First lady Michelle Obama’s “high-low mix” of couture and cardigans has made her this generation’s Jackie Kennedy Onassis and one of the most accessible first ladies, said Mary Tomer, founder of the Michelle Obama fashion blog Mrs-O.org.
Tomer spoke at Boston College on Tuesday about her experience starting the blog which led to the publication of her book, “Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy.” She also discussed the nationwide fascination with Obama’s wardrobe.
About 150 people attended the discussion, sponsored by the Student Advisory Board of the Council for Women of Boston College.
Tomer, a 2003 BC graduate, said she was first intrigued by Obama’s wardrobe during the Democratic National Convention, where the first lady wore a Maria Pinto sheath dress.
“I felt like it was so striking to see a powerful, strong woman dressed with very feminine style,” she said.
Tomer said she went from “captivated to obsessed” and launched her blog following Obama’s outfits daily.
As her blog grew from receiving 200 hits a day to 10,000, she was able to publish her book, which includes interviews from designers, photos of the first lady’s outfits and commentary from fans, she said.
During her presentation, Tomer also passed around accessories similar to the ones Obama wears and had two dresses on display that were replicas of the first lady’s.
Obama is able to use fashion as a message, Tomer said, such as when she wore head-to-toe Moschino, an Italian designer, when she met the Pope in Italy.
Tomer also spoke about the impact and accessibility of the first lady’s style.
“This is the first time that you feel like, “Wow, I can get the same things the first lady can,'” said Tomer, citing Obama’s choices to wear clothes by J. Crew, Gap and H&’M.
Tomer also said the first lady’s choice to wear American designers’ clothing has has lifted American fashion to the same level as European fashion.
“Michelle Obama is on an international stage and she is elevating the notion of American sophistication and culture and her style plays a big part in that,” she said.
Obama is also fearless in her couture outfits, such as the red and black Narciso Rodriguez dress she wore on election night, Tomer said.
“It was really a bold statement, to wear on election night,” she said. “It set a tone that Michelle Obama was going to do things a bit differently and it was going to be modern and a bit edgy at times.”
Retired social worker Velma Morris, 73, who attended the lecture, said Obama’s classic sense of style appeals to her, especially as a black woman.
“I never thought I would see an African-American first lady, let alone president,” Morris said. “She has a very classic, 50’s style.”
BC 2000 alumna and attorney Christine O’Connor, said she admires the image Obama has projected as first lady.
“I think she has done a lot to make the first lady position accessible and a lot of that has to do with fashion,” O’Connor said. “I like that she uses color. She doesn’t wear beige like a lot of other first ladies.”
Kathy Duane, from Wellesley, who is a sales associate at Talbots, a brand the first lady is known to wear, said she enjoyed learning about Obama’s accessible closet.
“She’s really an icon for a lot of women,” said BC Lynch School of Education student Adrienne Calotta. “The second she wears something, it sells out in stores.”
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