Pope Francis and The Obamas

Okay. Real talk: From the waist up, this Carolina Herrera looks a mess. It's SO much bunching, combined with... is that a mock-cowl-neck? Do we think that ever sat properly on her, or was she betrayed by it once she started moving? Jessica decided this might have covered Michelle's knees when she first put it on, but that all the bunching threw it off. This is possible? It does actually come REALLY CLOSE to covering them as it is. Although no bunching theory can account for the shorter sleeves.

Overall, though it's a totally reasonable idea, it seems perhaps a BIT more casual than I would have expected for greeting The Pope, perhaps? This seems like something you wear to a ribbon-cutting, or to read books to children at a hospital. BUT: metallic shoes are a YES.

The Obamas

Also, in some photos the dress looks baby blue, and in others, that deeper turquoise. I think... for Children's Hospital I like the darker look better, but for Greet The Pope the icier color seems quieter and a bit more formal. I have no idea which it actually was, but there are MORE turquoise photos so I'm guessing that one is truer?

Also, the Obama girls are both in longer skirts, so I think this lends credence to them thinking the Cover The Knees dictate was handled and maybe Pope Francis waived the other one on account of... weather?

Pope Francis, The Obamas

Oh, scoot in, Michelle. GET IN THERE.

Pope Francis, The Obamas, Adorable Children

"That's right, MO, just stay cool. Don't start squealing over whatever delightful thing the youth of America just said to the Pope. BE COOL. KEEP YOUR CHILL."

Michelle Obama in Tadashi Shoji

I wish we had normal angles on this event. I THINK I like the dress? I would have expected the blocky horizontality of it all to throw me, but she looks good.

Michelle Obama

I don't have a credit on this, but it's awesome, so I thought I should include it. I would have felt weird fugging her at a 9/11 event, unless she showed up in hot pants. But I feel like it's okay to spotlight her for a compliment.

Recent Fines and Fabs: Michelle Obama

Pope Francis alit in the U.S. yesterday, greeted by the First Family. And it was mentioned on Twitter -- which was corroborated by the Associated Press, among others -- that the general dictates for meeting the Pope, for whatever reason, involve women covering their knees and their elbows. I also read these are not mandatory, but rather, strongly advised. Michelle and her daughters clearly know they are under the microscope, and CLEARLY would have been briefed, so I imagine there is a well-discussed reason for them not exactly hewing to the guidelines. Maybe they are pro-elbow. Maybe Pope Francis was like, "Eh, sleeves are BORING." I don't know. So there's evaluating this outfit assuming it flouts the rules, and then evaluating it assuming Pope Francis gave their joints a dispensation. An aside: Please abide by the usual GFY commenting rules, and please make this a politics-free zone (much as we ask the Royals Round-Up regulars to leave that stuff at the door). GFY is where people come to relax and hang out and veer into the awesomest digressions (the other day we talked about spices and it was way better than I just made it sound). The only thing we want to get stressed out about are hemlines and sheers and bad haircuts and the like. I am so proud of the awesome reputation our commenters have, so I'm sure this warning was not necessary, but... it made me feel better to restate it. Thanks! [Photos: Getty]