On high fashion, racism, ethnicity et al...

I'm not surprised by the firestorm as a result of the silly piece from French Elle about how Obama's coming into the White House has codified the "white code" and fashion sense.

People are always fascinated by a youngish looking president and first lady, with young kids in tow, moving into the White House. Just look at how Americans still oohs-and-aahs about JFK's presidency, all the hoopla about Jackie O, and their kids (who are not young anymore, and by jove, one of them had even passed away already). Afterall, Jackie O codifies the French chic, bringing a touch of classy worldliness to the White House that had always been rather provincial, under the guise of previous first ladies.

While Michelle Obama might not be chic and desirable as the trend-setting Jackie O, the Obama family adds a twist to the formula. Their kids show everyone that common, reasonably priced fashion (hello, Gap) can look chic and cool, even preppy. And then, there is Michelle Obama whom French Elle must have been referencing to, about how ethnicity mixed in with white dress codes.

Couple of things.

Although Michelle Obama dresses appropriately for her and for the occasions, I never find her style very appealing to me. (I don't normally follow or chase fashion trends, so there goes.) As such, I always find all those talks and hoopla about her fashion sense quite overblown. Honestly, I find her clothing and style to be quite common, at best.

I'm sure the French Elle columnist meant to sing praise to the Obama family's fashion style, but it's a bonehead attempt, to link whatever that they wear (which is decent looking, but really is quite common looking) to ethnicity, it's such baloney. That Elle columnist really deserves the maelstrom as a result of it.

Sometimes I don't understand why people always have to add the racial or sexual or political or religious twist in any darn discussions. You should just read the reader's forums in Wall Street Journal and you'll be amazed how ridiculous some of the comments are, in linking every dang thing, however farfetched it might be, to politics, and then to Obama, as a reason or justification enough to vote for any hypocritical GOP candidate in its very weak 2012 election lineup. I'm just so sick and tired of it, even though I'm not an Obama supporter.