Michele Obama in Rodarte

Posted on Dec 12, 2011 in Fashion

Shelley gets her Hanukkah on.

Michelle Obama in Rodarte President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attends a Hanukkah reception in the White House. First Lady Michelle Obama wears a Rodarte dress.

Michelle Obama in Rodarte

r=Michelle Obama in Rodarte

Michelle Obama in Rodarte

We can already hear vehement disagreement coming our way, but we really don’t like the jewelry at all. It’s the epitome of matchy and frankly, it looks more like some sort of Hanukkah Bush decoration than jewelry. But the dress is fabulous; glittery and holiday-appropriate in that retro style she tends to favor. Little tight in the bodice and the waist is higher than we think it should be, but Shelley likes these sorts of things and she just won’t listen to us.

[Photo Credit: Getty]

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Sobaika Mirza

Jewelry looks like Christmas tree ornaments. Is that one necklace or two?
- Anonymous
  
  I think one. It’s Erickson Beamon and they do a lot of jumble styles.
- Terence Ng
  
  It looks like one got caught in the other. Apparently it’s one necklace, but man…
  - Anonymous
    
    Yeah, asymmetrical jewelry can be stunning, but this one just looks tangled. Alas. The dress is great though, I adore that color on her.
    - Terence Ng
      
      Really, it defines the term “jewel-tone”. She looks like she could a burn a whole through my screen. Gorgeous color.
- Anonymous
  
  The necklace just kills the look. I hate those sloppy, ugly “statement” pieces…
  - Anonymous
    
    I agree. I am okay with statement jewelry on a plain dress but this really isn’t plain. And as far as statement jewelry goes, that necklace makes a statement, but not a good one.
- http://profiles.google.com/thisiscelia Celia
  
  Yep, looks like a Christmas tree garland to me.
http://twitter.com/NC_Meg Megan

Nope, I hate the jewelry too. The dress is great, though.
Anonymous

I love this. She looks amazing.
- Anonymous
  
  I totally agree! I didn’t even notice the jewelry (which I don’t like) because she looks so amazing in the dress (which I love). I don’t think the waist is too high at all. You guys are always on at her about how high she puts her waist, but you know, that’s kind of where her waist is. We high-waisted girls got to stick together. It’s not like she’s wearing an empire waist. So anyway, I think she looks fab.
Anonymous

That color is gorgeous on her. She puts many of these starlets to shame.
Addicted2Glamour

I hate the way the necklaces are hung – it makes them look like a Peter Pan collar. But the dress is fantastic and the color is gorgeous on her.
- Anonymous
  
  That’s what I like about it. But I’ve always been a sucker for Peter Pan collars.
Anonymous

Love the dress on her. I like the necklace, but wish it had been a different color. I can see where people wouldn’t like the necklace at all, but I tend to favor the jumbly jewelry she likes.
Anonymous

Oh, dear. Love you, Shel, but that dress is way too shiny. And not in a good, firefly way.
http://profiles.google.com/misslauraschultz Laura Schultz

You gotta cover this dress from last night. LOVE that neckline and color on her.

http://theobamadiary.com/2011/12/11/elves-lots-of-them/
- Anonymous
  
  yes! this is the dress i want to see covered!
- Anonymous
  
  Yes, and the girls look adorable, too.
  - MilaXX
    
    The girls are gorgeous!
- http://twitter.com/urban_gypsy Urban Gypsy aka Tess
  
  Love that on her! Thanks for pointing it out. It fits her so well, much better, I think, than this look. This dress is pretty great but the fit isn’t my fav on her. Now on me…
foodycat

Is it jewellery or part of the bodice? Either way, I don’t like it but I love the dress on her. Great colour and only the tiniest bit tight in the bodice.
Anonymous

She looks awesome.
Anonymous

Oh, no. That jewelry looks like something that was thrown off a float at Mardi Gras.
- Anonymous
  
  that’s what I thought too.
Anonymous

Love the dress and the necklace. Not too match in my opinion. pout Black pearls (not blue) .
Diana Martinez

The necklace is AWFUL.
http://twitter.com/OracleKath Kathrine Marlow

I agree about the necklace. horrible. Love the dress!
Anonymous

Necklace, that isn’t your dress.

Beautiful dress, but it could use a bit more ease from the waist up.
http://twitter.com/jessicapippin Jessica Pippin

Agreed! Jewelry is too much. Dress is adorable, though. Love it.
http://joyouslifesf.wordpress.com Kiltdntiltd

I have to agree that the jewelry overplays the “blue is for Hanukkah” thing. I would have suggested a smallish silver pin. But the saturated color is great on her. Perhaps when I win my chance to have dinner with them I’ll mention the thing about the waist line height.
- http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1540233153 Malve Lyborg
  
  Were all the seats taken at your dinnerinvitation a few weeks ago? If not, Shelley would be a nice addition!
  - http://joyouslifesf.wordpress.com Kiltdntiltd
    
    Apparently She will be joining in at the next dinner for constituents.
    - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1540233153 Malve Lyborg
      
      I hope she likes german Riesling.
      - http://joyouslifesf.wordpress.com Kiltdntiltd
        
        Well, I know I certainly have a fine appreciation for it.
Anonymous

Cool dress, icky jewelry. Some silver would’ve been a nice pop. But still…SOOO many props for being so darned fashionable.
Anonymous

No argument on the necklace. Don’t like it. But the dress, when you see it in the head to toe shot, looks great. That color is spectacular on her. But roll those shoulders back and STAND UP STRAIGHT SHELLEY!
Anonymous

necklace is oddly off kilter, too. I hate that blue is to Hanukkah as red/green is to Christmas. BORING. I love the dress though. i could do without the mr’s matchy tie.
- Anonymous
  
  I just said almost the exact same thing, before I read your comment. I really dislike the “It’s Hanukkah, let’s all wear something blue to show our solidarity with the Maccabees” thing.
  - Anonymous
    
    I thought that as well, but I saw a few photos of the event & unless it was random chance in choice of photos, the majority of the (500+) guests chose the same color scheme. So I guess one can chalk it up to the fabled tendency of the D.C. crowd to favor safety over interest in fashion.
Anonymous

the jewelry is messy but the dress is gorgeous!!! love that blue.
Anonymous

HATE the way the necklaces lay on her. But that dress… omg.
Anonymous

If this were any other time of the year, I would say the necklace(s?) is/are too much, but I think it looks fun and festive. My problem with the necklace is that the placement looks kind of wonky. Looks longer on one side than the other and it looks more like a mistake than an intentionally cool thing.
Anyway, I do like the color of the dress, but I truly think that this type of pleated skirt is not her friend.
Anonymous

Finally, something that doesn’t sear the eyes! Those first two posts of the day were hard on me.

LOVE the color and sparkle of the dress.
Anonymous

Hmmmm – I agree on the necklace. But I disagree on the dress. She looks like she wrapped herself up in Hanukkah gift wrap paper. A rare misstep, and I don’t really like the fact that her dress and his tie are in the same section of the color wheel. A little too prom-date for my taste.
Anonymous

Disagreement? I completely agree!! If those necklaces were not made by the girls, they are inexcusable.
http://profiles.google.com/claudiaberry Claudia Berry

Don’t like the bling either or the full skirt, but love the color on her!
Anonymous

I don’t like any of it. Her dress looks like wrapping paper. And I, too, really wish she would stand up straight.
Anonymous

Is the necklace supposed to be asymmetrical, or is it all twisted up? I see some strands up high on her right shoulder. I don’t like it mostly because I just want to adjust it.

As for her dress…pretty color and great for the holidays. It is too high and the waist and I kind of dislike the pleats and how full it is on her. She likes those full skirts…I don’t, on her.
Anonymous

seriously? she looks like she got that dress at American Apparel…
but her hair looks really nice here
Anonymous

Insert vehement disagreement here.

Just kidding, vehement is the wrong word, but I dig the necklace and don’t mind that it’s matchy.
Anonymous

The wonky necklaces save this from looking too matronly. Love it.
Deborah Gilbert

Love the dress. Gorgeous color. And love that they host a Chanukah celebration in the White House. When I was a kid, presidents (or the White House) never did that. Now if we could just get them to hide the Afikomen at the Easter Egg Roll…

–GothamTomato
Anonymous

She looks so pretty!
Anonymous

Love the dress. Gorgeous color. And love that they host a Chanukah celebration in the White House. When I was a kid, presidents (or the White House) never did that. Now if we could just get them to hide the Afikomen at the Easter Egg Roll…–GothamTomatoEdit
Reply
Anonymous

She looks fab, shiny dress and all. Jewelry is OK.

What a color on her!!
MilaXX

I don’t mind the necklace here. While I don’t think I would always agree with matchy jewelry, I think it works here. The bust line is a teeny bit tighter than it should be, but overall I like the dress. This particular shad of blue is a color Mrs. O has worn before and it looks really great on her.
Anonymous

I like the matchy necklace and am not sure what else would’ve worked as well. The neckline needed something, but a contrasting color or a metallic would’ve been too much. She looks great – love the dress and the color.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CQPXLNCBM5CZSHZZXJDHPVFS7E Buffy

Love the dress but the jewelry *almost* ruins it. Some classic pearls would have worked or ditch a necklace all together and pile on the bangles.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jamie-Thomson/25501274 Jamie Thomson

Am I the only one who thought that the necklace was actually part of the dress? I think she looks great.
Anonymous

She looks sparkly and festive and pretty. I wouldn’t be caught dead in that necklace in any color, but she pulls it off effortlessly. Happy Holidays, First Family!
https://profiles.google.com/104791269167429064986 Judy S

Hmm. The dress looks like a toffee wrapper and the necklace looks like Mardi Gras. On the third hand, she looks great, so good for her.
Anonymous

I do not like the necklace! Gah! Lack of symmetry in jewelry can work, but this one has just enough symmetry that it just looks broken.
- Anonymous
  
  Yes! It is the bizarre asymmetry that is bothering me. It looks like one boob gets extra lassos.
Anonymous

Necklace is really a horror but everything else is spot-on!! LOVE IT
Anonymous

I think she looks fabulous. I didn’t notice how odd the necklace is until I read your comments. Not enough to ruin the look for me. An amazing color on her.
CQAussie

I would have liked the necklace better if it had stopped at the first strand. The additional sets make it look over done. I LOVE the dress =D
Kathleen Morrison

Love everything! Yep, including the necklaces.
Anonymous

Girlfriend! Shoulders back! Your girls need to breathe! Hate the necklace, love the dress. Beautiful color, and it really suits her.
Anonymous

I like that the jewelry looks a bit like a collar!
Jessica Goldstein

Chanukah bush garland indeed. I don’t like it either. But I love the rest and think she looks great. The thing about matchy-matchy is that if you squint, it (almost) goes away!
http://www.wordydoodles.com WordyDoodles

The color is *spectacular.* The blue looks magical against her skin. And her makeup is totally lovely; looks like she might have picked up a hint of the blue in her eye makeup. I’m with TLo on the bodice; her bust is looking too strapped in (and in that obamadiary link Laura Schultz shared, we truly see the potential). Otherwise, though, it’s great. I think she’s definitely found her color.
http://twitter.com/lenabena_ Elena

Why would anyone disagree about those necklaces? They’re awful.
Judy_J

I love that dress, and the color is perfect for her. I agree about the necklaces, though. Too much, and too matchy. Speaking of matchy, I love Obama’s blue tie!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jessica-TallGirl-Freeman/1043623567 Jessica TallGirl Freeman

No, I agree, the jewelry is too much. I do love that dress.
paula.pertile

I actually like the necklace. Is there something wrong with me? I like that its not shiny, against a shiny dress. I thinks she looks stunning.
Mariah J

The Jewelry is god awful but the dress is cute, a bit too cliche for Hanukkah
Linde Hoff

Eeew.
http://twitter.com/PhDKnitter marlie

Dress is great. Agree that the jewelry is all wrong (for the dress, and maybe in general).
Anonymous

The necklace looks like Mardi Gras beads. Wrong holiday, Shelly!
LOVE that color on her. she looks great in jewel tones.
- Anonymous
  
  Totally agree with you especially the mardi gras beads. Also is the trend now to wear sleeveless dresses in the wintertime?
- Anonymous
  
  Totally agree with you especially the mardi gras beads. Also is the trend now to wear sleeveless dresses in the wintertime?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_K7VOQSAYZ7H2OBX6LOJNNIBSSE Amanda

Dress is amazing…great color too!
Anonymous

Agree: love the dress, hate the necklace.
Anonymous

I guess I’m in the minority but I like the necklace. It adds interest to what is otherwise a very plain bodice. And the colour is just enough offset to not be too matchy.
Now I am The Bee

Love the dress–hate the necklace. Actually–I like the asymetry of it–but it needs to be silver or white or something brighter. Otherwise–the looks great.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Kelsey-Albrecht/100001647200441 Kelsey Albrecht

Gorgeous. Which collection is this from?
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1248212910 Jessie Melcher Brown

Love the dress, love the color, hate the necklace-looks like garland for the tree.
Anonymous

Looks great. Has she stopped wearing cardigans?
Zach Ng Zheng Yang

the neckline is horrible.
Anonymous

The dress is pretty. The jewelry’s awful…but even worse, the whole thing strikes me as little too on-the-nose.
Anonymous

Girl is wrapped up in Hanukkah paper! My mom has a closet full of that stuff.

But despite its giftwrap-like qualities, I love the dress on her, and from far away I don’t notice the too-tight bodice. Even when Shelly doesn’t knock it out of the park, she still looks fantastic.
Anonymous

Oooops! I like the dress AND the necklace. It all looks very festive.
Sara__B

Love the sparkly party dress. Dislike the necklace and hair style. (She doesn’t listen to me, either, but I wish she’d work on her posture.)
Anonymous

That is some shiny dress, but the color is fabulous on her. I don’t think you’ll see vehement disagreement about the jewelry. It’s not a crime, but it’s a bit much. If it didn’t have those extra low-hanging strands, it’d be a little better. Almost looks like a collar.
Anonymous

That necklace (or is it multiple necklaces?) really ruins the dress. For some reason, I’m torn between saying that she looks like Christmas wrapping paper and that she looks fabulous. Maybe she looks like fabulous Christmas wrapping paper.

I wish his tie had a bit more verve to it. Next to that dress, it looks really lackluster.
marilyn

I think the dress is smashing on her. It covers the flaws, and makes her look flawless. She can carry off that bold color. Kudos! Now for the nothing jewelry. The dress if formal and flashy, the jewelry is almost hippie/Xmas tree garland. She would have been better off with no jewelry than with that. Instead of a necklace, she could have worn some diamond earrings with presence, and make a gorgeous statement.
Anonymous

That blue is so gorgeous, and so amazing on her, that my love for it overpowers any objections to the necklace, which looks integrated anyway.
My only issue is that she and the Prez (his tie) are so matchy that it seems they got dressed for a Chanukah-themed prom. Blue is not *required* at Chanukah events, y’all!
- Anonymous
  
  I agree. I love this look, but I wish it wasn’t deployed in such a cliche manner.
aimee_parrott

The jewelry looks like it was chosen and styled by a 5-year-old playing dress-up. Love the dress, though!
Anonymous

I like the idea of the jewelry.
Anonymous

I’m with you: hate the necklace, love the dress on her.
Anonymous

I LOVE the dress. Don’t care for the necklace…looks like the plastic beads that were in when I was in junior high and high school. Plus the asymmetry makes it look sloppy and ‘wrong.’ We want our FLOTUS to look chic and put-together. I think a nice little diamond almost-choker would have set this off nicely.
Anonymous

Necklace is a big mistake. Dress–great on her.
Anonymous

I honestly thought the jewelry was part of the dress. I guess that was the desired effect.

I’m a big fan of the color of the dress, but with that puffy skirt, she looks like a Christmas ornament.
http://twitter.com/taijuuuh Taija HU!

I’m not for the necklace.. It’s a little too camp and showy for her. But once again, that dark electric blue! She looks phenomenal in that colour. Lush.
R. L.

I don’t care for the necklace. I love her dress choice as I nearly always do.
Anonymous

I like the color. The dress looks ill-fitting /sloppy
Anonymous

Hideous holiday wrapping paper dress with matching ornaments… A woman in her position and with her resources/advisors should have a better hit/miss ratio with her outfits.
Anonymous

Oh, I like the jewelrly. Actually, I’d like it even better if it’d been sewn onto the neckline of the dress as an assymetrical trim/collar. She’s wearing a deep jewel tone blue sparkly metallic party dress – there’s not much she could have worn in the way of jewelry that wouldn’t either look too much for a short dress or look like an afterthought. (Jill Biden went with a sparkly silver/gold collar).
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1326120071 Gaby Ripoll

She looks like one of those tone on tone fake Christmas trees – it doesn’t help that we use gold and pearl beaded garlands on our tree so at this time of year, a perhaps otherwise inoffensive statement necklace just reads as too much to me. Meh all around.
But she does look good in blue.
Anonymous

The jewelry would be great with something else, but definitely NOT this.
Anonymous

No argument from me on the necklace, it’s a complete distraction. That color is GORGEOUS on her.
Anonymous

I’m in agreement with the waistline being too high, everything else I like. Even the necklace. Festive!
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=566983224 Erin Leahy

n’awww I liked the necklace and dress ensemble. Come on, Its a first lady Hanukkah event necklace! I think she’s rocking it.
Anonymous

I so love our President and First lady. They are glamorous to be sure, but what I admire most are their wide socio-political attitudes. Try googling “president george w. bush attends a hannukah celebration” and you will find nothing. One photo of his father, but none of W. ‘Nuff said for how desperately we needed Obama’s presidency.
- Sara__B
  
  There are lots of pictures of George W. at Hanukkah celebrations, and he and Laura were just as blue and matchy-matchy as the Obamas. Here’s an example: http://www.upi.com/topic/Ariel_Cohen/
Ruth Gottesman

I love the whole thing. And I like that she’s always able to find an outfit that matches the holiday without being totally gross about it.
http://chupatinja.wordpress.com Santa

Love the dress and like the jewelry
Charles Purdy

Yeah, no. Lovely dress despite the tugging around the top of the bodice, and she looks elegant and festive. But that necklace is kinda hids. Agreeing with other posters that it’s hard to tell whether it’s tangled or just really supposed to be that blech.
Mary McClelland

I agree with your assessment, T.Lo. I love the dress, but I don’t like the jewelery paired with it. Miss O has a secret Twee side that is always sneaking in around the edges, hence the little girl shaped dresses she often favors with the slightly high waist and the full-skirt. I think she also tries to go to the Jackie K route and abhor cleavage, but her style isn’t as natural and sophisticated as Jacqueline’s.
Anonymous

Love the dress, that color is SOOOOO her color! But as much as I loke the idea of the necklace, it does exactly what you suggest. It looks like a cheap holiday decoration from Michaels.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_3AJ237ND3GAHDQJZ4TLCO4WLRA Emily

Lovely dress, bad jewelry. She still looks great overall.
Anonymous

love the dress – esp the color. that rich blue is stunning on her. hate the jewelry – it’s bad enough that it’s too matchy-matchy, but it also looks like a tangled mess that she pulled out of her jewelry box in a hurry and didn’t have time to put it on properly…
bloodshothalfblind

the necklace is alright. it just isnt meant to go with this dress. ideally, all the dress needed was a simple hairdo & some diamond stud earrings. but i can see why she went for something more festive & casual. the dress is great. she looks great. but that necklace has to go.
Anonymous

I agree, the necklace is too much. Too bad because the color and sheen of that dress is fab.
http://blue-again.myopenid.com/ blue

I totally agree. That necklace doesn’t go with that dress. The dress though is gorgeous.
Anonymous

I’ll start with the positive, I love the dress! Hate the necklace, for all of the many reasons stated by the commentariat.
Anonymous

I hate that jewelry. What is wrong with that necklace? If it’s going to be matchy, then by all means, let’s make sure the damn thing is EVEN. It looks like part of it was grabbed by a toddler and is now too long.
Anonymous

Love the dress, hate the jewelry!
Anonymous

i think it’s one of the nicest rodartes i’ve seen in a while. i actually like it better than that other deep blue dress she wore recently, the one everyone loved. vera wang, maybe?

i dont like the necklace w/ the dress’ collar. &, if you wanna do asymmetrical it’s always better if you do it so it looks purposeful not, you know, wrong.
Anonymous

Completely agree with you re the jewelry. That necklace is annoying the crap out of me. The asymmetry just makes it look like she lost track of all the loops and put it on wrong. (A possibility I’m not discounting, by the way. She’s brilliant and fashionable, but we all have our brain-fart days.)
http://twitter.com/applecocola Stacy

I like the necklace, but I agree that it does not help the dress. Colors are wayyyy too matchy. Would be great with another dress.
http://asskickingadviser.com/ Ass Kicking Adviser

Are we sure that the necklace isn’t part of the dress? It is Rodarte after all. They like frippery. Anyway, I don’t mind it. I would have liked something silver instead but she looks sparkly and cute if not quite chic.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1046681022 Paula Berman

I agree totally: the necklace is tacky. Imagine this with a more tasteful, less matchy accessory– so much nicer.
Anonymous

I’m inclined to ignore the necklace because I’m breathless over the dress.
Ebony Dawkins

I have to agree on the necklace. Otherwise, superb as always.
http://twitter.com/xuvious Advaita Waikar

I want a nail polish of the exact shade amount of glitter.
- http://twitter.com/xuvious Advaita Waikar
  
  *and
Anonymous

Oh Shelley- it really is too tight but I can understand why she wouldn’t want to go up a size because the lower half is already huge. Adore the colour and metallic fabric but you’re right about the hideous necklace- would have been great without any necklace just a brooch instead.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2CNDPMVO4W23R5TVC2QMTJ5BZE Heather

Dress is great; necklace looks like Mardi Gras beads.
Anonymous

Agree on the jewelry, I hate it.
Anonymous

I actually thought the necklace was part of the dress. Even as a separate accessory I have to say I like it, nutty as it is: Yes, it’s matchy-matchy but it works for me. But what up with the menorah all lit up? Hannukah doesn’t start this year until December 20th. Oh well, I do applaud the effort…
Warmheartedgirl Seattle

LOVE the dress, but you guys are right, the jewelry almost kills the look. Still, love her.
Anonymous

I LOVE the uber-matchy (and yeah, I thought it was part of the dress too!) necklace, it’s different and chic. She looks fantastic, and I love how it looks like she just jumped into her favorite black pumps without much worry. She’s cool as hell.
Anonymous

someone got the first lady gift wrapped at the department store. Love the dress on her. the accessories are dumb.
Anonymous

I do however LOVE that tie on the first guy!
Anonymous

No disagreement from me. Your thoughts mirror mine exactly. Cute dress, WTH is going on with the jewelry?

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Michele Obama in Rodarte

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