Michelle Obama in Preen
I hate to begin on a negative -- like, "Okay, fine, we'll start covering her, and BAM! THIS IS BAD!" -- but this IS the first thing she wore on the tour, and... I have to be honest, to me, it is bad. I approve of the lemon color on her. And I approve of the bright blue color on her. But I want to rip them away from each other and force them in to opposite corners to think about what they did together. Sometimes, one plus one equals ouch, and they're not helped by the fact that the design isn't very sophisticated. If you had told me this was Preen for Target's juniors section, I would believe it. Malia steals this slide in her alice + olivia sunflower dress.
Michelle Obama
Savvy styling to pick an outfit that looks like an apron-skirt on the day of a cooking demonstration. And I mean the apron thing as a compliment, actually. It looks like something Anthropologie would sell in its kitchen section, which is full of cute things that are way too expensive to be practical.
Michelle Obama in Mary Katrantzou
We already saw this in photos of her visit with Prince Harry, but I thought it was worth a repeat because it's so good. Paisley is my jam. I assume Prince Harry said something similar to her, as he spread some on a scone: "I should like to spread THAT on my snack instead of boring old raspberry," he would wink, before Malia and Sasha fainted.
Michelle Obama in Christopher Kane
MIchelle Obama does not balk at a print, and I DO appreciate that, even when I don't like them. However, no such fear here; this is a very pretty choice for a stroll along Downing Street. I assume Samantha Cameron is quietly praising herself for winning the heel height battle, while Michelle is silently questioning Samantha Cameron's pants and wondering why that top couldn't have been a dress.
Malia Obama
I cannot believe how grown-up she is. Malia and her sister have great taste in frocks -- very smart hits of color, and such.
Sasha Obama
Sasha is thinking, "Malia SWORE that if I packed these old putty-colored shoes, Mom would let me run over to Harrods to buy a new pair. SIGH."
Michelle Obama
We saw the top of this dress in another post, also, but not the whole thing. It's ALSO quite cool, while simultaneously looking like it might have been designed on an Atari.
I enjoy that Michelle is letting her toes fly free in a kicky metallic sandal, too, but the actual cut of the sole is not my favorite. Still! It's a nice break from black pumps. I suspect Kate Middleton's toes tingled in sympathy.
Michelle Obama
I would love to paste an informative caption, but there wasn't one. It just said, "First Lady Michelle Obama and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's wife Agnese Landini talk with some children inside the Italian pavilion at the Expo in Milan." It is TRIPPY, whatever this room is.
Michelle Obama
"Yes, yes, Michelle, diet is important, we love farming, whatever, but tell me: Just how strapping IS Prince Harry? I just... asking for a friend."
Michelle Obama
"Phew, that was a bit breezy. How does Kate Middleton do this?"
Michelle Obama
"No seriously, sweetie, when we get home, I am weighting every hem I have."
Michelle Obama
"And Amal Alamuddin did this in HOW short of a dress?!? Somebody make a note in our Clooney file that I need to ask her about that."
Michelle Obama
I like this in theory, but the bodice looks a little cramped. Overall, I think The MO hit a good balance between cute and comfortable -- the trip was a pleasant rise from the sartorial low point at which it began, and really, isn't finishing on a high note a pretty good strategy?