Happy 50th Birthday President Barack Obama

If Fashiona could sing...she would sing Happy Birthday (Stevie Wonder style) to President Obama in honor of his 50th Birthday. 

Alas she cannot sing (well) so she decided to share with her readers (mwah) her favorite Obama pictures over the years.  She fully agrees with Obama when he said last week "Michelle still thinks I am cute". 

 

Sir...a lot of us do too.

 Barack Obama in college...he has been smoking a loonnnnng time.  He is killing the hat though !! Love it! 

 Obama while  attending Columbia in New York

Obama shirtless in Hawaii

Michelle (wearing Jason Wu) and Barack at the Inaugural Ball.  Fashiona loves the love you can see in their eyes....Aww. Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images North America)

 President Barack Obama's Official White House Portrait

44th President of the United States.

Catherine meets Michelle

So President Obama and the First Lady are across the pond in England this week. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Michelle met for the first time in person today.  Both women looked very stylish yet their very different personalities were evident. 

Always in the fashion spotlight but not a fashionista.... Michelle showed her fondness for bright colors with her Barbara Tfank A-line dress.  Fashiona likes the dress, loves but dislikes loathes the too bright jacket. 

True Fashionplate freshly tanned Catherine seemed very much at ease in  her above the knee, camel, cap-sleeve Reiss dress paired with black pumps and a matching clutch.  If their meeting was a fashion contest...Kate Middleton (oops...Fashiona meant  Catherine) would have won this round hands down...

Social Sunday: Kate Middleton ushers in Modern Royalty

The April 29th wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William will be the most watched wedding since that of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer almost 20 years ago. The facts that both women knew that they were marrying into the Windsor family and wearing a sapphire ring that deserves it is own zip code are essentially the only notable similarities. 

The physical differences between  Kate Middleton and the late Princess Diana is obvious.  Diana was a blonde and preferred short hair styles and Kate is a long haired brunette. Diana was a direct descendant of King Charles II while Kate is a commoner by British Royalty standards. Diana was barely 20 when she married a 32 year old Prince Charles and their marriage was "arranged" by the family.

Kate (29) and William (28), met in college and seem by all outward appearances deeply in love. While Diana eventually came into her own as her ill fated marriage was crumbling...Kate is already a woman's woman who is willingly marrying the man she loves...albeit a very wealthy and famous royal one.

Kate already has a sophisticated sense of style and sense of self that I hope she maintains. Like the rest of the "royal voyeurs"  I am a bit concerned that she is getting too thin but I hold hope that she is just stressed and overwhelmed by the wedding process...like most brides in the "real world" would be as their big day approaches. All brides have to make some concessions when they marry but she can't even use her nickname "Kate" anymore in public and has to learn generations of dated protocol and she has the entire world watching her every move and decision.

I would contend that Kate is more similar to Michelle Obama.  Both are independent women that have been thrust into a role steeped in tradition and social exceptions. Granted the First Lady has more flexibility in defining her position, I am confident Catherine will continue to carve her niche in Buckingham Palace and create her own legacy just as lasting yet very different then the late Diana...starting with a much much better wedding dress.

Alicia "aka" Fashiona

Eva Longoria-Parker's orange Reem Acra dress heats up the 2nd Obama State Dinner

India was the guest nation for last years' drama filled first Obama White House State dinner.  First Lady Michelle Obama looked stunning in a strapless gold gown by Naeem Khan.


Wednesday May 19, 2010, the Obama White House welcomed Mexico.  Michelle wore an one shoulder blue pleated gown with an embellished waist  by Chicago designer Peter Soronen.

Photo Credit: Huffington Post

Michelle wore one shoulder blue gown by Chicago designer Peter Soronen
Fashiona's verdict....she loved the bold color...Michelle does indeed wear bright colors very well. However Fashiona is not a fan of the neckline...not  her best look.  Fashiona votes that for State Dinner number 3, Michelle goes back to a classic strapless silhouette. 

Now Mexican American Eva Longoria-Parker's orange Reem Acra dress matches her fiery personality and wins Fashiona's best dressed award of the night.

Photo Credit: AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari/Huffington Post

Mexican American Eva Longoria-Parker wears Reem Acra.

Social Sunday: The White House crashers

Fashiona is a daring soul and unapologetically opportunistic but crash the White House for any event let alone a major one like an official State Dinner...she frankly has too much respect for the Obamas and herself.

Photo Credit: AP   Michaele (L) and Tareq Salahi

At first glance, this story seemed innocent enough.  The couple dressed up, she in a beautiful red sari, and crashed the best party in  the DC Metro area.  The Mrs. is an aspiring reality star...sound familiar....Balloon boy's  parents were on a similar quest. We all know how that ended...certainly not in a TV series.  

Fashiona has two main thoughts on the matter.  Her first is the motive...aspiring reality star.  Isn't that an oxymoron?  Isn't the whole premise of  "Reality TV"...uhh reality?  To invent reality is to create fiction...certainly a notable genre but fiction is fictional none the less.  Fiction, unlike real life, can be more dramatic, or more tragic or more perfect  and wrapped up in  a 2 hour movie or a novel. This is one of the reasons that Alicia writes as "Fashiona"...it allows her to  embellish or delete details at will for greater dramatic value.

Photo Credit: Reuters

Fashiona does understand the curiosity aspect, she kept up her " All things Obama watch" by following the night's action on Twitter and the Huffington Post. Who wouldn't want to meet the Obamas at such a swanky affair; even staunt Republicans whose politics  vastly differ from theirs, do like them as people.  Aside from the obvious security risk, there is the notion of privacy.  The State Dinner was still a private affair with Desirée Rogers, the fashionable White House Social Secretary carefully screening and reviewing the invitations with the final sanction by the President and his lovely wife. 

Point number two... now the deed is done and the Salahis are reportedly shopping around their interview.  Seriously...they want money now...for breaking all sorts of laws, bragging about it on Facebook of all places and getting caught?  

There isn't any story left and certainly not anything worth  paying a dollar for...this is it...the end...right?

*UPDATE December 1*

Apparently no such luck...and their 15 minutes of fame resets.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Isn't Mrs. Obama lovely at the First State Dinner?

The Obamas  are hosting their first State Dinner for India and the virtual world is literally atwitter.  If you go to the Huffingpost site, you can follow the tweeter of your choice that can be your eyes for the evening.


So Fashiona isn't on the White House short list just yet but she is still keeping up her All things Obama vigil...not quite on the level of  Michelle voyeur Mary Tomer, creator of Mrs-O.org, but Fashiona is dedicated nonetheless.

Photo  Credit: The arrival ceremony/Getty

Mrs. Obama looked beautiful in her orange Isaac Mizrahi dress earlier today as she greeted India's First Lady Mrs. Gursharan Kaur.  The Huffington Post says that her outfit  was:

Inspired by India

Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton

Hmm...with Mrs. Obama seated next to Ms. Kaur who  is wearing a traditional Indian sari, the  supposed influence is a bit of a stretch but whatever the influence, the bright color looks lovely against her rich skin tone.

Now Michelle's gown that she is wearing for the formal dinner...that does indeed look Indian inspired...as it should since it was designed by Indian born designer Naeem Khan.  

Photo Credit: Nicolas Kamm / Getty Images

Fashiona on Michelle's New Do

So Sis sent Fashiona a picture of the First Lady's new "haircut" sometime last week and Fashiona had other stories to finish so she didn't write about it right away. Good thing she was a bit busy because it has been confirmed that Michelle is actually sporting a new hairstyle rather than a new cut.

Verdict~ Fashiona likes it and will continue her "all things Obama" vigil.

Speaking of which... Danbury Mint produced a visually stunning porcelain version of Michelle Obama on Inauguration night. The artisans did a beautiful job immortalizing everything about her that night from her glowing complexion to the now über-designer Jason Wu's dress that he created for her. Snag yours at www.danburymint.com/collectibles.

Photo Credit: Danburymint.com



Fashiona

Pretty in Pink: Michelle Obama and Desirée Rogers

Last week, people from Fashion Ave to Hollywood to Political heavy weights attended the much anticipated White House Correspondents' Dinner. President Obama won rave reviews for his gift of humor and comedic timing. His jokes and sometime self-deprecating humor was much more tasteful than Wanda Sykes' "shock and awe performance". Fashiona, like her Facebook friends, were wondering just who invited her...

The guest list was 2500 deep, included a well-heeled Kerry Washington

Photo by Kyle Samperton

Kerry Washington in J. Mendel.

Alicia Keys, Stevie Wonder and Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Designers included were: human muppet Donnatella Versace, Kenneth Cole, Jason Wu, and Narciso Rodriguez.


The First Lady, Michelle Obama, shined in a sleeveless pink Michael Kors dress and her partner in crime White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers in a pink full-length Halston Dress.

Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

Michelle Obama in Michael Kors.

Photo by Kyle Samperton

Desirée Rogers in Halston and Valerie Jarrett

Now Fashiona usually not a fan of grown women wearing pink...give these looks the proper kudos they deserve.

The (sometimes fan of Michelle's outfits) Fashion Industry is even honoring the First Lady on June 15 at this year's CFDA awards...nice!!

Fashiona

Fashiona on Desirée Rogers and Brand Obama

Fashiona's friend Miss A. admitted to her a few weeks ago, that she wanted Desirée Rogers' job and... according to her research Miss A certainly has a point.

Desirée Rogers, the White House Social Secretary is a triple threat: with beauty, brains and that elusive but all important attribute...class.

Photo By Courtesy Photo

White House Social Secretary Desirée Rogers on the cover of WSJ. magazine.

Desirée's Pedigree:

• Beauty ~ Fashiona attributes that to the man upstairs and her parents of course.
  
• Brains ~ Desirée went to Wellesley for undergrad and is a Harvard MBA. Michelle and Barack are both Harvard Law Grads.
  
• Class ~ Fashiona says Desirée was born with it and just fine tuned her brand of urban chic through her life experiences. Ms. Rogers hails from New Orleans and has been on the Chicago social scene for years. She was also noted in Vogue in 2004 as being an chic executive.
  

Desirée's White House Social Secretary Job Description:

• Arranging events ranging from British Style Tea for the First Lady to the dinners with Heads of State
• Produces official invitations from the White House to events
• Coordinates non-political functions of the presidency
• In general coordinates political events for the President, the First Lady, and senior political staff.
• Creates a visual for the Obama brand and leaves no detail unturned.
  

Fashiona is wondering if Ms. Rogers needs an Social Networking Secretary...

Fashiona

Fashiona's Easter and Welcome to Bo~the First Dog

Easter...this year in New York was absolutely beautiful...a bit on the chilly side but sunny and bright. Fashiona went to church today, braving the crowds and the windy conditions and was blessed by her efforts. Fashiona, the Southern girl that she is, has been wearing hats on Easter... well since her beginning.

Noted she usually opts for brighter colors on Easter as she JUST explained to Sis...but Mr. Numbers has Miss Fashiona on a basics only budget. The "new" dress was purchased prior to her credit cards being put on ice....literally.


The First Lady went for florals this year for Easter...no hat in sight.




Traditionally, Easter gifts include rosaries, crosses, colorfully dyed eggs, chocolate bunnies, chocolate eggs and other ditties in artfully arranged Easter baskets. What did the Obamas get?...a new doggie courtesy of Senator and Mrs. Kennedy.

Meet Bo, a six -month old Portuguese water dog. What a cutie he is?


Photo Credit:Pete Souza~ White House photos



While Mrs. Obama dazzled the world on her recent European tour, as the host of this year's Easter Egg roll on the White House lawn...she has adopted a "come as you are policy." We will see tomorrow just how that pans out... until then Fashiona wanted to share this photo from 1898's Easter Roll.


Photo Credit: White House Easter Egg Roll 1898
Photo © Library of Congress


Fashiona

Fashiona on the Michelle Obama Media Tidal Wave

If you have been keeping up with Fashiona, then you know that she is an ardent Obama family fan, even of their dog that they have yet to acquire. So it was to her delight that the Obama chia pet was pulled from shelves. To Fashiona that stunt was as tacky as the now panned Malea and Sasha dolls.

Michelle's and her daughters' fondness for JCrew have singlehandedly stimulated their bottom line. She strategically wore American and European designers during this week's trip overseas and again her choices lit up the media from the Huffington Post to WWD's weighing in creating a fictional fashion showdown between the French first lady, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.


Photo Credit: Sean Gallup / Getty Images

Honestly, the comparison is like trying to compare cr?pes to pancakes...cr?pes are quintessentially French and pancakes American. N´est-ce pas!

Fashiona's absolute favorite Michelle sighting this week is the cover of May's Essence.

Special May Cover Story Features First Lady Michelle Obama and Her Mother. (PRNewsFoto/ESSENCE Magazine, Timothy White)

Fashiona actually teared up a bit at the warmth and closeness of the two women and reminded of the Mommy and daughter dresses that her own Mom used make for Easter....sniffle.

Fashiona gives kudos to ESSENCE's editor in chief Angela Burt-Murray for spearheaded such a well styled cover. As a tribute to the recessionista era, both women are wearing clothes from Talbots. Fashiona met Angela once at Megdar Evers College at a workshop for teens shortly after she was named to her position at ESSENCE. Fashiona was struck by her candor and dedication to editing for the audience as Michaela angela Davis whom Fashiona met a few weeks ago says.

Fashion is still pondering the Obamas' wax exhibit at Madame Tussauds and wonders what her readers think about it. Feel free to weigh in.

Fashiona

Fashiona's Big Move

As Fashiona is documenting her last few weeks as a New York City tax paying resident...she decided to take the plunge and blog on her very own after some chiding from her bloggy friends. Her first blog Fashiona~Musings of Stylish Girl is still with Today.com and is still intact but all future Fashiona shenanigans will be here.

Fashiona is busy these days packing her last 10+ years into boxes. She is a neat-noid but also very sentimental. She has magazines(ok just one) from 1999 with Halle Berry on the cover; it was around the time that Introducing Dorothy Dandridge debuted on HBO.



Fashiona's vast collection of ticket stubs, books and fashion mags is a time capsule to her mind at that very moment. A few things will fall off the truck as they say but for the most part all those memories and the new ones that she is anticipating in Atlanta will be lovely material for her upcoming hopefully bestselling novel.

Fashiona, always double-tasking, has been very tuned to the Obamas' first official trip across the pond. Yes the first lady actually touched the Queen and Fashiona just had to chuckle at the uproar. What really got Fashiona's attention was the JCrew sweater that sold out after Michelle Obama was pictured wearing it.

(AP Photo/Alastair Grant)



Fashiona LOVES that the First Lady has worn American designers as of late: Tracey Reese(a black designer), Michael Kors, Jason Wu, Isabel Toledo, Thankoon and of course her favorite designer Maria Pinto.

Seventh Ave wants Michelle to "step it up" and wear some Ralph Lauren and Calvin Klein. Sounds like THEY should be asking rather than judging since Michelle knows her own mind.

Will she or won't she change her style as First Lady?...either way, Fashiona will continue her running commentary.


So here is to new beginnings,
Fashiona