Michelle Obama dresses for royal tea

First Lady Michelle Obama arrived for tea at Buckingham Palace minutes ago dressed conservatively in a black cardigan, white top and a black full skirt that appeared to have a tulle overlay. She was also wearing her trademark pearls, with her hair half-up, half-down. Because this was not an official state visit, the meeting with the queen was considered informal. But who is the designer? My bet is on Jason Wu. It's not Obama's best look. The color is a bit serious for the occasion and the blouse a bit flimsy. I prefer the Queen's Easter egg pink dress. What do you think?

*Update: Sources are saying the skirt is Isabel Toledo.

*Another update: Mrs-O.org is reporting that it's not a skirt and top by Toledo, but a two-tone dress, and that Obama removed the cardigan for the G-20 dinner Wednesday evening.

— Booth Moore

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Photo: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, April 1, 2009. Credit: John Stillwell / Associated Press

Comments

[Haitiana4Obama]

I think the First Lady looks stylishly appropriate, while keeping to her own look. They are so lucky to have meet Queen Elizabeth II and I hope she was pleased with President Obama, and the First Lady...can't wait to here full reports.

[joesmom]

Michelle looks great. Not too formal, nor too casual. As for the Queen, well, she can wear whatever the heck she wants (and she looks wonderful).

[Maggie]

The queen is so lovely! Mr and Mrs Obama are so tall and attractive, they are of the type that can wear clothes of many styles so well.

The little cardigan over everything seems to be Mrs Obama's current look. I can't say I'm so crazy about it, at least not so much of the time, but it seems to work for her.

[SusieQ]

I think Michelle always looks great. I find that this trip is the first time that her makeup foundation looks too heavy. For the visit with the Queen, I can understand downplaying the clothes. All the other outfits on the trip so far have been great. I can't wait to see more!!

[prettypennydesigns]

Yep, I think it's a little austere. I do love the full skirt though.

[HTS]

Michelle always looks good. But she looking a bit too informal for a state visit. Can you imagine if Carla Bruni showed up at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in a cardigan? She could have saved the morning 10 Downing Street outfit and "tea with the queen" outfit for a different occasion (visiting schools, visiting military families etc).

[Christie]

I think that Michelle looks great! She is always very stylish and appropriate which is why I couldn't believe that people were thinking that she might go sleeveless. http://www.newsy.com/videos/michelle_obama_meets_the_queen/ has clips from a couple of different news sites that were speculating on how well the meeting went and what she was going to wear.

[Vicki]

Shoot, I could put this outfit together out of my closet in 2 seconds.

[mg]

guys remember there is an underly tone that the Obamas are pushing, understatement, not too much over the top...everyday man and woman......as a british subject, i can tell you the outfit is very appropriate for the type of meeting and also you NEVER EVER want to out dress the queen and looking from this picture Michelle did brilliant, her look is very different from the queen, i.e race and height....so in any photos, she and Barack would have stand out.....so the outfit plays well into this....and you can tell that the queen dresser thought of this as well because she chose to wear the pink outfit! and therefore she is not lost in the photo...its easy to sit from a far and make criticism on the outfit but there are a lot more than outfit that goes into this decision...THIS IS NOT A STATE VISIT...I repeat this is NOT A STATE VISIT.....so Michele did brilliantly in Protocol while staying true to herself...Carla Bruni visit at the time was a STATE visit, so she had to go full force with the outfits especially coming from France and le petite scandale of what was happening at the time with their marriage etc....it was rumored that the queen would not have met with her, Had Sarko not marry her....so people please before you critize an outfit, please look at the larger picture and all the protocols to consider!.....Michelle did brilliantly with the outfit, it stayed on message!

[Mexichick67]

Good point MG (4:33 pm). Michelle dressed very appropriately for the event and considering what is going on in the world.

[dada]

Do you have a good photo of the beautiful black trapeze coat Michelle wore to Buckingham Palace? I think it was Jason Wu.

(I enjoyed watching the BBC video of their visit. Obamas pull up in The Beast and enter a side-door of the the palace. Next shot shows them entering the room for the visit. What we don't see is the miles & miles of corridors & wide staircases they've probably walked to get to that room! A rather intimidating hike, I imagine.)

[JPS]

She looks hideous once again. What an embarassment for America. And her wearing the black cardigan is a mockery of conservatives

[European Reader]

I find it very embarrassing to see the First Lady go sleeveless at public functions. She looked almost half-naked next to Premier Brown and his wife. What is it with her bare arms?
Also when meeting the Queen, dressed in black she looked like she was attending a funeral! She should have chosen a beige or champagne color. The glittery sweater was also not appropriate for informal dayware. Who the hell is her fashion advisor anyway?

[Jill Adams]

I'm an American woman, living in London with my English husband, and I was there that day - on the wall, in a tee shirt I'd designed for the other volunteers @ DAUK. I just want to report that everyone LOVES Michelle - and the President, of course- here in the UK. We're talking people from all nationalities. You wouldn't believe how many people kept coming up to me on the street, shouting out OBAMA and smiling. Americans are definitely flavour of the month in this part of the world!

If you want to see that I'm not insane, check out the photo that ended up in the Guardian:
http://streetstylelondon.blogspot.com/