Those Cheapskates Barack and Michelle

Well, it’s not really Barack and Michelle Obama who are cheap. But this list of White House salaries has me concerned for these poor staffers. You know they are working their butts off and are so stressed out, probably never see their families and in many cases had to relocate to get these positions. These salaries are not commensurate with those sacrifices (or what the staffers could get on the open market). Let’s hope that after they all serve a decent time, they can parlay their experience into more lucrative positions.

Idle Gossip: Is Michelle Obama Pregnant?

No, I don’t think she is. But look at all these high-waisted outfits she’s been wearing recently, especially over the past few days, and the slightly noticeable “bump”:
 

1. Black and white dress in Moscow
2. Peach outfit in Moscow
3. High-waisted floral to board Air Force One
4. Fourth of July super pregnant-looking dress

Now again, I don’t really think she is, as I know Barack and Michelle have stated publicly that they are “done” with childbearing, and they recently adopted a new “baby”, Bo the Wonderpup. And these things happen to women’s bellies as they age (don’t we all know). But wouldn’t it be fun if there were a little baby in the White House?

Lead Found In White House Garden!

Oh no, the New York Times reports that lead was found in the White House Garden! Lest we be too concerned, the levels were not deemed unsafe…but still, it’s probably for the best that Barack and Michelle seem to have put the childbearing to rest, as lead can damage the littlest ones. Let’s hope Bo the Wonderpup hasn’t been pawing the produce too much, either.

Michelle Gets Belted on the Beltway

So, from here June 29th appearance at Unity Health Care Center in Washington, DC, here is Michelle Obama’s latest look–a high waisted outfit, with a silver belt,  white top,  and gray skirt. What do you think? I love it–it’s classic, elegant, figure flattering, and perfectly accessorized.

Is Michelle Setting Herself up for a Hillary-Style Fall?

When it comes to style, Michelle Obama and and Hillary Clinton are worlds apart. But in other respects they may be more similar: Michelle may be failing to learn some of the lessons of Hillary’s healthcare fiasco. There have been a few reports lately saying that Michelle is trying to gain a larger role in the Obama administration and therefore may be setting herself up for the same unpopularity Hillary endured as she took on a greater role in the Clinton administration.

I think that there are some major distinctions to make here, though. First of all, as a former hospital administrator, Michelle has direct experience in healthcare, as opposed to being just another policy wonk, and that may provide a different and much needed perspective. Secondly, our problems with healthcare are so thorny and complex that I think we are beyond the point of caring who was elected and who wasn’t, and just want every informed voice on the subject speaking up and trying to help fix the problem. I realize how idealistic and optimistic that sounds, but I think we’ve come a long way since Hillary’s first attempt at health care, and that the nation is finally ready for, and is much less squeamish about, powerful women.

My only concern is if the nation is ready for a powerful black woman, and that is something we’ll all have to find out together.

Michelle Obama’s Luau on the Lawn

So here is Michelle Obama’s Lawn Luau outfit. What do you think? I like the breezy style and colors, but I think the fit is just a bit off in some way. However, she does have the perfect accessories: a lei, a smiling, happy child, and Bo the wonderpup.

The bigger deal here is that I found a link to New York Magazine’s Michelle Obama Look Book. Let’s hope they keep it up–it’s a great compilation of photos and we can see all the hits and misses of her fashion choices.

Gardening in Style

So it’s time to harvest the White House Garden! And what better outfit for Michelle Obama to wear than his stylish yet practical pink floral cardigan with solid pants?

I love the outfit because it allows for the movement necessary for gardening while still retaining elegance…after all, she is still the on the White House grounds and will shortly sit down to lunch. Also, while this outfit looks especially good on her, it’s a look any woman can pull off effortlessly.

My only concern is the sneakers–while I like them, I’m not sure they really go that well with this particular outfit. However, I am hard pressed to come up with another pair of shoes that would be functional yet not dowdy.

Grade: A-

Liz & Michelle: BFFs

So according to an article in the Telegraph, Queen Elizabeth and Michelle Obama have forged a lasting friendship. The Queen even gave Michelle and the girls a guided tour of Buckinhgham Palace (or as those in the know call it, Buck House) for Sasha’s birthday this week.

Further proof of their strengthening bond can be seen in this article from the AFP reporting that Queen Elizabeth is now growing her own vegetable garden, and we can assume it was based at least on the influence, if not the suggestion of, Michelle Obama.

So now we have to wonder: what’s next? Will Malia get a corgi? Will we see QEII in J. Crew? I will keep you posted.

Michelle Obama and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good Very Bad Outfit

I adore Michelle Obama and the vast majority of her fashion choices. This outfit, however, is a horror to behold. Forget, for a moment, the hideous top and weird cardigan thing. Lets just say those were whimsical choices. The more important point here is that I just don’t think pants are flattering to her figure; dresses seem to pull her look together much better.

Also, she seems the type to always look good dressed up, but not so good in casual clothes. It’s most likely that the fancier clothes have more tailoring and thus fit her better, but I’m surprised that someone with generally impeccable fashion sense wouldn’t take the same care with the tailoring of all of her clothes. It’s not like she doesn’t have someone to take care of it.