State of the Union fashion: What Gabrielle Giffords, Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton wore

All eyes were on President Obama last night for his State of the Union address, but Michelle Obama was always on the periphery — and she couldn’t be missed, standing out in a bright sapphire gown amid a sea of black.
Guests applaud first lady Michelle Obama during President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. (Susan Walsh - AP)

The address is not known for statement-making fashion, especially for men: Black suits and red ties or military dress were the norm, with the only colorful accessory being Sen. John Kerry’s (D-Mass.) black eye. But three women — Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) — were widely admired for what they wore. (You can read more of our State of the Union coverage over at Post Politics.)

Obama wore Los Angeles designer Barbara Tfank’s dress, which the designer described as a “criss cross bodice cap-sleeved slim dress in silk twill” to the Hollywood Reporter. Obama’s dress was sleek, and the perfect shade of Democratic blue. It’s the third time she’s worn Tfank. Previous occasions include a floral dress for a meet-and-greet with Duchess Catherine, and an emerald green cocktail dress at a 2010 awards ceremony.

Giffords‘s choice of a cheery apricot-colored jacket made her easy to spot on a crowded House floor — and everyone was angling to take a look. Just over a year since she was shot in an assassination attempt, Giffords returned to the floor for the second time since she was gravely injured, and her courage was met by resounding applause from the entire chamber, and hugs and kisses from President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Clinton. Giffords, who announced last week that she is resigning from office, matched her bright jacket with black pants and sneakers.

Retiring Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, (D-Ariz.), center, is greeted by Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) stands at right. (Saul Loeb/AP)

Clinton brought back one of her style staples — a youthful headband, one of her go-to hairstyles when she was First Lady. She wore a black pantsuit and a triple strand of pearls. Headbands made a comeback at this year’s Golden Globe Awards, but Clinton’s thin black headband was simpler than the ones worn on the red carpet.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton greets Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) before the State of the Union speech. (Bill O'Leary/The Washington Post)

More State of the Union coverage:

VIDEO: Obama’s speech in less than 60 seconds

5 Policies to watch from the SOTU

Transcript: Read Obama’s full prepared remarks

Infographic: Breaking down the speech by issue

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Amy Winehouse’s dad: Gaultier fashion tribute ‘in bad taste’

Jean Paul Gaultier apparently thought his couture tribute to Amy Winehouse — featuring corsets, beehives, heavy eyeliner and a doo-wop quartet performing her hits — would be a welcome look back at the late singer’s fashion legacy. If so, he thought wrong. Winehouse’s father has spoken out against the designer’s use of her image and music, calling it “in bad taste” to portray the singer when she was “not at her best.”
Jean Paul Gaultier, Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2012 (Jacques Brinon - AP)

“We're still grieving for her loss, and we’ve had a difficult week with the six-month anniversary of Amy's death,” Mitch Winehouse told the Associated Press. “To see her image lifted wholesale to sell clothes was a wrench we were not expecting or consulted on."
Jean Paul Gaultier, Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2012 (Gonzal Ofuentes - REUTERS)

The Winehouse-inspired looks were part of Gaultier’s collection for Haute Couture Fashion Week, presented in Paris. Some of the looks he cribbed from Winehouse included visible bra straps, peek-a-boo lingerie, street wear and pin-up girl retro stylings. Models wore Winehouse’s signature beehive and winged eyeliner, and some marched down the runway with cigarettes and lip piercings.

Critics’ opinions of the show were mixed, according to the BBC. ”This was not his most accomplished collection by any stretch of the imagination,” wrote Susannah Frankel of the Independent. New York Times fashion critic Suzy Menkes, however, called it “exceptional.”

The critical verdict on the show doesn’t matter to Winehouse’s relatives, who were disappointed that the fashion powerhouse didn’t at least offer to make a donation to her foundation.
Jean Paul Gaultier, Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2012 (Jacques Brinon - AP)

“We're proud of her influence on fashion but find black veils on models, smoking cigarettes, with a barbershop quartet singing her music, in bad taste,” Winehouse said to the AP. “It portrays a view of Amy when she was not at her best and glamorizes some of the more upsetting times in her life. That’s upsetting for her family.”

See more from Paris Couture fashion week:

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