desiree rogers: the penalty for shining too brightly

Desiree Rogers in Commes des Garcons on the night of the state dinner

When fashion and politics collide, it's rare that there's ever much controversy, but ladies and gentlemen, fasten your seat belts! We are at the center of the sun as far as high fashion and the U.S. presidency is concerned--it's hot, loud, and nasty...and dear readers: I want you to weigh in!

The party-crashing Salahis have made a mess of the Obama's first state dinner. Tempers are flaring, accusations are flying, and fingers are being pointed, mostly at couture-loving Desiree Rogers. For starters, if you've ever wondered what a journalist going in for the kill on a press secretary looks like, check out this video:



Maureen Dowd at the NYT kicked things off, announcing 'Desirée Rogers, who has also been asked to testify Thursday, has been cruising for a bruising since telling The Wall Street Journal in April: "We have the best brand on Earth: the Obama brand. Our possibilities are endless." She wanted to pose for The Journal in an Oscar de la Renta gown in the first lady’s garden, but the press secretary, Robert Gibbs, vetoed that...Instead of standing outside with a clipboard, eyeballing guests as Anne Hathaway did in “The Devil Wears Prada,” Desirée was a guest at the dinner, the center of her own table of guests, just like the president and first lady.'



Jacob Heilbrunn at The Huffington Post wonders if "the moment to oust the Harvard MBA-toting, Chicago socialite, Vogue cover girl, Commes des Garcons-wearing social secretary has arrived..." But another Huffington Post writer, Sam Stein, details how friends and colleagues defend Desiree Rogers.



Robin Givhan at The Washington Post infers that Rogers' social status and wealth is possibly at the heart of the matter: "Long before their ascent, she was a star in Chicago society, running with the city's elite...The Obamas were the nice couple from the South Side. She was a cut above. And now she has a job in which she is expected to serve at their pleasure."

Here's where TrustYourStyle weighs in on the whole thing:

* The color of Desiree's Commes des Garcons gown aside (it was peach); is Desiree Rogers at fault for not having better security in place? If so, then how much trouble should she actually be in?

* tys doesn't feel that a social secretary being seated at the table is a problem, especially since eye-witness and former Clinton social secretary now the U.S. chief of protocol, Capricia Marshall, says Desiree was busy working and was seated all of 5 minutes.

* Is the fact that Desiree Rogers is tall, beautiful, and well-dressed a good reason to take her down! (said in your best world wrestling federation voice)?

* Detractors are only too happy to point out how she tries to steal the limelight from Michelle Obama. What? because she posed for a WSJ spread wearing beautiful couture and likes to hit up fashion shows? So the woman has good taste. There hasn't been a First Lady in decades who takes as many fashion risks as Michelle Obama and she is the first First Lady ever to promote so many young lesser-known designers. Talk about two women with very different styles who have and trust their own style. In case you hadn't noticed, that's the title of this blog and the name of the game in my book.

Okay, I open it up. Let's hear what you lovely readers have to say!