Even before Michelle Obama landed on Vogue’s March cover, White House social secretary Desiree Rogers earned a four-page spread in the February issue, wearing an Oscar de la Renta ensemble and talking about her new post. Recently, we cornered Rogers to talk about how Capitol life has — or hasn’t — changed her style sense.
Q: What are you wearing in your new job, day-to-day — styles and designers?
A:Whatever I put on. (laughs) Let’s see, well, I’m basically wearing the same designers that I wore before (e.g. Narciso Rodriguez, Thakoon, Jil Sander, Lanvin). This is Sonia Rykiel (referring to the jacket and pants ensemble she is wearing).
Because I am working during the day and then typically doing evening events, I will change different parts of the outfit for the evening event.
And so it could be something as simple as a different skirt and heels to different jewelry to a different — the turtleneck comes off and the blouse goes on, so that I make two outfits in one. I did that yesterday.
The stockings come off or whatever it is — to make it more dressy.
Q: Are you accepting any advice from Ikram Goldman (the boutique owner famous for advising Michelle Obama)?
A:Of course, yes. She has been a dear friend for many years, continues to be someone who I admire and someone who I think has a very good eye in regards to fashion and style. And she knows my style very well. . . .
She has said to me, do not let Washington change your style. . . .You should not feel like you have to dress differently in this city.
Q: Among all the other issues you have to discuss, do you and Michelle Obama ever talk about what you will wear to an event?
A:That’s not a long, serious conversation.
Q: Does that mean “no” or “not much”?
A:I mean as any friends would discuss something. But we don’t sit down for hours, saying OK, what are we going to wear? We’re busy. We are busy.
Q: Are you surprised about the enduring attention to her fashion choices?
A:I am. You know, it’s shocking to me, the fascination. And I wonder if it is we are so starved for something that’s fun that this is what we’re gravitating toward. I can’t quite make it out. Other than I think that Michelle certainly has her own style, in that I think it is not cookie-cutter. People have certain expectations based, I guess, on what we’ve seen in our lifetime of first ladies.
And she is a little bit younger. . . . I think people have conjured up ‘a first lady should look a certain way.’ And they’re kind of like, “Oh, that’s different.” So I think it’s her and also the times and just the fascination with everything that is Obama.
Q: Tell me some of your favorite fashion moments in your first month in office.
A:The pace of my life is very different here. And so I have much less time to think about clothing. I love clothing. Don’t get me wrong. I love it! And I’m still working it! But I just don’t have a whole lot of time to figure this out. And so I was in New York for a fashion show. . . . I had one suit on for the morning and then switched to trousers as it got very cold that evening. And people thought that was some sort of miraculous plan that I had. ‘Boy, isn’t she chic. She dressed this way for this show. And then she came back in the evening and had on trousers with a jacket!’ … (laughs) That’s kind of my favorite. I got accolades about this. And it was merely the weather.
