 8:33 pm

I remember thinking two things that night besides how happy I was that he won:

that it was was weird looking dress and that while red looks great on her and her daughter, I thought they should have been wearing blue, because red is for Republicans.

Totally silly thought that latter one, I admit, but there you have it.

Bev Stephans
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 9:47 pm

Didn’t like the dress, but I like the President-Elect and isn’t that the whole point?

Tuscan Capo
Posted: Nov 25th, 2008 at 11:46 pm

I think it was the style of the dress that I didn’t care for. She’s a tall gal, and that particular cut gave her shoulders a slouchy appearance. But the colors, no problem. A subtle slit on one side would have been a nice touch as she has really great legs.

Miki
Posted: Nov 26th, 2008 at 5:17 am

Didn’t like it either. I thought it drew all the attention to her belly, and not in a flattering way.

The picture you’ve used, though, doesn’t seem to stress that like it did when she was walking onto the stage. Maybe the wind was blowing it against her?

I just thought it made her look a little pregnant!

Nonny
Posted: Nov 26th, 2008 at 8:52 am

I liked the dress, but I can see why people might not.

You’d think people would have better things to do than rag on the President-Elect’s fashion choices. It’s not like it was hugely inappropriate. Some people just have to make jabs where they can, I guess.

Kristie(J)
Posted: Nov 26th, 2008 at 12:16 pm
27

I’m with the crowd who loved it!!

vanessa jaye
Posted: Nov 26th, 2008 at 1:12 pm

Let me clarify. I didn’t like it. It didn’t strike me as flattering right of the bat, and I couldn’t figure it out as she made her way on stage, but I did think the family was co-ordinated beautifully.

And then all my attention was on Barack, the momentus moment and what he had to say.

I noticed her red dress on the visit to the White House because it was a beautiful dress (something I would wear). Also noticed that Mrs. Bush was in red as well and thought her dress was tasteful. I like fashion. Sue me.

And then all my attention was on Barack and whatever the news commentators were saying.

I did rag on my girlfriend about liking Michelle’s dress, but I could have been ragging on her for liking knee socks. I was just tweaking her nose/winding her up. It was about the friendship/teasing, more than Michelle’s dress.

On the whole, I really don’t give two figs about what Michelle wears. It’s noted, and I move on.

Yes, I threw in the church lady hat thing (jab?); again, for a laugh. (Obviously). Dee articulated in a more serious way the reasons why the dress didn’t appeal.

This isn’t Go Fug Yourself-com, and given the state of the global economy, the ongoing wars, and the historic change that’s just occurred, I would think it’s a given that most people are more *seriously* concerned with the President-Elect than the family’s fashion sense, despite flippant comments to the contrary.

Dorothy Mantooth
Posted: Nov 26th, 2008 at 1:39 pm

I thought it was really unflattering; it made her look slouchy and very wide across the hips and thighs. She’s still a lovely, stylish woman, it simply didn’t film well; the picture you have looks fine, but on video it distorted her shape. (Like Jennifer Connelly’s Oscar dress the year she won, which was apparently gorgeous in person but looked like dirty rags on camera.)

The clothing of First Ladies has always been scrutinized. I don’t think it’s a sign that we don’t have more important things to worry about as well. I just think it’s a sign that we’re still human and have a wide rage of interests. Perhaps it’s shallow of me, but I still enjoy discussing things other than the economy.

M E 2
Posted: Nov 26th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

Sorry, but the question was did you or did you not like the dress, period. Anything/everything else is a moot point. @@ Maybe the better question should be : why can’t anyone JUST answer yes or no without having to qualify everything? @@

AztecLady
Posted: Nov 26th, 2008 at 3:58 pm

M E 2, probably because most humans are rarely black / white. Or perhaps because it’s a blog and commentary is always welcomed, as well as all sorts of interesting tangential conversations sparked by one or more of those more-than-just-yes-or-no comments.

Oh, and the question was “are you guys crazy?”

Dorothy Mantooth
Posted: Nov 26th, 2008 at 4:39 pm

Oh, gee, sorry. Karen, perhaps in future you ought to simply put up multiple-choice polls, and turn comments off, so that we don’t go off on silly tangents and actually give opinions of more than one word. Apparently we’ve offended M E 2 by assuming this was a topic for discussion on a blog, and not a court of law.

MD
Posted: Nov 26th, 2008 at 6:44 pm

I didn’t like that red black dress, but that’s the only thing she’s worn that I didn’t like. Purely a matter of personal taste, imo. Obama himself wears tasteful, understated suits that look good on him, but his ties are not memorable. You know who wears really handsome, tasteful ties that look great on him? Keith Olberman (sp?). Something I’ve noticed. Joe Biden has worn some nice ties, too.