Obamas Dressed However They Like?

For their first joint appearance during the run-up to midterms, the Obamas chose the swing state of Ohio, where their appearance would electrify Democrats in attendance, convince others and impress the country. Why did 44 choose the preppy style and Michelle an outfit that said it’s-Sunday-and-I’m-staying-as-I-am? The NYT won’t tell you, so I’ll chance it.

We imagine that this Sunday concentrated the energy of the entire White House — where everything is marketed, molded, tested. First, the choice of the state itself, where incumbent governor Ted Strickland is experiencing the closest gubernatorial battle in the country. Several congressional seats will be decisive for control of the House. In the end, it’s a crucial state for 2012.

Why Michelle this time? With voting already started, they must now act quickly and produce dynamic communication. The Obama couple has a reassuring and warm image. She loosens up the atmosphere and gives flesh to her husband’s cerebral image. She is developing her personal projects and Forbes ranked her as the number one most influential woman in the world. Thus, things are going well for her and it’s time to market this capital.

Before the 35,000 people from Columbus, who were already won over since they were there, they spoke the language of balance, difficulty and understanding of those who suffer — nothing very original, but what could they say? If one cannot express new things, one must leave it to the TV news and photos of symbolic representations of convincing targets that are consistent with what one really is. We’re talking clothes and fashion now. Everything is calculated to the millimeter.

The prez looked like the ideal son-in-law on Sunday, with a Brooks Brothers British-type shirt, no tie and a very proper blazer. Taupe pants — everything very neat on him, between Vaucresson and La Baule, but also casual Friday in Boston and Chicago or dinner with friends.

Finally, it was very urban and doubtless intended for all those young urban 30-something working Americans who voted for him in 2008. They would have “a lot of thoughts,” as they say in the Pew Research Center’s opinion polls about this generation’s attitudes. Good news nonetheless: 76 percent of those under 30 say that they will vote.

Michelle chose (or was advised to choose) the style of every American woman, or nearly. Down to the blow-dried, sprayed hair, layered like a housewife’s, and the unremarkable (but not laid back) sweater/pants — an outfit in which we are not used to seeing her on the campaign platform.

However, it was a good idea to wear what American women have on while watching you on Sunday television, maybe without shoes. The world’s number one is not haughty — a bit casual in comparison to her husband’s northeast clothes, but in her own relaxed style, and obviously blue. We do not care to know where the pants or sweater came from, nor the scarf. As to the hairdresser, we await the return of her bullfighter hairdo at Marbella. It was not campaign-ish, but very stylish. I liked it a lot.