Commander in Chic

Every Woman's Guide to Managing Her Style Like a F

Mikki Taylor

• Publisher: Atria Books
• Year: 2011
• Print ISBN: 9781439196724
• eBook ISBN: 9781451672312
• Topic: Design
• Subtopic: Fashion Design

With her "classic with a twist" sensibility, Michelle Obama oozes chic! Mikki Taylor, one of the nation's foremost authorities on fashion, beauty, and style, has taken Mrs. Obama as her muse, to write the book women who admire them both have been waiting for, Commander in Chic. The nation's major networks, radio stations, and newspapers call on Mikki Taylor not only to discuss the "Obama look" and its feverish impact on style, but to hear Taylor's own smart advice on looking polished and pulled together. She's been privy to Obama's style philosophy as well as that of countless celebs through her longtime role as beauty and cover director at Essence magazine, where she collaborated with Obama's team on fashion and beauty choices for prime photo shoots for the magazine. Now Taylor is sharing the keys to the Obama look with her diary-like observations, tips, and Mikki-isms (her short, ultra-clever style aphorisms) for women everywhere. Mikki knows we all want to possess a signature look and a wardrobe of bankable pieces that allow us the kind of versatility where we never have to worry about what to wear again! Consider Commander in Chic as your personal style diary—one where you'll find everything you need to know to possess great style—simply, effortlessly, and for keeps. Cover-to-cover, the book is full of stunning photo-graphs that take the guesswork out of what works. Every chapter in the book shares the kinds of concrete information and inspiring style ideas that not only make getting dressed a fabulous experience, but define what will make you a woman to remember! Here is everything you need to know about style—from your glossary of high-performance hair products and "do how-to's" to the best makeup finds and techniques to what you need to know to grow your nails long and strong to the most polished hues for all skin tones. In "The Gam Slam, " Taylor tells you how to work summer-pretty legs year-round—from how to keep them even-toned and satiny smooth to vein-free. Mikki took great care in talking to the experts about what we need to know to manage our lives from the inside out—from our mental and physical health and wellness to the importance of self-nurturing. As a result, you'll find guiding principles on diet and exercise for the various stages of your life—from age twenty and beyond. You'll also find the critical information you need to know to nourish your well-being so you can continue to be the empowered woman you are called to be. All in all, Commander in Chic is a gold mine of information that will inspire you—from head to toe, inside and out—on how to truly style, now and for years to come.

1

BANK ON IT!

From the moment she stepped on the world’s stage, Michelle Obama became the iconic embodiment of “the teachable moment” on the subject of great style. She’s setting the tone of the day for women, with her good works and with her “classic with a twist” style. When it comes to being well dressed, she follows her own rules for what works and what doesn’t. In doing so she offers a new paradigm for every woman, raising the question of, what works for you? Not anyone else but you. In ushering a new era of style, we can see that color works for her, as does a great dress paired with a chic pair of flats. She has forever kicked to the curb the notion that First Ladies need to don a suit and proper heels to be taken seriously. Says who! What I know to be true is this: ever since the dawn of that coldest of inaugural days, Michelle Obama has been creating a new proverbial look book of bankable fashion for women around the world. Other notable women of style have graced the portals at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but never has one come forth whose style is so bold, brilliant, and yet totally accessible. And it’s a wardrobe that utterly works as it’s chock full of the kind of essential go-to pieces that allow her to make those “repeat performances”—those looks that she works over and over again—with a fresh new twist every time. It’s no wonder her bankable style has caused such a surge—from the cash register to the stock market—as she mixes couture with affordable retail brands that are available to millions. She’s also made American fashion the “aspirational buy” (a style sensibility that everyone wants to work) just through her fearless approach to defining what it means to be smart and chic. She embraces new designers and brings a spirit of fun to what she wears. Maybe that too is the vive la différence she brings, in that she doesn’t play the mystery game so embraced by others at the top of their style game. What you see is not only what you get with her, but also you can afford some of that, too! You can see the First Lady chatting it up with Jay Leno in a J. Crew look that you can buy online, and the next day you can take the same pieces and style them your own way. Her eye is not unlike that of a fashion editor who’s constantly in “forecasting mode,” and like the millions of African American women who color the world, she is a trendsetter—not a follower. In truth, we have always taken the so-called basics and given them distinction in such ways that we’ve quietly influenced the industry—from fashion designers who hired Black stylists to put their runway collections together to editors who hit the streets from Kingston, Jamaica, to Harlem’s 125th Street to get hip to how we do it! Among her many strengths is her ability to take the basics and look sophisticated but not stuffy or old-fashioned. She’s made cardis youthful, sheaths fresh, brought the spring coat back in. That’s big for the millions of women who’ve never owned one or simply thought the trench coat was the end-all be-all. Our grandmothers and the millions of sisters hitting their closets or the nation’s vintage shops could tell you a thing or two about the importance of having one. Though perennially classic, there is life beyond the trench coat! At a time when the casualization of America (which began with that great error of society known as “casual Friday”) has almost wiped out sophistication, it’s important that Obama is on the world’s stage and having a “say-so” by bringing back sophistication. Her choices make getting dressed a real pleasure once more.

First Lady perks aside, with Michelle’s style sense, there isn’t a day when she’d ever have to worry about what to wear because she’s built a timeless wardrobe that works around the clock and calendar. When you think about it, there isn’t a woman in the world who doesn’t want this same ease. It all revolves around core pieces with undeniable quality that keep one confidently well dressed.

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MIKKI-ISMS

Do make a shopping list at the beginning of each season, filling in what you need first and foremost—especially anything that falls in the investment category—and shop accordingly so you’re not all over the place buying clothing and never having anything to wear. Trust me—it happens more easily than you think. Impulse buys will turn your closet into a museum quicker than anything I know. There’ll be much to admire—but getting dressed won’t be worth the cost of admission!

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STYLE ESSENTIALS

Mrs. O’s inspiring wardrobe of ultra-chic go-to pieces reads like a who’s who in fashion. While I wouldn’t call it a formula, there are some investment essentials that have emerged, and they are such that any woman can take note of and make them her own. Here, at a glance, is your closeup on bankable buys:

The Cashmere Cardigan

Obama has replaced the once politically correct jacket that seemed to be the standard of a First Lady with smart, chic cardigans. She works this now staple piece over everything, from pencil skirts to sheaths, and at occasions that run the gamut from TV appearances to glittering White House receptions. Mrs. O has made this a signature piece and has them in what seems like a rainbow of hues. She dresses them up and down with assurance, but rarely matches them, as in a twinset.

Your takeaway: The jewel-neck cashmere cardigan is a great adaptor, always smart, forever chic. On today’s retail landscape, you can purchase a great cashmere cardigan in all weights, shades, sizes, and prices; you can even take it up a notch simply by a change of buttons. All represent sound reasons why this piece is one to bank on.

A Great A-Line Shift or Fitted Sheath

The enduring allure of a sophisticated dress is never to be underestimated, as the “Obama style book” indicates through an array of fabrics and hues.

Your takeaway: A great dress requires little to no thought—you just step in and go! It doesn’t get any easier than that, but the options are endless. You can change the character of the dress just by switching up your accessories, which makes it such a mileage maker. And be reassured that you can take it to the office and be just as polished and professional as your suited counterparts. As a solid investment, you should aim for several clean-cut dresses or one great silhouette in a range of colors that you love so you can turn them into a multiplicity of fabulous possibilities. Polish is what it’s always about, yet you can have fun and style it forward with unexpected hues, pretty prints, and splendid fabrics—like a seasonless crepe, a fabulous bouclé—even a great brocade, which Mrs. O favors as well. You can also choose from a range of flattering necklines, from the classic V or jewel neck to a great boat neck, or an off-the-shoulder cut and beyond. You can also keep it simple or subtly embellished (I just love a dress that brings its own timeless ornamentation to the party!), and in the most womanly fabrics that “move” or “shape,” you can’t go wrong. And if buying off the rack doesn’t give you a dream fit, a great tailor will.

CARDI HOUR The classic cardigan moves day-tonight and is perfect for a multiplicity of occasions—from casual weekends to evenings on the town. I love how Mrs. O works hers in a coolly confident array of hues, patterns, and textures. And whether the look is soigné and belted, clean and chic, or dazzling with embellishments, she never fails to look polished to perfection.

DRESS PARADE In true Obama fashion, a great dress is such a style star! In particular, a fitted sheath or A-line shift stand the test of time. When well chosen, either delivers an immense amount of versatility, allowing you to change the persona and style it up or down to suit your desires. And, in the right fabrics, become a packable-friend that’s always ready to go along for the ride!

The Perfect Pencil Skirt

This beyond-classic piece is a sensational style setter. It too is quite adaptable, as Mrs. O demonstrates by working it as the great support piece that it is, pairing it with well with sweaters, blouses, and more.

Your takeaway: The pencil skirt can be styled to suit all of your well-dressed needs, especially in enduring fabrics. For certain you’ll want to start your investment with the basic black find in, say, a lightweight gabardine. Know that a great fit—whether lightly tapered or one that just skims the body from waist to hem—will be worth the extra bucks. If you’re ever in doubt, just do the “cost per wear” analogy in terms of how many times you’ll work it and how that adds up, and it’ll make you smile. Once your best basic is in place, add a few timeless colors and texture variations à la Obama and enjoy.

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MIKKI-ISMS

What takes a pencil skirt from great to amazing? Why, a tailor, of course, and a fit-perfecting body shaper!

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A Classic Duster Coat

Polished and always contemporary, the duster or buttonless coat pulls together a look instantly. Obama often belts hers or lets it swing over a great shift, turning it into a modern-day ensemble that goes from the Whit...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Dedication
• Introduction
• Chapter 1: Bank on It!
• Chapter 2: Dress Code
• Chapter 3: Bold Extras
• Chapter 4: Go Figure!
• Chapter 5: Style-To-Go
• Chapter 6: Make the Cut!
• Chapter 7: Face Forward
• Chapter 8: Nail It!
• Chapter 9: The Gam Slam
• Chapter 10: The Last Word …
• Acknowledgments
• About the Author
• Photography Credits
• Copyright