Michelle Obama’s Yellow Dress — A New Dawn?
EmailABC News’ Kristi Berner reports: Still no word on who is designing Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown, but we do know that Cuban-American designer Isabel Toledo created Mrs. Obama’s bright yellow dress and matching coat she’s wearing for daytime Inauguration festivities. Yellow is an unexpected color choice for January, but seems to be a fitting symbol of hope on the horizon. The color yellow is warm, and universally seen as a sign of happiness, joy and sunshine. The dress is very bright and sparkly (not a technical fashion term) with a contemporary "very in" bejeweled border around the simple round neckline. According to an October article in New York’s Daily News, Obama first wore a Toledo- designed outfit to a Manhattan fundraiser in June, purchasing the black tunic and palazzo pants in a Chicago boutique. Then last fall, Mrs. Obama’s people contacted Manhattan-based Toledo to design clothes for "the road." The 47-year-old Toledo was born in Cuba, but moved to Brooklyn, New York, with her family when she was 8-years-old. She worked for more than twenty years under her own name and also served as creative director for the Anne Klein company. Toledo studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Parsons School of Design in New York. I’m no fashion expert, but the dress and coat combo is lovely. However, I didn’t love Mrs. Obama’s green leather gloves she paired with them. Any thoughts? And what about the nearly-matching purple scarves worn by Former President and First Lady George H.W. and Barbara Bush?
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COuld you be a little less partial? Hope on the horizon? Is that a journalistic bias there? Yes it is.
I don’t like the dress at all — too sparkly for the importance of the event. Loved the camel coat for Sunday, though.
Posted by: beth | January 20, 2009, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm
I LOVED the sparkly yellow outfit; very elegant, hopeful & sunshiney. I also loved the green gloves…any word on where she got them?
Posted by: Lora | January 20, 2009, 12:40 pm 12:40 pm
I usually like Mrs. Obama’s clothing choices, but I think this dress was completely inappropriate for the middle of the day. It looked confusing- is it formalwear? is it easter? I don’t care for yellow on pretty much anyone (sole exception was the strapless Nina Ricci that Reese Witherspoon wore, but I particularly dislike yellow on darker skin tones. This was far, far worse than the Election night dress.
Posted by: louise | January 20, 2009, 2:19 pm 2:19 pm
I disagree. That election dress was horrendous. I was suprised to see her in yellow, too. It does look a bit Eastery. But it is an attractive outfit. The gloves are sort of greenish-yellow so they look fine to me. But yeah I was expecting a more conservative color.
Posted by: ScorpRedhead | January 20, 2009, 2:33 pm 2:33 pm
Here’s my composition on colors worn today:
National Palette.
Compelled by awareness of a significant event in history, throngs jammed our nation’s capital. Televised close-ups settled on individuals festooned in brightly colored garb as protection against the biting cold. An orange scarf wound loosely over a dark neck. A pale cherubic face was capped by a knit fuchsia hat. Warm brown furs wrapped some, while blue parkas shielded others. A yellow coat on one, red earmuffs on another, a brown and white plaid hat topped one more.
As cameras panned out revealing the sea of humanity, hues melted together. From a distance the crowd seemed to be wearing a singular color crowned by brilliant sunlight. What descriptive designation could be conjured up to adequately paint the picture? It wasn’t white. It wasn’t black or brown or any other distinctly named a shade. Instead, it was a rich, tightly woven fabric of souls, all bound by hopeful pride in strengthening unity.
What name is appropriate when adding this vision to a box of crayons or an artist’s palette? Only one: United States of America.
Posted by: Janet Lord Leszl | January 20, 2009, 2:35 pm 2:35 pm
The green gloves went with the malachite-green shoes she wore. I thought it was a fantastic combination, personally. Unexpected, but not outrageous. Yellow is forecasted to be the hot color of 2009, and the shade Michelle chose had just a little gray in it so that it didn’t look either pastel-ish or garish. It was very cutting-edge and yet sophisticated. I thought that the green was a good choice for shoes and gloves; the usual neutrals don’t work with the dress and occasion. White or ivory would be unseasonable, brown or taupe too frumpy, and black too severe. Gray or navy could have worked but aren’t flattering to Mrs. Obama. Matching yellow accessories would have made her look like the mother of the bride. That particluar green is a classic color for accessories, and is very becoming to the First Lady. Plum would have been a nice choice too. The ensemble definitely gets a thumbs-up from me. I think the little girls looked charming as well.
Posted by: Hils | January 20, 2009, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
Agree with Louise. Dress totally inappropriate for the time of year, time of day and the the swearing-in ceremony. Rhinestones and sparkles? Green gloves and shoes? Not so good either.
However, it IS a pretty coat dress in yellow and is appropriate for an early-afternoon formal spring wedding and reception sans rhinestone collar. Camel coat worn sunday was terrific.
Posted by: Jo | January 20, 2009, 3:00 pm 3:00 pm
Michelle’s outfit yesterday was very nice. The dress she had on today was very old fashion.
That black dress with the splash of red in front that she worn was very very ugly (my opinion only).
It looked as if someone threw red paint on her (did you see the movie ‘Carrie’?)
I don’t know fashion, but I know what I like.
I will add: Michelle looked better than Biden’s wife – Mrs. Biden with her short dress and black boots.)
Posted by: cc | January 20, 2009, 3:38 pm 3:38 pm
Yellow is the traditional “royal” color in many Asian nations. I’m guessing, but do not know, that this was the reasoning behind the color. Note also the prevalence of purple colors on the politicians. Purple was, traditionally, the “royal” color in many European countries. The Obamas are likely signaling their “royal” nature in keeping with his mixed racial makeup and his “new Camelot” Presidency.
Posted by: Ed | January 20, 2009, 3:43 pm 3:43 pm
If you visit Africa, you will see VERY dark complexions wearing rainbow colors. Nothing goes better with brown than yellow!!! So Mrs. Obama, you looked very royal and elegant. Two good descriptive words for our new First Lady.
BTW– all you African American ladies who are afraid of bright colors, think about it. Bright orange nail polish and brown skin. Orange and Brown — Hey!! No two colors go better together. I never shied away from the bright greens, yellows, and oranges. They compliment brown very well.
Posted by: veal | January 20, 2009, 6:13 pm 6:13 pm
I loved Michelle’s dress and the particular color yellow – which had a touch of chartreuse green in it that she picked up again with matching green shoes and gloves. This color yellow with the earthy green definitely did not look Eastery! The style of the dress and open coat had regal, asian type of look – very modern, cutting edge.
Why don’t we give a rest to the typical Washington colors of black, red, navy and grey on First Ladies? Women should wear beautiful elegant colors! It allows us to remember our own feminine grace and beauty.
Posted by: Elizabeth | January 21, 2009, 12:06 am 12:06 am
Wasn’t wild about the outfit. I would have loved to see her in a bold rich color like purple. With the way that coat closed all I could think was she must be freezing. Malia and Sasha look adorable though!
Posted by: Terri | January 21, 2009, 7:32 am 7:32 am
She looked very nice..but the green gloves are a big mistake. Her hands looked like HULK HANDS. Tisk Tisk Tisk…should have been a nice eggplant or plum. Other than that…thumbs (not green ones) up!
Posted by: jbo | January 21, 2009, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
I THINK THE FIRST LADY WAS BEAUTIFUL AS ALL WAYS AND HELPING HER HUSBAND TO MAKE CHANGES.COME ON GET OUT OF THE BOX AND BE COLORFUL HAPPY AND THANKFUL FOR OUR LEADER AND HIS LOVELY WIFE.
Posted by: gildia4063@yahoo.com | January 21, 2009, 3:14 pm 3:14 pm
YELLOW WAS A VERY POSITIVE COLOR FOR A NEW AMERICA AND THE GREEN WAS GO.I LOVED IT ALL
Posted by: gildia4063@yahoo.com | January 21, 2009, 3:16 pm 3:16 pm
I thought the First Lady looked stunning She is a very beautiful and that Yellow matched up with the green was all that and then some!! Change comes not only for our country but clothing as well. This is a new day and I thank God that He allowed me to live to see this come to pass.
Posted by: Tudy | January 21, 2009, 5:05 pm 5:05 pm
None of us buy the clothes Michelle Obama wears. We all are probably critiqued by our choice of clothing. Please take a look into the mirror and see if you find yourself flawless. If you have nothing positive to say you should take a few moments to find something positive and then share your opinions. If not, remain silent.
Posted by: Gloria | February 26, 2009, 3:40 pm 3:40 pm