I love Michelle Obama (she turned me on to her husband) but I don't love the dress.  I love the shape of the dress but that red...it looks like my son throwing drops of red paint on a black canvas.  (Oh well, every one is entitled to a "miss".  I'm sure that she'll be lovely on inauguration night!)

-Kimberly/Mom in the City 

I was actually very surprised when a lot of folks on Twitter started saying they didn't like the dress. I liked it and thought she looked great in it too. Not something I could pull off (laughing here) but on her it was fabulous! And I loved how the family was all color coordinated too. Just a classy bunch.

Kalyn Denny
Kalyn's Kitchen

Even today, I cry when I see the whole Obama family on the stage.  Beautiful on many levels - what they look like, what they represent, what it means....  I get it. And swore I would not belittle the moment by snarking about that ghastly dress. Just don't think it worked on her - wrong cut, wrong colors.  Too, I dunno, aggressive - the blotch on the front looked like the markings of some deadly amazon reptile or something.  I could imagine the passage in the Neo-Con Hunter's Guidebook, "look for the red belly marked with a distinctive X as the definitive markings of the female socialist, usually seen protecting her young and often striking out away from the nest, making her especially dangerous."  Hated the dress.   (Didn't look any better on the waif, for what it's worth.)

That said, ya - love her independence, her spirit, her family, her daughter in a black dress, and every damned thing that she and her family represent. Seriously. And I loved that my daughter watched them come on stage and just said, "hey, they're my age" as if it was all the most natural thing in the world. Indeed, thanks to them, it is the most natural thing in our new world.  Wow. 

She's a whole new kind of inspiration and I cannot wait to see what she does with the stage that she has so justly earned. 

____________

Alyssa Royse

Just Cause It: A Web Site To Save The World

Start Her Up: A Blog for Women Entrepreneurs

I agree Liz! Can't have been a mistake, that color. But my fave part about it is the designer, whose life reads like the ultimate American success story. And now the First Lady-elect is part of his Wikipedia entry.

Politics aside, I must say, I love Michelle Obama in red. Her Ebony cover (September edition) was gorgeous.

Lisa Stone
BlogHer Co-founder
Surfette

BlogHer is non-partisan but our bloggers aren't! Follow our coverage of Politics & News.

Because it didn't fit her well. There was lots of puckering. And wearing a cardigan over it didn't make sense (if that's what it was.)

Loved the color red on MO, but hated that dress on her. Not flattering IMHO.

Elisa Camahort Page
BlogHer
elisa@blogher.com

My BlogHer profile truly shows you everything I do online...Check it out!!

I liked the dress.

I did.

I liked the little cardigan.

I liked it all.

I liked it better than DNC speech dress. But I'm also more bold with clothes and the plain stuff bores me.

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain

First, I can't believe people were complaining that her daughter was in a black dress (sorry, their daughter).  Yes, it is 2008 and by the way, it was a significant event and women sometimes wear black dresses at significant events...even little girls at their Daddy's acceptance of the title of President-Elect.As for Michelle...really, sometimes I'm taken back by what she wears.  It doesn't mean I don't like it; it's just not what we're used to.  People balk at change and well, CHANGE is good which is one of the many reasons why Obama is our next President.  I'm glad she is herself and isn't 'conforming' to what everyone else believes she should wear (pants suits, etc).  She's not a size 0 and no one should expect her to look like one regardless of what she wears.  She is proud of herself, confident, independent and strong.  In the end, I loved the choice of dress for herself, and their family!

~Mia.

My blog is General Hysteria~

 Agree with you Alyssa. I was trying not to be small on the occasion of such a big historical moment and complain about a woman's choice of dress. I've kept my mouth shut before now. But I couldn't help but poke my head in here and confess: hated it.

And my respect for her hasn't diminished one iota.  

Read Renita's Blog Since She Spends Way More Time on It Than She Should: http://www.somethingwithin.com/blog.

I like that she went non-traditional (though I have to say Cindy McCain looked fabulous) but I don't think the dress looked good on her.

My reaction was, what is she wearing? and why? And I don't think that's the reaction she was going for. Also odd - I'm not someone who has an immediate reaction to someone's clothing. I never stop to think about clothing until someone else says it first. Getting an immediate reaction from me on clothing... very odd.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings

I thought it was very striking up on the stage. I bet it looked fantastic in front of a crowd of thousands. 

Visit my blogs at ThreeSeven (all that's irrelevant and amusing) and
ecochick (all that's green, cool and Canadian).

The moment she walked out in that dress I thought, woah, bold choice! (Okay, after I thought, OMG OMG OMG OMG! - in a good way.)

I liked it on the waif and I liked it on her. I can't see many Washington women having the guts to walk out in that dress and I knew in that moment that she would get a lot of flack for it, but I loved it. The only thing I didn't like was the cardigan - I think it detracted from the lines of the dress, but I guess going out their bare shouldered might have been too much? Or too cold? Either way though she looked fierce. 

And just have to add, that moment right before they walked backstage and Obama put his hand on her back and they leaned into each other? They are just such a beautiful family, fashion faux pas or not.

Nina Moon

http://charlieandnina.com

 I think it's classy and cute, especially if a designer gave it to her for free!

The Bargain Shopper Lady

I hated the dress at first, then got used to it.

I was surprised at the choice because every other time I have seen photos of Michelle Obama  she has looked amazing. 

Now I have seen it on the waif, it all makes sense - the mistake was not the dress but the cardigan. The dress says "strong, independent woman. Not afraid to stand out!" but the cardigan says "I wish I had worked on my arms more at the gym". 

Sophie

http://www.inzaburbs.com 

There is always something a wee bit apologetic about a cover-up. I should know. (ahem)

Mom-101

Cool Mom Picks.com

I'm not a great fan of the dress but Mrs Obama looked fabulous in it. She has a strong, healthy and real woman figure to help designers show their designs to their best effect on real women rather than on little twigs.

I'm sure as the First Lady Mrs Obama will do a great job, let's hope she doesn't get treated in the media and with bloggers as a show-pony like Princess Diana did so her real work can be focus and create more opportunity for change.

All the best,

Belinda

Great Earring Holders for Christmas Gifts - great presents and no more messy jewelry tangles!