Michelle Obama and Ann Romney: Politics of Style

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For the past four years Michelle Obama has
educated Americans on emerging fringe American
designers and the art of mixing high-low fashion.
Tuesday night at the Democratic National
Convention was no different. Dressed in a pink
and grey cocktail-length dress designed by Tracy
Reese a mid-range-priced couturier made famous by
the First Lady over her husbands term in office.
The dress showed off Obamas famously sculpted
shoulders a physical embodiment of her platform
for healthier living.
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
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Her shoes of course were J.Crews 245 suede
pumps. That mass-market meets fringe designer
method worked the first time around and remains
a solid message to fans you can have it too. 
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
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Ann Romneys Oscar De La Renta red dress at
the Republican National Convention was equally
strategic. The silk taffeta dress from De La
Rentas pre-fall 2012 collection was decided on
with the help of Romneys senior adviser
according to the New York Times. It was a party
win in the estimation of The Daily Beasts Robin
Givhan. She called the look judiciously
feminine and pitch perfect. But critics
thought the dress 2000 plus price-tag
contradicted the grounded message in Romneys
speech.
Photo by Donna Svennevik/ABC via Getty Images
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Oscar De La Renta who also designed the blue
dress Romney wore the following day was a
favorite of Laura Bush and Nancy Reagan during
their husbands presidencies. Hes also not a
favorite of Michelle Obamas as Fashionistas
Executive Editor Leah Chernikoff pointed out. It
begged the question from fashion critics was
Romneys convention dresses a strategic homage to
eras long gone in the White House
Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
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In contrast Obamas Diane Von Furstenberg black
and white patterned dress worn Monday during a
DNC soundcheck was in keeping with her
fashion-forward even slightly edgy style (edgy
for politics of course).
Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images
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Overall Michelle Obamas wardrobe plays like a
womans magazine full of service tips for
updating looks on a budget. For example she
recently recycled last years red check dress
from the popular online retailer ASOS by adding
royal blue belt. Belts are Mobamas fashion bread
and butter.
Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images
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If Romney has a signature item its the chunky
necklace. From turquoise to white her jewelry is
usually eye-catching and slightly unconventional.
Necklaces like this white tear-drop choker by
Queen Bee Designs a Washington DC based jeweler
update the classic First Lady pearl strand with
misshapen and less ostentatious-looking stones.
The fact that her jewelry is understated and not
flashy works in her favor given her husbands
financial standing writes a jewelry blogger at
delivermediamonds.com.
Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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For Romney the science behind her wardrobe is
still lab-based. To date no signature style
has emerged Givhan wrote of Romneys style a
few months back. No aesthetic point of view has
been delineated.
Photo by Getty Images
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For the most part Michelle has avoided heavily
accessorizing lately. She lets her arms do the
talking in sleeveless knee-length dresses.
Shell get her pop from a pair of pumps or a
metallic belt paired on theTonight Show with a
dress by wears Bibhu Mohapatra. The look is in
keeping with her dual image as fashion-insider
and down-to-earth shopper.
Photo by Margaret Norton/Getty Images
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Ever since Romney was criticized for wearing a
990 Reed Krakoff shirt on morning TV her
fashion choices have taken on new gravity. After
the CBS debacle she was photographed in Khakis
and fleece. When shes been dressed up for an
event rarely is the designer credited. Keeping
price tags protected may be part of a strategy
considering the close attention paid to her
familys wealth or it may be simply Romneys
disinterest in wearing known labels. Romney
definitely has style but shes learned the hard
way how loudly it can speak.
Photo by Jeff Neira/CBS
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But political fashion mastermind Michelle hasnt
had a flawless record either. In July on a trip
to Buckingham Palace she wore a J. Mendel jacket
worth 6800. After Romneys bird shirt took so
much heat the first ladys pricey top was an
instant target for opponents. I had better not
EVER hear another word about a mere 900 blouse
on Mrs. Romneys back or Sarah Palins 300
shoes. EVER wrote one conservative blogger. A
few weeks later it was back to basics as she
stepped to the DNC podium in her J.Crew heels.
Photo by Getty Images
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