Let’s Talk About Not Talking About “The Dress”

So, Michelle Obama. Been known to wear some snazzy outfits, right? She even has a blog, Mrs. O, dedicated solely to her sartorial choices. We’ve previously profiled one of her favorite go-to designers, Chicago-based Maria Pinto. And then there’s that eye-catching Narciso Rodriguez (Cuban in the White House!) dress on which everyone seems to have an opinion. People are interested, it seems, on what Michelle Obama wears.

We’ve often found ourselves wondering, as we did with Hillary Clinton during her campaign (a campaign whose handling by the media and public was, we’re not afraid to keep repeating, quite frankly a shameful embarrassment for this country) whether it’s ever personally bothered Michelle - an Ivy-educated lawyer - to have a nation talk about her in terms of how “glamorous” and “stylish” she is and whether she’s wearing flats or heels during a given event. And then we wonder whether, maybe, it’s possible that our own knee-jerk reactions get in the way of allowing people to view women as both accomplished and stylish. And then we’ll watch something like this video…

And think, “No!” See, when we watch something like this and see how charitable works and personal aspirations are treated like trivial hobbies, we think: You know what? We’re still not at a point in history where women’s intellectual capabilities, kind acts, warm hearts, senses of humor and physical attributes are in any way equal or interchangeable. We are, still, primarily our bodies and our faces. Our minds and our hearts and our ability to whip out a good pun - still second place.

Cindy McCain is more than her blonde hair and “icy” blue eyes. Hillary Clinton is more than pantsuits accessorized with a “cackle.” Sarah Palin is more than a “MILF” with her signature glasses and tall, black boots. Meghan and Bridget McCain, Malia and Sasha Obama, Piper and Bristol and Willow Palin, Chelsea Clinton are more than these things. Are we going to let these young women grow up in a world in which they are judged more by the price tag, size or designer of their clothing than by, say, the content of their characters?

We have in Michelle Obama, potentially, an amazing role model for young women in this country. Let’s seek to have conversations about her beyond her cookie recipes and hairstyles. We mean, it’s not that we’re not interested in cookies or hair. We’ve accidentally eaten both. We just don’t want to risk leaving out something like, oh, Michelle’s thoughts and acts in the process.

…We’re still going to let ourselves be super psyched that she wore Narciso, though.