The ladies' paradise

Say it ain't so: Michelle Obama in a veil at the Vatican

I'm in shock. Seriously. Witness this so-weird-it's-hard-to-believe picture of Michelle Obama channel a Greek widow. For real. Veil and all. To meet the Pope.

I was all set to write about her very cool tourist outfit yesterday in Rome. But no. I had to find this instead. And my God is she going to get totally raked over the coals for this horrible choice. It's so horrible, I don't even know where to start. No, that's wrong -- the veil. Well, headdress, really. (A veil goes over the face, doesn't it?) The complicated top with the needs-adjusting belt? The coat on top of all that? All that's missing is the rosary. But wait! She's not Catholic!

Help me here, people. Was the all-black veiled ensemble a necessary sign of respect?

I see that women must cover their knees and shoulders -- a tough call for a woman who has made a high art of showing her shoulders and knees. But this is taking things a little too far.

Yellow fever: Michelle Obama in Italy

I'm reading a fair amount of praise for what's being described as a yellow dress or sheath, but I don't buy it.

First, that's a yellow T-shirt with a yellow skirt. Cardigan apparently from Liz Claiborne (worn here leaving the White House in a much better outfit).

Note the overly precious little pin -- her pins are starting to seem like a tic -- and the tiny bit of ivory cami peeking out from what someone must have told her was a too-low-cut T-shirt.

I do really like Mrs. Obama in yellow. It's just that I love the idea of a uniform, but it has to be a good uniform. Her uniform for major state appearances -- a sheath dress -- works well. Check out this yellow sheath with green pin. It's the same color combination she wore for the inauguration to great acclaim. The skirt-and-cardi combo is, to my mind, a little too fussy and complicated and just isn't as successful.

Plus: That yellow-and-green combo makes me a little twitchy, and I'm not sure why. It may be because the color are warm and because they're next to each other on the color wheel, but I gotta ask my color expert, Annie Elliot. Could just be my own weird thing, I don't know.

As for Mrs. Obama's day outfit -- the skirt/T/cami/cardi: it's too complicated and overthought. Statement jewelry is great, but it has to look like you were clever enough to throw something on and have it look great. And this yellow outfit fails.

But the warm color gives HER a warmth that has by now become her calling card, and more power to her.

I think the simple lines of the sheath really suit her and the complicated lines of the other outfit just don't.

Next up: What you can learn from Michelle O's leisure-time tourist outfit today in Rome.

How To Look Great This Summer

I admit it: My number-one go-to primer for putting clothes together is Lucky magazine.

Love. It.

One of the best of the magazine's features, though, isn't even in the print edition: "Does This Outfit Work?" Here's one example (check the Lucky website for more).

How to look great this summer

I admit it: My number-one go-to primer for putting clothes together is Lucky magazine.

Love. It.

One of the best of the magazine's features, though, isn't even in the print edition: "Does This Outfit Work?" Here's one example (check the Lucky website for more).

Michelle in Moscow: The statement necklace

I don't love her empire-wrapped belts (way high up). I don't always love her hair. And I'm not so big on kitten heels.

But I love love love a fabulous necklace, and Michelle Obama has been really rocking some gorgeous ones.

Last night in Moscow she wore one by Fenton by Dana Lorenz necklace. (See more on the Fenton website, which sadly doesn't include an online shopping component.)

In May she was bold at the White House Correspondents Dinner in hot pink and a St. Erasmus necklace.

The night of the Oscars, she outshone Hollywood in a Tom Binns necklace, like this one (left).

And all this is well and good, but what about the rest of us, who can't afford a whole wardrobe of pricy fashion baubles.

I'm in love with Lulu Frost jewelry, like the fabulous pieces from the Tribal collection. (Great jewelry, lousy website.)

I like a lot of the jewelry at the charming Shop Floor Project, where you can also purchase jewelry from St. Erasmus.

Also fabulous, and surprisingly affordable, is Subversive jewelry. And how about this lovely gold Erickson Beamon chain, on sale at Vivre (below)?

If you want to see some great necklaces and how they can really boost a pretty dress or outfit, take a look at the audio slide show of Bill Cunningham's fabulous Sunday Times "On the Street." (Note that the necklace in the third slide is a $48 frippery from Anthropologie. And note especially that when the jewelry works best in these pictures, it's worn without too much thought or matching involved -- it's really just a frame for the face.)

Summer style made easy

So I see I've neglected this blog shamefully recently. Instead, I've been getting my picture taken professionally, thinking about signing on for coaching with image consultant and coach Brenda Kinsel (you can visit her blog here), and commenting on fashion for SheKnows and the great local blog DC Goodwill Fashion. You can see the SheKnows article here and my guest post for the Goodwill blog here.

What have you been doing? What do you predict will be your number-one go-to piece of clothing this summer? I'd like to hear about it!

And speaking of the summer, where are you headed? Wherever your plans hold, you'd go in style carrying this bag, by Orla Kiely. Style + whimsy = what's not to love?

What to wear to a summer barbecue

I just sent a reporter some ideas for what to wear to a summer barbecue. Key thought: Remember where you will be and dress appropriately. In the city, in the street? Think more structure, darker colors, etc. In someone's backyard, I suggest a pretty floral dress, like this one by Nanette Lapore, thong sandals, maybe with some embellishment, and a hat. You can then take the basic formula -- pretty, bare dress + sandals + statement necklace -- and dress it up or down, for day or night.

Only problem here is I think this purse is too structured for this occasion -- what do you think? What would you wear to a summer barbecue?

Barbecue! by KeturaP featuring Nanette Lepore day dresses

Summer dress: One dress, many outfits

My shopping trip a couple days ago was an excellent reminder of a fashion truth: It's good to have a few pieces that can be worn many, many ways.

Case in point: This basic dress from Gap. Interesting and exciting? Er, not really.

But what a great canvas for your own personality to shine, through the judicious use of fabulous accessories and creative styling.

And here's the best part: Those accessories? They don't have to bankrupt you. Here's proof: One of my all-time, hands-down favorite summertime pieces is a eight strand "coral" necklace from Urban Outfitters. It was all of $18, if that.

So what could you do with this dress? I would make it the basis for a weekend or even week-long trip, for starters, because you can dress it up -- way up, if necessary -- or down (way down, all the way to the beach).

Pade Vavre Lucite Fossilized Bug Bangles at Ylang23

With these bangles by Pade Vavre (more than one, if possible), you could wear silver or gold flip-flops or Birkenstock's Gizeh thong sandal, plus maybe a tidy canvas hat.

That's an effortless and easy for going to a casual brunch or to take the kids to the park.

For evening, swap out the shoes and bangles with something a little dressier, sparkly or not, like this pretty (and affordable!) necklace from this seller on Etsy.

So keep your eyes peeled for interesting and unusual accessories. Places to look: consignment stores, eBay, flea markets, your local Goodwill store, even your mom's jewelry box. And remember my golden rule next time you're out shopping: If you can't wear something you're considering at least three different ways, forget it.

Susan Boyle's makeover: Good or bad?

I can't believe I missed this: Susan Boyle got a makeover. Now everyone's debating the wisdom -- and even the ethics -- of what she's done. It's being said that she's destroyed her viability as a cultural icon by upgrading her image.

I'll address the actual makeover itself in my next post. (Friday night sunset means I turn into a pumpkin.) For now, I'll say this: Personal style is about how you want to be perceived in the world. Who are you? What do you want your appearance to say about you? Does your appearance express who you really are? Most important is that your appearance and your inner self be congruent.

This is what my image consulting practice focuses on -- helping women figure out who they are inside and how to express that through their clothing -- and it's why I feel that helping women with their wardrobes is an important thing to be doing.

What do you think about her makeover?

Susan Boyle: Style versus talent

Well, since Susan Boyle came onto my radar screen earlier today, I've watched this YouTube video at least a half-dozen times (not to mention her other performance, "Cry Me a River.") And I have to say, it makes me wonder how much personal style matters. On the one hand, if she had an ounce of style, she might have been able to realize her dream long before now. On the other hand, who cares when she has pipes like that? We're a superficial culture, and we damn her before we even hear her. But yes, it's important and necessary (I guess) to measure up in the way we assess others' images -- so that our innate talents can be seen and heard.

All of which is to say that she's made my head spin -- and I can't wait to buy her first CD.