Advice for Michelle

I've encountered some murmurs of disapproval on the blogosphere about Michelle Obama's choice of a dress on victory night. As you may recall, she was wearing a red-and-black Narciso Rodriguez dress (a designer she seems to favour). The whole family was colour-coordinated, with Sasha in black, Malia in red and black, and Obama's red and black striped tie.

If there is some subliminal symbolism attached to the choice of these two particular colours, it's a pretty eclectic one, according to Wikipedia:


Black

Absence, modernity, power, sophistication, formality, elegance, wealth, mystery, style, evil, death (Western cultures), fear, anonymity, anger, sadness, remorse, mourning, unhappiness, sex, seriousness, conventionality, rebellion, anarchism, unity, sorrow, life, rebirth(ancient Egypt), slimming quality(fashion) January (Northern Hemisphere only).

Red

Passion, strength, energy, fire, love, sex, excitement, speed, heat, arrogance, ambition, leadership, masculinity, power, danger, gaudiness, blood, war, anger, revolution, radicalism, socialism, communism, aggression, summer, autumn, stop, Mars (planet), respect, Aries (star sign), December, the Roman Catholic Church[citation needed], martyrs, the Holy Spirit, conservatism (U.S. politics), wealth (China).Studies show that red can have a physical effect, increasing the rate of respiration and raising blood pressure; red also is said to make people hungry; the red ruby is the traditional 40th wedding anniversary gift. Red is also the color of the devil in modern Western culture.


Manolo has not weighed in on the dress issue, but has recommended a suitable footwear, answering a plea from Michelle:

Dear Manolo,

My husband has just gotten the dream job of a lifetime, an assignment that literally puts him at the top of the heap. So now we’re going to celebrate with a giant party in January when the new job officially starts. This party will be a dressy affair, with tons of important people, toasts, dancing, dining, a real blowout. What would you recommend in the way of shoes? I’m thinking of wearing gown by Narciso Rodriguez.

Michelle

I wonder if there is a hint in the relatively lighter colour of the suggested shoes for Michelle Obama to opt for a cooler coloured dress than the one picked for victory night. Manolo has a good eye for these things.

In my humble opinion, she looks very good in electric blue or soft purple.