The fitted-through-the-bodice, navy-blue
coat that first lady Michelle Obama wore to Monday's inaugural ceremonies was a
work of art.
And we can thank Allentown-bred designer
Thom Browne for the expertly tailored, perfectly darted custom piece of
outerwear.
"It's overwhelming," the
48-year-old designer said in an interview with the New York Times from Paris,
where he showed his latest men's collection Sunday. "It is one of those
rare moments in someone's career that you will always remember. There's not a
word that can really describe it. It's just amazing."
Browne, who went to William Allen High
School, said he designed the coat with a belt made from the same fabric.
However, the first lady pulled the look together with a wide, jeweled J. Crew
belt. It worked.
In fact, when the temperature is around 30
degrees, the coat becomes a woman's most important fashion accessory. Obama
could have worn a burlap sack underneath because what was on top was
delightful. Other notables: Jill Biden's Lela Rose metallic trench with a
distinctive bow; the black-and-gray coat with a brooch and silver scarf worn by
Myrlie Evers-Williams, who gave the invocation; Sasha Obama's iris wool coat by
Kate Spade New York; and Malia's purply-pink J. Crew coat.
More
from J. Crew: Obama's hot pink-almost purple leather gloves and light-blue
pumps. Yet the very prepared (and smart) woman switched into a pair of navy
suede boots with smooth-leather toes by former Coach designer Reed Krakoff for
the long, and chilly, day ahead.
Under her coat, Obama wore a Thom Browne
A-line dress with navy-blue piping against a patterned loden, pink, and white
triangle print. Over the dress, she wore a navy cardigan. She appeared fresh in
her new bangs and long lashes.
The overall look was soft yet powerful,
feminine but with a couture menswear feel. It was simple, yet royal.
Browne may not be a household name, but 12
years ago, he introduced his signature men's suit - flat-front pants that stop
at the ankles and two-button jackets that stop at the wrist. Shrinking the
classic, boxy silhouette effectively forced men to change the way they thought
about fit. When he launched his women's-wear line in 2010, the silhouette
dominated those tailored pieces, too.
It makes sense that Obama likes Browne's
work - she wore a Browne piece to the Democratic National Convention as well as
to one of last year's debates - because she embraces unconventional cuts. Some
call her the first lady of the too-high waistline. But it's her
somewhere-between-empire-and-the-natural-waist that makes her look so fashion
forward.
In fact, it's that twist on classic pieces
that makes them modern, whether her boatneck is off-center or her pants stop at
the ankle.
"I thought the lines on that coat
really flattered her figure," said Clara Henry, director and chair of the
department of fashion design at Philadelphia University. "The patterns
worked well with the eye and it texturally all went together. The pieces were
individual, but there was a wholeness to it."
Obama's coat was fashioned from a silk
jacquard, the same kind used in a men's tie - a nod both to mixed media and her
ability to blend roles as first lady, mom-in-chief, and no-nonsense activist.
As a family, the blues and purples made the
Obamas look majestic, even subdued. And their rich-hued coats were statement
pieces, unlike the candy-colored outerwear that merely complemented the dresses
they wore four years ago. Back then, Michelle Obama's lime-green suit by Isabel
Toledo said "We're new." This year's blues and purples - historically
the colors of royalty - send a message that they've settled into their roles.
Speaking of blues, this weekend the Obama women
also wore shades of blue - in the Blue Room of the White House, where the
president was officially sworn in Sunday. The women wore contrasting tights and
gloves, so the simple cuts and deep colors popped with pizzazz.
"I do think the whole, overall tonal
blue was really nicely done," Henry said. "There was a serenity and a
calmness."
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