Michelle Obama recycles victory speech dress

Another US Presidential election and Obama emerges victor.  I can't say that I have been following the debate as far as political issues put forward by the Democrats and Republicans are concerned.  But I am now up with the political lingo as far as what swing States are.  Remarkably as I stood in the kitchen doing the washing up yesterday, oblivious of the radio playing in the background, my pores suddenly raised as Obama's victory speech suddenly penetrated my consciousness.  What a prolific and charismatic speaker, I thought, making a mental note to have a look at the speech online. 

While Barrack Obama’s speech is simply hair raising to hear, being a fashion blog we are more concerned with what Michelle wore aren't we ladies.  Click on the video below and you will see Michelle clad in a Michael Kors metallic raspberry coloured dress. If you have been following the first lady and her unique choice of clothes and fashion accessories you would recognize that she wore this same dress in 2010 at a military event.

What I always admire about the First Lady is the way she cleverly uses her attire to send a message.  Michelle started off on her husband's campaign six years ago wearing off the rack designers like Donna Ricco which sent a clear message that her lifestyle was attainable, that she was an ordinary american citizen.  Yes she has worn big name designers like Thakoon Panichgul, but also sent less recognized designers like Maria Pinto rocketing into the limelight by showcasing her custom made sheath dresses on the campaign trail.

Now she recycles a previously worn dress which is a clear political statement that we are living in hard economic times and we simply must be frugal; a reflection of the austere economic measures ahead for the American economy.  I have to say that I like her style and can't wait to see what message she will be sending with her choice of inaugural dress.  All Kudos to Obama's political advisers and campaign managers, they have certainly paid attention to every political detail (including what Michelle wears) in securing Obama another four years in office. 

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Michelle Obama in her Donna Ricco Dress

A couple of weeks ago we indicated that we will be posting blogs on the american fashion designers worn by Michelle Obama en route to the white house. Last week we featured Maria Pinto. Today we are taking a look at Donna Ricco. We hope you enjoy this article entitled "Who is Donna Ricco".



Donna Ricco is yet another designer dragged into the spotlight by First Lady Michelle Obama then wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Prior to the election Michelle Obama wore Ricco's Sleeveless Banded Waist Short Dress when she appeared as co-host on the TV Program "The View". Needless to say, this dress worn by Obama which cost $148 off the rack sold out overnight at the White House/Black Market Boutiques.

picture from http://www.donnaricco.com

What's so special about this dress?
The dress is pretty simple, made from a stretch cotton sateen in a black and white print. There are two black bands between the bustline and waistline. It has a square back and a scooped neckline. It is a sleeveless dress with straps wide enough to fit bra straps. As I said, a pretty simple dress made special by the fact that it is worn by Michelle Obama. Though this is not a completely fair statement as Ricco's designs provide a timeless elegance designed with all body shapes in mind. Her dresses are well made from quality fabric.

The only accessory Michelle wore with this dress was a flower brooch on the left strap of the dress. If you wanted to accessorize this dress you can go for either black and white accessories. Resist the urge to go for pearls and try something different like a spatial choker necklace in a clear iridescent colour which changes depending on the lighting.

Who is Donna Ricco?

Ricco taught herself to sew as a teenager and has been in the business for 20 years. She has had formal training in Fine Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and joined the fashion department at Mount Mary College before moving to New York to pursue her dream of becoming an american fashion designer.

In an interview with TODAY's Meredith Vieira Friday in New York, Donna Ricco commented "I'm very happy. I'm very surprised. I had no idea she would be wearing this dress. But it's sort of a natural happening for me, because I've been designing dresses a long time. We ship a lot of dresses to the stores, and I'm happy that Michelle chose this dress to wear on 'The View.' "
Although Donna Ricco had been producing dresses for twenty years, it took one wear from upcoming fashion diva Michelle Obama to send her sales through the roof and have her designs acknowledged by the american fashion media and the public.

While not available in England, Ricco's designs are stocked in Ireland, Barbados, Bermuda, Canada, and the United States. It was most interesting to learn that Ricco's designs were stocked in Barbados not only because I am from the Caribbean myself but also because Barbados is a small island in the Caribbean with a population of 282 thousand. Who would have thought?