First Lady Fashion

This seems to be the hot topic that everyone's writing about! WWD, NY Times Style...they are all buzzing about our future first lady's fashion choices. During the campaign, fashion was the hot topic too...for not only Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain but for VP candidate Sarah Palin! Always ahead of the curve :-), I wrote this piece for The Wag back in July. It's in the current December issue of the magazine.

Inaugural Fashion... The presidential election is over but not the buzz over first lady fashion. Throughout the campaign, both Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama made style headlines. Michelle was touted for her down-to-earth wardrobe choices. For an appearance on The View, she wore an outfit purchased from the mall, and for an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, she wore J. Crew. Cindy more typically was attired in covet-worthy couture. Vanity Fair editors estimated her GOP convention outfit totaled more than $300k. (That certainly tops Sarah Palin’s reported $150k campaign wardrobe allowance.) And on the eve of the election, Michelle’s Narciso Rodriguez dress inspired a lively debate among the fashion-obsessed. Was it a bold, iconoclastic choice or an ugly, unflattering mess? Our opinion: We loved the moment, hated the dress.



When President-elect Barack Obama is inaugurated in January, all eyes will be on the lady by his side—and what she’s wearing. We consulted some of our area’s top tastemakers to see what Michelle should wear for her grand entrance. In the spirit of “reaching across the aisle,” we asked them to dress Cindy, too. After a grueling campaign, we think both women deserve a little fashion therapy.

Mary Jane Denzer, of Mary Jane Denzer, White Plains: For Michelle: “A first lady’s supreme confidence and elegance on the arm of the new president must be reflected in her attire at the inaugural ball,” says Denzer. Denzer says a “golden gown” would suit his “golden” girl. “Michelle should be in an off-the-shoulder gold lamé gown with a tiny cap sleeve and a waist-hugging, dropped torso, which flares into a long, peplumed skirt that cascades in spiraling motion to the floor. The bodice and hemlines should be trimmed in beading of topaz and tourmaline.”

(Pictured: Michelle Obama gown, sketched by Neil Bieff, exclusively for Mary Jane Denzer.)
(Pictured: Cindy McCain gown, sketched by Neil Bieff, exclusively for Mary Jane Denzer.)

For Cindy: Denzer sees the Republican runner-up in “a pale-green, iridescent, chiffon column gown that is fitted to the waist, narrow over the hips, and floats gracefully to the floor. It will be accented with yellow/green sapphires and with amethyst-accented embroidery trim at the bateau neckline, an inset waist and sleeve, with a delicate rain shower of beads trimming the bodice to hipline of the gown.” (Pictured: Cindy McCain gown, sketched by Neil Bieff, exclusively for Mary Jane Denzer.)

For both ladies, “elbow-length, off-white doeskin gloves will add the ‘first lady’ touch,” Denzer says.

David Presby and Lori Land, On the One, Mt. Kisco: For Michelle: “Despite the fact that red is the traditional Republican color, I would dress Michelle in a beautiful, red, floor-length, off-the-shoulder Oscar de la Renta gown with just a simple diamond pendant down the neckline,” says Land.

For Cindy: “Cindy should also be in a floor-length gown like Michelle, but for her, I would suggest a metallic gold Zac Posen to complement her blonde hair. Not too glitzy—but simply glamorous, conservative, and chic.”

Grace Diodati, Tru Grace, Armonk: For Michelle: Diodati recommends a classic-yet-stylish look: “I’d like to see her in a navy, boat-neck, one-shoulder Halston gown to just below the knee, worn with patent Stuart Weitzman pumps and a simple clutch.”

For Cindy McCain: “Burgundy is very ‘in’ right now, and that color would look amazing on Cindy. She should wear a Carolina Herrera chiffon, v-neck gown, to the floor with a Manolo Blahnik gold pump.” She adds, “I’d love to see her hair down and ‘flowy,’ as opposed to a stiff updo.”