Coats of the Rainbow

I had this brainwave today: I should start collecting brightly colored coats. I already have an olive green one that I really like, but I want sunshine yellow, and crimson, and royal blue, and deep purple, and bright white. I figure that a good coat will last for years and years, and it's not like winter in New York goes by quickly... so why not have a wide assortment of fun coats to choose from when braving the cold?

My first pick is the Old Navy Belted Twill Trench Coat, $49.50, in Cosmopolitan Berry. Ok, since it's 100% cotton it's not really a winter coat-- most stores have stopped selling the heavy wool coats, because apparently January means spring for the fashion world. But that color is so bold, while the design is totally wearable-- it would be perfect for those early spring days when there's a touch of warmth in the air, but you can't put away your tights just yet.




I've already gushed about Michelle Obama's style, but did I mention how adorable and fashionable Sasha and Malia looked at the inauguration? I especially love the blue of Malia's coat, although Sasha's mix of pink and orange is perfect for her age. I love how their coats, designed by J.Crew's kid's line, were similar cuts with shiny ribbons, but they didn't look too match-y, like identical twins or bridesmaids. Anyway, this Gap Funnel neck moleskin coat, $78, is in a similar shade to Malia's coat, although it looks a lot less warm and cozy.







It doesn't get anymore glamorous than a bright red coat. My friend Lish recently posted about a red Marc by Marc Jacobs trench that's to die for-- and, unfortunately, $578. This Forever 21 peacoat, $24.99, is more in my league.

Inaugural Fashion

I have to confess: I love Michelle Obama. I love everything she wears. She can go no wrong in my eyes. She could wear Bjork's swan dress and I'd blog about it, all, "OMG SO CHIC I LOVE HERRRRR!" I feel towards her the way a lot of people feel towards Cate Blanchett, where Cate can wear some crazy metallic alien outfit and her fans proclaim her the hottest woman on the planet, while everyone else scratches her head and thinks, "I don't get it, but I guess she's sort of pulling the 'hot mess' look off." Basically, even if I don't love Michelle Obama's outfit, I love Michelle Obama in the outfit.

By now, I'm sure you've all seen the Toledo yellow coat and dress she wore to the inauguration, and the white Jason Wu gown she wore to the inaugural balls. But just to refresh your memories:



What's to say that hasn't already been said? She turned two lesser-known designers into household names, she made unexpected choices, she opted for her own original look instead of something bland and dull, and she put to shame all the First Ladies that've come before her. Barack is a lucky man, indeed.

One of the reasons I love Michelle is that she makes it OK to love fashion. She is certainly not a frivolous woman, but she has an obvious knowledge of design, trends, and the fashion industry, and you can tell she enjoys playing with clothes and using her outfits to express herself. But she's no Sarah Palin, spending exorbitant amounts of money on attractive but dull clothes-- she knows how to bargain shop, and looks just as good in J.Crew as she does in Narcisco Rodriguez. And she doesn't tsk-tsk those who are as fascinated by her clothes as she is. Notice how she wore her inauguration coat open to reveal the dress underneath, even though it was something like 25 degrees in D.C. She knows that we've been waiting for months to see what she'll wear (and that Isabel Toledo deserves to have her dress shown off as well as the coat), and she's willing to suffer a little bit to give the public what they want. I don't remember where I read this, and it could be untrue, but I've heard that Jackie Kennedy tried to discourage Oleg Cassini from reproducing her looks on a mass-market scale, because she disliked the idea that any American housewife could imitate her couture looks. That's not our Michelle-- Mrs. O is a woman of the people.

So, in honor of our new First Lady and her love for J.Crew (her inauguration gloves and, I believe, shoes were from the Crew, as were Sasha and Malia's adorable outfits), here are a few pieces I could see her wearing around the White House in the near future.

I'm expecting to see a lot of women wearing lemongrass in the future, and this Double-cloth Madeline Coat, $129.99, is a great way to combine a classic coat with a distinct color. If you're looking to invest in a special occasion jacket (because Michelle Obama is certainly not afraid of a little bling), try this metallic jacquard jacket, $89.99.










Boucle fabric is quintessentially Ladies Who Lunch, and no lady lunches better than the First Lady. So I can see our Mrs. President putting her own spin on it with the Astrid Boucle Jacket, $49.99. The bright berry color would look fantastic with her skin tone, and I can see her removing the flower pin and using a vintage pin of her own.





It's perfectly fitting that this silk clutch, $88, is called the "gala clutch," because it would be the perfect accessory for a presidential ball. It comes in a few other colors, including a lovely winter white, but I'm a fan of this optimistic yellow. The big swooping bow is a nice combination of classy and playful-- perfect for complimenting a fancy gown but not competing with it.


Michelle rocked some lovely green heels on inauguration day. These Gayle patent-leather heels, $119.99, are definite showstoppers. The patent leather, suede, and gold buckle are office friendly, but with a lot of personality.


Michelle knows the power of a great printed dress. I think she'd look fantastic in this Grenada palm pleated halter dress, $198, probably dressed down with a matching cardigan. The halterneck would show off her buff shoulders (did I already mention how much I love how she has such a strong, athletic body and she knows how to work it?), and the fuschia against mocha is totally original. I only wish that I had the sort of skintone that would let me look good in this dress, too.

This final dress is a little more restrained, but the shimmery fabric and lovely fabric makes it far from boring. The Watercolor silk taffeta Mcloed dress, $199.99, has cute cap sleeves and a faux-wrap bodice, highlighting her fabulous waist. I could see her wearing this to a afternoon charity tea or something.

Thakoon for Target

Every middle class fashionista worth her salt knows about Target's GO International collections, in which some of the world's top designers create limited edition lines at a much lower price point than their regular collections. But they can be inconsistent; sometimes the stuff looks tacky and cheap, with poor fit and construction. But othertimes, they're a veritable jackpot. I got this coat from the Libertine collection a few years ago, and I literally get compliments every time I wear it. From friends, classmates, neighbors-- once I was getting money from an ATM and a stranger stopped to ask me where I got it. A male stranger! You can't see it very well in this photo, because of the strange bow on the shirt underneath the coat, and you may also be distracted by the dorky looking model. But I like the bag! I also rue the day I decided not to buy this white skirt-- it has little embroidered navy whales and skulls! So cute! I remember trying it on and deciding not to buy it because it was see-through, but now I wish I could go back in time and say to myself, "Dude, just wear a tan thong." You can see more of the Libertine collection here.

I also really wish I had gotten my hands on this gorgeous Proenza Schouler dress (and I would obviously accessorize it with yellow pumps and a giant anchor). If it ever shows up on Ebay, I'm clicking Buy It Now faster than you can blink. That's the other thing about these Target collections: they sell out so freaking fast, so by the time I make it to the store there's nothing left but some XXL bikini bottoms (but no tops!). So, knowing that, I made sure to go to Target within days of the new Thakoon collection dropping. Thakoon had a big coup a few months ago when Michelle Obama, the First Lady of Fierce, wore one of his dresses at the Democratic National Convention. I was very excited to check out what he would design for the masses, but when I looked at Target.com I was so disappointed! Everything looked really shapeless and dully colored, totally uninspiring.

I mean, who'd want to wear this?

Wouldn't you much rather wear this?
I'm going to ignore the fact that I don't think this dress actually comes in purple, it's just a misleading photo, to concentrate on how the same Shibori Woven Dress, $39.99, looks about five hundred times better in this promotional photo than it does on the Target website. You can see how the print is more refined than some random splatters, how the belt at the waist helps create a shape, and how it's actually a shirtdress. You can't see the awesome pleats that run down the front and the skirt, or how the sleeves are cuffed with a button, but you can look at the second photo and imagine how you'd look stylish in that dress, too. I bought it, because it looks even better unbuttoned with a solid colored tank top underneath (although I like it as a bathing suit cover-up, too-- the bikini matches the bottom part of the skirt). It's nice enough to wear to work, and it's not every dress that can go from the office to the beach. I should warn all prospective buyers, however, that the sizing is sort of wack. I went a size smaller and it still was very roomy in the hips and waist, and easily buttoned over my chest. The arms were a little bit snug, however. Something I really like about this dress is the length-- it hits above the knee, and if it were any longer the print would be way too overwhelming.

I also bought this navy pleated skirt, $24.99. The tie on the waistband is nice and flirty, and the full skirt gives it a wholesome 50's spin. I want to wear this high on the waist, with maybe a brightly patterned top tucked in. It'll be a nice basic to help me with my New Year's Resolution to wear more skirts!

I also tried on the Canvas Floral Trench, $44.99 (see both the awful website photo and the good model photo, which actually isn't that great, but at least she isn't wearing cropped pants from 2002). The print is really pretty, but the cut isn't anything special and I don't want to look like a block of wallpaper. If it goes on sale at the end of Thakoon's run at Target, I might pick it up.





Moving on from Thakoon, I want to mention the other big designer collection Target is featuring: the Hayden-Harnett handbags. They look very luxe and stylish, in my opinion. I particularly like this Double-Flap bag, $29.99. The oversized gold square is very sophisticated, and I love how the overlapping layers of leather look. Bonus: the strap is detachable, so you can also wear it as a clutch.



I also really like the print on the Flight tote, $49.99, not to mention its roomy size and many pockets. It comes with a long strap so you can wear it across the body as a messenger bag, as well. It reminds me of this Gap tote, $39.50, in the bodega bay print. The design is way more simple-- it's a pretty basic tote-- but I'm digging the shiny blue leather pouch that's included with the bag.