michelle obama

Michelle Obama Wears Toywatch Timepiece - Popular, Purple, And Plastic - Basically A Toy

Toywatch watches are pretty popular, especially since Oprah endorsed them a while ago. I have to say that I'd like to see Oprah maybe get a lesson in watch appreciation so that she can at least recommend different types of watches. Right now she seems partial to flamboyantly colored plastic timepieces (as she also endorsed Tok watches). Now, aside from that Toywatch watches have a lot to offer. You get that Rolex Submariner style look, in a bunch of fanciful colors, in light weight plastic and with a quartz movement. The style is nice actually, and I like the idea behind the brand. I am concerned though that for almost two hundred dollars you are overpaying for a watch that is plastic and has a very basic and inexpensive movement. So what you are paying for is a fashion statement and to be part of a growing club of celebrities that have been known to wear the watches.

Michelle Obama is an ad hoc celebrity of course, and she has been recently seen with her family wearing a purple Toywatch in Paris, France. The specific model is the Neon Plasteramic Ultra Violet watch. A 38mm wide plastic timepiece that ironically reads "Professional" on the dial. This watch collection is available in a variety of colors and is certainly a bold statement, with an equally bold price. If you like it, you'll be among a long list of other people who do. Just be careful with it as the watch is plastic - just like a toy. Michelle Obama has been seen wearing other watches as well, such as a Cartier for her official White House portrait.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Michelle Obama Toywatch

Tags: michelle obama, MichelleObama, plasteramic, purple ultra violet, PurpleUltraViolet, toy watch, toywatch

The Obamas Enjoy Date Night At Blue Hill New York

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Diners in New York City's Greenwich Village got a surprise Saturday night when the President and First Lady joined them for dinner. The First Couple ate at the Blue Hill restaurant before seeing a Broadway show "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" at the Belasco Theater. The NY Daily News reports that when the couple left the restaurant the other diners stood up and applauded them. Diners were searched before going into the restaurant and the entire block was closed off.

The menu at Blue Hill New York focuses on local food sourced mostly from Blue Hill Farm in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, and Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture. Guests can choose from the regular menu or opt for the "Farmer's Feast," a five-course tasting menu. Entrees including Hudson Valley chicken pot au feu and Berkshire pig stew are in the $30-$40 range. The President and First Lady have expressed an interest in gardening, farming and healthy food options so this restaurant, which showcases fresh fruit and vegetables and simple preparations was a natural choice.

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, blue hill, blue hill restaurant, BlueHill, BlueHillRestaurant, michelle obama, MichelleObama, restaurant

The Jumbled Jewels of Tom Binns

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

Like designers Jason Wu, Loree Rodkin and others, jewelry creator Tom Binns recently got a Mrs. Obama boost when the First Lady wore one of his creations at the black-tie dinner for the National Governor's Association. The tangled mass of pearls worn above a glittering Peter Soronen gown made a dramatic statement. Binns designs pieces with a punk couture sensibility honed by working with Vivienne Westwood and Macolm McLaren.

Yes, there are safety pins in his collections, often rendered in smooth gold and affixed to a riotous bulk of chains. But Binns also does pretty, there are Art Nouveau influences, as wells as gothic skulls, crosses and necklaces that pair rhinestones with tumbled glass. The effect is a beautiful nonsense completely in line with his Dada leanings.

The LA Times's Booth Moore profiled Binns this week, revealing a charming curmudgeon who's a bit of a workaholic. He is currently producing 30 collections with price points ranging from the low hundreds to around $25,000. He recently opened his first store in New York City. Binn is sanguine about his Obama moment. He's quoted in the profile as saying "t's actually the integrity that's precious, not the material. Value is not what they say it is, it's what you feel it is. And she looked like a million dollars."

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Tags: dada, jewelry, michelle obama, MichelleObama, tom binns, TomBinns

Mrs. Obama's Lanvin Sneakers

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Shoes

Michelle Obama's fashion choices continue to raise eyebrows. Even her sneakers aren't safe. Michelle Obama and Jill Biden pitched in at a Feeding America event. Mrs. Obama wore a casual sweater, capri pants and a pair of shiny suede and pink metallic sneakers from Lanvin. It turns out that the sneakers with grosgrain ribbon laces cost $540 and this has tongues clucking. The NY Daily News reports that the kicks, which come in denim and satin versions have been selling well all season. Given that Mrs. Obama often wears shoes by Jimmy Choo and other expensive designers, it's not clear why the sneakers are so provocative. Is it because they are casual footwear? Given the controversy perhaps next tiime she'll head to J.Crew for the sneakers too, the most expensive pink Jack Purcell pair sells for $195.

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Tags: lanvin, michelle obama, MichelleObama, sneakers

First Lady Michelle Obama Wears Cartier Watch For Official White House Portrait

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches

Of course people are talking about Michelle Obama's choice of wardrobe for her official White House image located on the White House website. The attire while elegant, is distinctly modern and does not draw attention away from the face. Associated Press writer Caryn Rousseau reported on the photograph and commented on the first lady's choice of accessories including her jewelry and wrist watch. For the photograph, Michelle Obama chose her steel Cartier Tank Francaise - a popular Cartier Tank watch that is tasteful and luxurious without being showy - a good choice for any First Lady. The watch comes in both male and female models with various levels of gilding.

Michelle Obama's subtle yet sophisticated taste shows in her choice of wearing the undecorated version of the watch in steel, although the watch is available with gold and with diamond settings. The White House portrait of the first lady does not make the model of the watch clear, but the trained eye is easily able to pick up the recognizable timepiece. Cartier themselves expressed surprise and excitement over the picture as they had no idea she would be wearing the particular watch for the occasion.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Cartier Tank Francaise

Tags: cartier, first lady, FirstLady, michelle obama, MichelleObama, tank francaise, TankFrancaise, timepiece, watch, wristwatch

The Obamas Will Pay For Their Own Redecorating

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Michelle Obama has already taken a rake to the White House lawn tohelp put a kitchen garden in, now the First Family is taking matters into their own hands when it comes to White House decor. New York magazine reports that Barack and Michelle Obama have decided not to use taxpayers' money to renovate their private quarters at the White House. Traditionally new presidents have $100,000 of government money to outfit their rooms. But the Obamas, who hired famous interior designer Michael S. Smith. will not be using public funds or accepting free goods to redecorate their quarters. Because it will be out of public domain, the exact budget for the Obama overhaul isn't known. Michelle Obama has expressed interests in brands like Pottery Barn but that might be a bit of a waste of Mr. Smith's talents.

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, michelle obama, MichelleObama, white house, WhiteHouse

Table Fifity-Two: The President's Valentine's Day Dinner Destination

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Celebrity Shopping

barack and michelle obama on valentine's day

Like many other couples, the President and First Lady went out to dinner on Valentine's Day. The pair dined at a Chicago restaurant which is owned by Oprah's former personal chef, Art Smith. Table Fifty-Two specializes in high-end versions of classic southern food like shrimp and grits, crab cakes, pan-seared catfish, jambalaya with sides of macaroni and cheese and collard greens. According to the Chicago Tribune, Smith, who was Oprah Winfrey's chef for ten years, greeted the couple and whisked them away to a private dining room. The dinner destination apparently surprised some local foodies who were guessing that the Obamas might end up at Spiaggia for Italian food or at Topolobampo for Rick Bayless's Mexican/Southwestern fare.Table Fifity-Two is known for its generous portions, is Mrs. Obama toting home the leftovers in the picture above?

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Tags: art smith, ArtSmith, barack obama, BarackObama, chicago, michelle obama, MichelleObama, restaurant, table fifty-two, TableFifty-two

Michelle Obama's Jason Wu Gown

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping

At the start of December, Jason Wu called it a "long shot" when asked if he would be designing for the inauguration. Looks like the long shot came through. Young designer Jason Wu was the designer of Michelle Obama's white inaugural gown. Like Isabel Toledo who designed inauguration outfit Michelle Obama wore earlier, Jason Wu is an American designer born elsewhere (Isabel Toledo was born in Cuba, Wu was born in Taiwan). Both also attended Parsons in New York. President Obama wore a white bow tie with his tuxedo. Mrs. Obama also wore diamond drop earrings and a diamond cuff bracelet from Loree Rodkin to match the sparkle of the beaded gown. Wu's gowns generally cost between $3,000-$6,000.

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Tags: inaugural ball, inaugural gown, InauguralBall, InauguralGown, jason wu, JasonWu, michelle obama, MichelleObama

The History of Inaugural Gowns

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Why is what the new first lady wears at the Inaugural Ball so important? Is it just a fashion moment or is it something more. The gown is donated to the Smithsonian (following tradition Mrs. Obama will be donating hers after the ball) which does make it a part of history. But it isn't just that, it's the idea that the image of the first lady in her gown is a symbol of what the next four years will bring. At this critical moment in history, Michelle Obama's fashion choices seem to carry particular weight. The piece from Forbes above gives a little history on inaugural gowns and why we should care so much about what one woman wears on one day.

Tags: fashion, inauguration, michelle obama, MichelleObama

Cooper's Hawk Winery Toasts Michelle Obama

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

Another Illinois-based business getting a boost from the Obamas is the Cooper's Hawk Winery. The Cooper's Hawk Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine will be served for the official toast to the new first lady at the Illinois State Society's Illinois Inaugural Gala in Washington D.C. on Monday. The winery, which has restaurants in Orland Park, Burr Ridge, Wheeling and South Barrington, will also be serving red and white wines throughout the event. The Blanc de Blanc sells for $13.99 a bottle and most of the Cooper's Hawk wines are in the under $25 range. The winery purchases grapes from across the United States including Washington, California, Illinois and Michigan and produces over 125,000 gallons of wine a year.

[via Chicago Tribune]

Tags: coopers hawk, CoopersHawk, inauguration toast, InaugurationToast, michelle obama, MichelleObama, sparkling wine, SparklingWine

Michelle Obama Wears Jason Wu

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping

Hot young designer Jason Wu, who we mentioned recently on this blog, got a big boost into the national spotlight last week when Michelle Obama wore his #17 from his Spring 2009 collection for her interview with Barbara Walters. The $3,510 raw silk dress with hand-embroidered rosettes is part of a line of elegant evening gowns and ladylike dresses selling in the $1,000 to $6,000 range. The dress features hand-embroidered florets with French knots that took 100 hours of labor in a New York studio. Wu told the Wall Street Journal's Heard on the Runway that Mrs. Obama paid for the dress. It bears noting that Wu's fashionable and feminine Spring 2009 line features more than a couple of ball gowns which could be perfect for an Inauguration gala but apparently Wu isn't focusing on that, telling the WSJ that it's "a long shot."

Gallery: Michelle Obama - First Lady of Fashion?

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Tags: jason wu, JasonWu, michelle obama, MichelleObama

Michelle Obama to receive $30,000 thank you from the President-Elect

by Meg Massie (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry

She loves her inexpensive outfits from the mall, but Michelle Obama will soon be sporting something much fancier than anything you'll find at J. Crew.

A spokesman for top Italian designer Giovanni Bosco has confirmed that President-Elect Barack Obama is looking to purchase a $30,000 Harmony ring made of rhodium and encrusted with diamonds as a thank you gift to his wife Michelle. We expect the future First Lady to receive the ring in time for her husband's January inauguration ceremony. The gift is a thank you for her support throughout the last two years of campaigning.

One of the world's rarest and most precious metals, only about 25 tons of rhodium are mined each year, setting the price at over $7,660 per ounce -- or about ten times the cost of gold. The ring may be uncharacteristically extravagant for Mrs. Obama, but we're sure she'll find a way to wear it with all her usual grace and confidence.

UPDATE: Apparently, the veracity of the story is in limbo. Obama's team is flatly denying the existence of the gift, and the purported jeweler has clammed up, refusing to comment at all. Is this just an attempt to paint the soon-to-be First Couple as out-of-touch with the "common American"? Or is it just a silly rumor?

Gallery: Michelle Obama - First Lady of Fashion?

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, Giovanni Bosco, GiovanniBosco, harmony-ring, jewlery, michelle obama, MichelleObama, rhodium

Michelle Obama's Diamond Earrings

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Celebrity Shopping

(Is Michelle Obama a First Lady of Fashion? Click the photo and decide for yourself!)

Much has been made of the black and red Narcisco Rodriguez dress Michelle Obama wore when Barack Obama made his victory speech on election night but what about those sparklers in her ears? Vogue UK reports that the big dangling earrings are 18K white gold triple dangle earrings in pear, oval and marquee shapes covered with small diamonds. Fashion reporter Hitha Prabhakar prices them out at $10,275. Since Michelle Obama has said that the soon-to-be First Family buy everything they wear, we can only assume these were a special occasion splurge.

Gallery: Michelle Obama - First Lady of Fashion?

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Tags: diamond earrings, DiamondEarrings, loree rodkin, michelle obama, MichelleObama

Elizabeth Peyton Exhibit Draws Crowds, Crosses its Fingers

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Art

The New Museum has enjoyed a terrific response to its Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton exhibit, the first American retrospective of the artist's work, and two teeming floors of Peyton's Hockney-style portraits of cultural icons like Marc Jacobs, Kurt Cobain and Georgia O'Keefe.

And though the show has drawn huge crowds and notable press, the Museum is still hanging onto what could be its curatorial ace in the hole: a portrait of Michelle Obama (at right, via W) that will only join the exhibit if Obama wins tomorrow.

If that happens, Peyton's rendering of the brand new First Lady and her daughter Sasha would hang in good company -- featured works include a tender portrait of Jackie Onassis and John F. Kennedy, Jr.

See the gallery for more of what's currently on show. The exhibit will run through January 11. The New Museum is at 235 Bowery, New York, NY.

Gallery: Live Forever: Elizabeth Peyton

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Tags: elizabeth peyton, ElizabethPeyton, kurt cobain, KurtCobain, michelle obama, MichelleObama, new museum, NewMuseum, portraits

Cheap Chic: Thakoon to Design for Target

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel

Thakoon Panichgul is the latest designer to collaborate with Target, according to WWD, in what is promised to be a print-heavy collection that will debut at Christmas. Favored by fashion insiders since his debut in 2004, Thakoon has reached a much broader audience after Michelle Obama donned his design at her husband's acceptance of the Democratic nomination for President.

It becomes one of those chicken-before-the-egg conundrums: much wider audience, then the collaboration with Target or vice versa?

[via WWD]

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Tags: michelle obama, MichelleObama, target, thakoon

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