Who are you wearing? The Ins and Outs of First Lady Fashion

I would like to preface this post by saying that I have no recollection of whatever Tipper Gore wore at any point of the 2000 election.

Everyone's excitedly blogging about the potential of having a new "First Lady of Fashion" in the White House come inauguration day. But, do I really care that Michelle wore Narciso Rodriguez while Barack delivered his acceptance speech? (Pretty interesting content in that previous link, as it seems contrary to popular consensus around MO's red and black number...) Do MO's style choices really require the exhausting energy of a dedicated Mademoiselle column this spring? Erm, more importantly a mention of the upcoming column for fashionistas everywhere to pine for until the warm months? Oh, fashion blogs! Y'all be working in mysterious ways!

As of this writing, there have been close to 2,500 responses to the accompanying Newsday article about Michelle Obama's Election night dress. However, it's not as if following MO's wardrobe choice is a new thing, as evidence by the millions of returns you get upon searching for michelle+obama+style. Over the course of the 2008 U.S. Election, she was not the only person to be scrutinized by blog fashionistas (I also found a pretty short overview of a fashion roundup of the three most visible ladies involved in this year's Presidential Election.) I suggest you check out the link. It's a pretty interesting retrospect, and Hilary Clinton was overlooked. I really wonder why. And is there a link between focusing on wardrobe versus taking these women seriously? Or is there no link at all?

While I wasn't a personal fan of Princess Di's style, I know that at the time of her death, she was the most photographed fashion icon in history, having graced the pages of tabloids and high fashion publications around the world. However, recognizing her in print doesn't really tell me what she's about. All I remember is that Prince William was my boyfriend in the seventh grade, and that she did stuff addressing leftover war mines in...Africa? I think.

A more current comparison to the MO fashion frenzy would be French First Lady and established pop star, Carla Bruni, whose outfits were completely dissected in the last year after marrying President Sarkozy. Case in point, articles like this one from the Telegraph, really make me wonder if there will come a point that we are more interested in the stylized outer appearance of potentially influencial figures in government, rather than the manner they use their potical stances to further causes meaningful to them. I mean, imagine if that article covered the content of that lunch's conversation, rather than the detailed 5 minute play-by-play thread by thread? I mean, it's a meeting between two nations' elected officials. I don't a bout you, but I don't have access to the British Prime Minister and his family like that. Meh. Anyway, upon speaking to a friend, she said that this sudden onslaught of press attention towards Bruni's outfits baffled the French. While she remains a popular figure with the French public, it's been said that they've rejected this idea of Bruni as a combined First Lady and fashion icon.

I almost feel like I should be making a weird comparison to Miss America, where a woman is asked to take a platform as she vies for the crown. (What's MO's platform, you ask? Military families, women balancing careers and family life, and ensuring that he daughters adjust to White House life. But maybe that last one is more an objective, rather than a platform.)



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HOW DO YOU FEEL?
Is physical presentation important to you, as in would you feel differently about Michelle Obama if she was looking all busted? How does appearance/style of political figures affect your feelings toward them? Does focusing on fashion detract from the larger responsibilities of a First Lady?
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