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The Etceterist | 11/19/2008 9:10 am

Michelle Obama, True or False: Paris Couture? Hair Extensions?

In Bamelot, Michelle Obama is the new Jackie. A fortnight since Election Day, let’s check out a few facts …
By Billy Norwich

1. OK, she’s perfect. Really? Not even a few hair extensions?

Answer: Only her hairdresser knows for sure and according to stylist Yusef Williams of Manhattan’s Paul Labrecque salon, “Michelle has a lot of full-length hair — no extensions.” Talking to the supermarket glossy OK!, Williams, described as “a member of Michelle’s hair and makeup team,” predicts that when she gets into the White House she will change her hairstyle because “that’s the motto: change.” Probably “something shorter, layered, fun and one-of-a-kind.”

2. The Pope of Seventh Avenue has spoken. Oscar de la Renta is making Mrs. Obama’s Inaugural dress.

Answer: False. Chicago-based designer Maria Pinto is still the frontrunner for this honor.

3. Narciso Rodriguez, designer of the dress the First Lady-to-be wore on Election Night in Chicago, hired three publicists, including PR veteran Howard Rubenstein, to persuade Michelle Obama to select this now historic frock.

Answer: Actually, Mrs. Obama does not entertain offers from fashion publicists and the designer had no idea she even owned this dress until he saw it on TV. At an Election Night party, Narciso was watching the vote tally with a group of friends, including Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld when, moments after Mrs. Obama came on stage with the president-elect, he pointed to the TV and was astounded to see that “Michelle Obama is wearing my dress.”

4. Us Weekly found one unflattering photograph of Mrs. Obama that night in her Narciso Rodriguez dress and the mag was planning to run a photo of it with the caption “Baby Bump,” plus arrow, but pulled it at the last minute erring on the side of good taste — what a concept.

Answer: Maybe.

5. They’ll never admit it, but Rachel Zoe is Michelle Obama’s stylist?

Answer: False.

6. Somebody has to be styling her?

Answer: Not really, and besides which, what’s the point of going to a school like Princeton if, after, you can’t even figure out what looks chic? The closest Michelle Obama comes to having a stylist is Ikram Goldman, owner of the chic Chicago fashion boutique Ikram. Ms. Goldman makes recommendations, such as the aforementioned Narciso dress, but Mrs. Obama does her own shopping and has a seamstress adapt dresses to her liking (compared to its runway version, the skirt of the Narciso Rodriguez dress was lined to make it less sheer and the straps were widened.)

7. Just as Lee Radziwill did for her sister Jacqueline Kennedy and Oleg Cassini, Michelle Obama’s brother Craig Robinson buys Paris and Milan originals and sneaks them into the U.S. for Maria Pinto to copy so no one can accuse his sister of not wearing American designers.

Answer: False. Michelle Obama happily wears American designers, or J. Crew, but once wore an Azzedine Alaia belt, Azzedine being sort of the Paris fashion person’s Paris fashion person and this belt (wide, black) launched the First Lady-elect into the hearts of the international, high-fashion crowd.

8. In a letter to Michelle Obama after the election, Carla Bruni Sarkozy wrote, “And last but not least, cher ami, I have three words of advice for you to make your husband Monsieur President secure and happy and not steal his thunder: Christian Louboutin flats.”

Answer: False.

9. Nate Berkus, Oprah Winfrey’s star decorator, is going to redo the First Family’s private quarters at the White House. In fact, on Tuesday when Mrs. Obama brought her daughters to see their new rooms at the White House, Berkus was in tow.

Answer: False. Nate Berkus was not with Mrs. Obama on Tuesday in Washington. He is, however, on a short list of possible decorators to help fluff up the private quarters.

18 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

C A Rose
What drivel!!! I haven’t been to WoW in a couple weeks and this is the best we can do? Maybe this should be taken tongue in cheek in light of the dismal state of our economy. It is no longer the elephant in the corner that we have been pretending wasn’t there. Give me a break…we were all so concerned about being taken seriously during the marathon election/selection and now we reduce ourselves to ‘baby-bump’ talk. CA
By C A Rose on 11/21/2008 1:14 am
Rebecca B
This is no more insulting than the existence of magazines like Vogue or shows like What to War. Anthropologically we like to adorn ourselves. People are going to be interested in style details of a woman like Mechelle. It isn’t anti-feminist to say, “She’s smart and where can I get that dress?” I’m saying that as the ponytail/no makeup, minivan-driving, chicken coop owning, ex-rugby player living on brains alone because NO ONE wants to steal my style and still wishing that ONCE I could have hair like Gloria Steinem. If you don’t want to know, don’t seek the information. Some of us do like to dream of a Princeton degree and the wardrobe to match.
By Rebecca B on 11/22/2008 4:46 pm