Dear Readers,
As I listened to all the controversy today over whether or not Beyonce lip-synced the national anthem on Inauguration Day, I decided it just doesn't matter to me. She belted out that song with such passion and her performance was so thrilling, it gave me chills. So did the fashion of the day. Some were chills of delight, some were flu-like symptoms.
Here are my thoughts . . .
I was crazy about Michelle Obama's coat and dress ensemble. It was by a noted menswear designer, Thom Browne, and I thought it worked beautifully. The coat was clearly custom made for the First Lady and its form-fitting silhouette was ever so flattering on her. But the best part? The belt. It set off the coat perfectly. A touch of modern glitz that emphasized her waist and finished the look with a flourish. (Loved the boots and the gloves, too, by the way.)
Now, this is what I call style.
And here's the scoop on when to belt an outfit and when to skip the idea:
- Unless you are super skinny, it's not a good idea to belt a bulky winter coat. Mrs. Obama's coat was slim, sleek and not at all bulky. If it were, the belt would not have worked so effectively.
- When you wear a snug form-fitting coat or jacket, wearing a belt underneath the coat is not a great idea either. I have tried it many times and it NEVER works. A trendy little belt with a marino or cashmere sweater, for example, may look great when I get dressed, but later, when I put my coat on top of it? It makes my waist look bigger and thicker AND completely messes up the heretofore slim lines of my coat. Result? I feel a little sad and a lot dumpy.
- I noticed that Mrs. Obama did not belt the dress she wore under the coat. Even when she took off her coat and put on that smart looking cropped cardigan sweater (see photo above), she did not wear a belt of any kind. I am going to bet she tried the dress with that great JCrew belt and decided NO. It doesn't work. The princess lines of her dress spoke for themselves. She did not need a belt.
I promised myself I would not cast asparagus upon anyone today, so I am going to put this as delicately as possible. I know Dr. Jill Biden's dress was from Neiman Marcus, so I am going to guess it was probably from their store in LA or Phoenix. It slipped her mind that she would be wearing that flowery looking spring frock in Washington DC in January. It can happen to anybody. I did love her coat though. Very high fashion, a beautiful color and perfectly appropriate. No asparagus on that decision.
And finally, the children. Could those Obama girls be any cuter? I feel really good about the fashion choices of future generations if these two young ladies are any indication. Like their beautiful Mom, Sasha and Malia continue to grow in wisdom, grace and style.
Cheers,
Nancy
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