Michelle Obama & Cindy McCain's Fashion Style
Analysis of the Would-be First Ladies' Convention Outfits
Sep 10, 2008
Unless you have been living in a bubble for the last month or so you’ll no doubt be aware that the hard-to-please fashion press and news media have been dissecting the outfits worn by the two candidates for potential First Lady, Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain, during their respective national party conventions and beyond.
Current First Lady, Laura Bush also came under scrutiny, as did Govenor Sarah Palin’s Republican convention speech ensemble; including her now famous rimless glasses.
Michelle Obama’s Fashion Style
In its April, 2008 issue, Vogue magazine chose to feature Michelle Obama as an “It” girl, with their editor-at-large André Leon Talley commenting on Michelle's Jackie-O style strategy.
Michelle Obama has also received praise from Vanity Fair magazine, whose readers voted her top of their best dressed list, in July 2008, referring to her as the magazine’s "commander in sheath." Michelle impressed the media, including the New York Times (June 8th, 2008 “She dresses to win,”) with her Jackie-O style simple purple silk crepe sheath dress and (fake) pearls, which she wore at a Democratic rally in St Paul, Minnesota. This woman favors big beads the size of gobstoppers and adores big belts which show off her streamlined silhouette.
According to CBS News, August 26th, 2008, Michelle Obama “hit a home run” with her striking turquoise dress which she wore for her big speech on the Monday of the Democratic National Convention. CBS cites Laura Schwartz, former adviser to the wife of former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, as saying, “she (Michelle) looks fabulous in dresses,” and that her blue-green convention dress “expressed confidence and a sense of humility.” According to Schwartz, Michelle "already looks like a first lady; her style is so clean and elegant.”
Michelle used Maria Pinto, a designer from her home town of Chicago to create the dress. Currently living the American Dream, Pinto built her business from scratch and the potential First Lady is a long-time customer. The large beaded pendant, similar to Barak Obama's rising sun campaign logo, was from Michelle’s own jewelry box. The now-famed wide V-neck Pinto "convention" dress has an estimated cost of $900.
Michelle also selected to support another up-and-coming American designer, Thakoon Panichgul, when she wore an outfit from his Resort 2009 collection, as she embraced her husband on stage at the Democratic convention, when he officially accepted his presidential nomination.The Washington Post’s Robin Givan in his September 7, 2008 article “First Ladies and the Fabric of the Nation,” estimated that the price of Michelle's outfit is around $1,500.
Cindy McCain’s Outfits
After their Tuesday night presentation at the Republican National Convention, Laura Bush and Cindy McCain found their outfits being scrutinized and priced-up by Vanity Fair magazine.
Cindy McCain appeared radiant as she stepped onto the stage in her bright buttercup-yellow Oscar de la Renta shirt dress, following in the colorful footsteps of Hillary Clinton’s convention speech pantsuit outfit in head-to-toe mango. Cindy's yellow ensemble was in stark contrast to Laura Bush’s more demure cream-colored and embroidered suit, also from leading Seventh Avenue designer Oscar de la Renta, although both ladies looked equally elegant.
Washington Post’s Robin Givan described Cindy’s dress with its giant flipped-up collar as “feminine, reserved and lovely.” Vanity Fair’s September 4th article, “Cindy McCain’s $300,000 Outfit” gave an estimated cost of both ladies’ outfits, shoes and jewelry. The magazine priced Cindy’s ensemble way above that of Laura Bush overall, due to her (trademark) 4-strand pearl necklace, diamond earrings and Chanel watch. The total outfit was estimated, by Vanity Fair, to be somewhere in the region $300,000.
Michelle Obama vs. Cindy McCain
At the September 4th, 2008 NYC party for the Rachel Zoe Project, Nina Garcia, Project Runway judge commented to Usmagazine.com how the two styles of Michelle Obama and Cindy McCain were “totally different” but “equally chic.” Of Cindy’s style she stated that “ Cindy is Oscar de la Renta — she is bright and bold.” Of Michelle Obama, Garcia noted that “she channels the '50s and '60s” and called her an elegant Jackie-O type.
However, fellow Project Runway judge and fashion guru, Tim Gunn, said he thought that Michelle Obama has so far had a better style than Cindy McCain. At Tide and Downy's Fashion Care launch, at New York’s Empire Hotel on September 2nd, 2008, he told Usmagazine.com that there was “no contest” with Michelle epitomizing class and American style. "She looks approachable,” he said.
The fashion politics which come into play during the US presidential campaign is important for designers. The clothing styles and choices of these potential First Ladies are likely to influence fashion trends, as with Republican VP nominee, Sarah Palin's rimless frames. There is also the chance that a designer label could be transformed from a virtually unknown brand to a household name, as in the case of Maria Pinto, or Donna Ricco and her $148 black-and-white dress, which flew off the racks in just hours after Michelle wore it on ABC's The View.
Michelle's style has been more akin to economy-crisis chic as she has avoided the appearance of too much bling and shied away from high-end designers. Cindy, however, has epitomised the essence of First Lady Nancy Reagan with her high-powered, high-end dressing.
As there is another 6 weeks of campaigning to go before the critical November 4th U.S. election the world will be watching Michelle and Cindy's style strategies. They will continue to be scruitinized not just for what they say, but for what they wear. The jury is currently still out on which potential First Lady has the best sense of style.
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