OK – I have been holding my tongue about this for a while now, but I can keep quiet no longer . Michelle Obama is NOT a fashion icon! There is a huge difference between being into fashion, like a hobby and being a fashion icon. Diane von Furstenberg is an icon because she solved a major problem for women with her invention of the wrap dress and remains a leader in the industry 40 years later. Gwen Stefani is an icon because she has a distinctive style that doesn’t pander to what’s new and hot and oh, by the way she founded a major fashion label as well.
Mrs. Obama and Jill Biden were on The View yesterday - http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/18/michelle-obama-the- view_n_850629.html - and I hated what Michelle was wearing. A light beige v-neck, long sleeved sweater with a white satin pleated skirt complete with large turquoise (yes I said TURQUOISE!) earrings that were pulling her earlobes down drastically. White and off-white together is one of my personal fashion no-no’s. Also – her bare legs were crossed and one was gleaming so much (lotion? oil?) that it was distracting. What message was this outfit trying to convey?
And why is Mrs. Obama considered a fashion icon anyway? She has gotten it wrong so many times. The black and red Narciso Rodriguez dress from election night was completely inappropriate on her body and for the occasion and she seemed totally uncomfortable in the white gown from the inaugural ball. I appreciate that she supports low price point fashion companies like J. Crew and up-and-coming designers like Jason Wu but does this make her an icon? It really irks me that the first lady and Dr. Biden were talking about military families on the show and the story is on the Style section of the Huffington Post. Wouldn’t it be more fitting in the Politics section?
Talk about confusing the messenger and the message…
