First lady Michelle Obama (wearing Love Moschino) welcomes the White House Christmas Tree at the North Portico of the White House on November 27, 2009 in Washington, DC. The 18 and a half foot Douglas fir was donated by Eric and Gloria Sundback of Shepherdstown, West Virginia; the tree will stand in the Blue Room throughout the holidays.
First lady Michelle Obama (L) is joined by her daughters Malia (2nd L) and Sasha as she is presented with the official White House Christmas tree at the North Portico of the White House in Washington, November 27, 2009.
via Politico: The first family celebrated Thanksgiving by handing out turkeys, pumpkin pies, vegetables, stuffing and other Thanksgiving groceries Wednesday afternoon November 25th at Martha’s Table, an NGO in Washington D.C., a few miles from the White House.
According to its website, “Martha’s Table’s mission is to help at-risk children, youth, families and individuals in our community improve their lives by providing educational programs, food, clothing, and enrichment opportunities." President Obama, First Lady Michelle (wearing a jacket by Rick Owens), daughters Sasha, Malia and First Grandmother Marian Robinson were joined by about a dozen others, including Obama half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng, her husband, Konrad Ng and their two daughters, Suhaila and Savita.
via HuffPo: Michelle Obama looked dazzling in a sleeveless gold dress and shawl as she and President Obama welcome Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Mrs. Gursharan Kaur for the first official state dinner on Tuesday night.
First lady Michelle Obama (wearing the sparkly J. Crew Sweater she wore on their trip to England to meet the Brown's) spoke to young women from the White House Leadership and Mentoring Program during a preview of the State Dinner to be held in honor of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Washington November 24, 2009.
A State Dinner place setting.
White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers and White House Curator William Allman standby while First Lady Michelle O. (in a Rachel Roy marble pencil skirt) speaks about the White House State Dinner. [photos via Reuters, AP Photo and Getty Images]
via Talking Points Memo: It'll be a dreamy entertainment lineup for the first state dinner of the Obama White House: singer Jennifer Hudson is set to perform Tuesday night November 24th.
Hudson, who won an Academy Award for her role in the movie "Dreamgirls," is part of a larger lineup that also includes Indian performers, according to an administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the dinner won't be announced until later in the day.
The dinner for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (MAHN'-moh-hahn SING)is being held in a tent on the South Lawn of the White House to allow the Obamas to invite hundreds more guests than could squeeze into the East Room, which tops out at 140 people.
First lady Michelle Obama stood with Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh's wife, Gursharan Kaur during a welcoming ceremony at the White House in Washington, November 24, 2009. The first lady looks great wearing Isaac Mizrahi embracing the bright color of the Indian culture.
President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle O. (looking fab in a structured gray sheath dress by Moschino) arrived for the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Awards ceremony in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, Nov. , 23, 2009. [photo via AP photo]
Planning for a typical white house state dinner usually begins a full 3 months ahead of time according to Anita McBride, chief of staff to then-first lady Laura Bush, and Ann Stock, White House social secretary to then-President Bill Clinton, and these two ladies would know exactly what’s goes on behind the White House doors when prepping for such a high profile event.
Like the rest of you, I cannot wait to see what first lady Michelle O. decides to wear to the state dinner welcoming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Mrs. Kaur of India on Tuesday November 24th. Fashion consultant and boutique owner Inga Guen says that the first lady needs to keep in mind the culture of people that they are hosting (Indian) when considering what to wear. Our own Governor Bobby Jindal (Louisiana) who is of Indian descent is also scheduled to attend.
See how past first ladies dressed for their formal state dinners here.
First lady Michelle Obama (wearing Anne Klein New York) and Dr. Jill Biden laugh during an afternoon tea in the East Room of the White House, held to celebrate women in the military, in Washington November 18, 2009. [photo via Reuters]
First lady Michelle Obama (wearing a ruffled J. Crew blouse) laughs during a meeting with school personnel at Hollin Meadows Science and Math Focus School in Alexandria, Virginia November 18, 2009. She visited the school to highlight the USDAO's Healthier U.S. Schools Challenge focusing on three core principles: nutritious meals, nutrition education, and physical education.
Sophie Theallet is this year’s CFDA's VOGUE Fashion Fund winner, with the announcement made by Nicole Kidman and Lanvin’s Alber Elbaz.
“I am French, so I am going to do my best,” said Sophie Theallet at tonight’s annoucement of this year’s CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund. Theallet, with a little break in her voice, said “You make my American dream come true.” She could have been speaking for all of tonight’s winners, because you don’t need to be French to feel that.
First lady Michelle Obama (in a preppy argyle gray Moschino sweater and black slacks) arrived in the library at South High School to meet with students in Denver, Colorado, November 16, 2009. The first lady was at the Governor's Mansion speaking at a Mentoring event for girls. [photo via Reuters Pictures]
First lady Michelle Obama (wearing the same J. Crew ensemble she wore on Jay Leno) delivered remarks at an event as she fought off a cold on the difficulties older women face in the health insurance market in the East Room of the White House in Washington on November 13, 2009. [photo via Getty Images]
First lady Michelle Obama (wearing a Maria Cornejo jacket, the same jacket she wore over a Jason Wu dress a couple monts ago) is applauded by Dr. Jill Biden, and other veterans and service members, and their families, students and school staff and officials during a gathering commemorating the Veterans Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009, at George Washington University in Washington.
Michelle Obama and Jill Biden teamed to speak up at ServiceNation's "Mission Serve" Veterans Day launch event. The ServiceNation's new project, according to its founders, is a "initiative to unite the worlds of military and civilian service, tapping the energy, wisdom and experience of the millions of citizens in uniform and out." [photo via AP Photo]
First lady Michelle Obama (in a J. Crew coat and Maria Pinto dress) stands with Nancy Horst, wife of Brig. Gen. Karl Horst, during the wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns on Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery November 11, 2009 in Arlington, Virginia. U.S. President Barack Obama delivered remarks at the cemetery amphitheater after laying the wreath. [photo via Getty Images]
The Obama's joined the military community at Fort Hood Texas Tuesday November 10, 2009 to mourn military victims.
*UPDATED with the President's Remarks [VIDEO]*
Pres. Obama's remarks via Politico:
"We come together filled with sorrow for the thirteen Americans that we have lost; with gratitude for the lives that they led; and with a determination to honor them through the work we carry on.
"This is a time of war. And yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle. They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great American community. It is this fact that makes the tragedy even more painful and even more incomprehensible.
"For those families who have lost a loved one, no words can fill the void that has been left. We knew these men and women as soldiers and caregivers. You knew them as mothers and fathers; sons and daughters; sisters and brothers.
"But here is what you must also know: your loved ones endure through the life of our nation. Their memory will be honored in the places they lived and by the people they touched. Their life’s work is our security, and the freedom that we too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – that is their legacy.
"Neither this country – nor the values that we were founded upon – could exist without men and women like these thirteen Americans. And that is why we must pay tribute to their stories."
First Lady Michelle Obama (wearing a Moschino jacket) led a practice session for young people competing in the National Science Bowl, a nationwide competition coordinated by the Department of Energy to encourage interest in science among high school and middle school students on November 5, 2009 at the Department of Energy in Washington, DC.
First Lady Michelle Obama shakes hands with Takoma Park Middle School students and National Science Bowl contestants, from left, Catherine Xue, Sarah Wagner, Daniel Amir, Avikar Periwal, and Alan Du, obscured, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, at the Energy Department in Washington. [photos via Getty Images and AP Photo]
President Barack Obama walked in with First Lady Michelle Obama (wearing a Talbots dress) to host an event celebrating classical music in the East Room of the White House on November 4, 2009 in Washington, DC. [photo via Getty Images]
First Lady Michelle Obama spoke during a White House leadership and mentoring initiative for a group of local high school students November 2, 2009 in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC. The 10th and 11th grade students will be paired with women in the White House to learn about their career paths. Looking on from left: student Jasmine Gross, student Iris Virgil, Domestic Policy Adviser and the Director of the Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes, student Katherine Buer, and White House Personnel Director Nancy Hogan.
via Politico: At a gathering in the State Dining room, Obama told the girls that mentoring has always been important to her, and that she wanted to use her platform as first lady to "expand the mentoring role."
Second Lady Jill Biden, White House advisor Valerie Jarrett, Social Secretary Desiree Rogers, and several members of the first lady's staff and the senior staff in the West Wing will serve as mentors.
In the coming months, Obama will take that program on the road, aides said. The West Wing also will launch a mentoring and leadership program for high school boys that the president will participate in, aides said.
Michelle O. wearing a J. Crew sweater and skirt in London, 2009
Michelle O's fondness of J. Crew is well documented by now. She likes it for herself. She likes it for her girls. So it's no surprise that J. Crew has had a stellar year this year, and Jenna Lyons, J. Crews creative director is being rewarded as such:
Jenna Lyons , creative director of J.Crew Group Inc., received a special bonus of $1 million this week, according to a filing made with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Ms. Lyons's design aesthetic has been credited for the recent success of the New York clothing company. Stronger-than-expected sales in October prompted J. Crew last week to nearly double its outlook for fiscal third-quarter earnings to between 54 and 59 cents a share, up from 30 to 33 cents a share. J. Crew's casual styles-embellished T-shirts, frilly blouses and chunky jewelry-have been widely copied in the mall apparel space.
I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that FLOTUS had something to do with this :)
