Is Michelle-O the new Jackie-O?

This probably isn’t the first time you’ve heard some comparison about First Lady Michelle Obama and former First Lady Jackie Kennedy. The two have a lot alike, especially in regards to fashion.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was one of the many 60’s fashion icons and was known for her ladylike style and grace. She brought into the White House a new look, that was fresh and youthful from the past First Ladies before her. She admired French couture and designers like Oleg Cassini and Valentino. It was her style that influenced a lot of women during the time and still continues to today.

Her style lives on which we are reminded of when we see Michelle Obama, one of our own generation’s fashion icons. A few of her favorite designers include Thakoon and Jason Wu but the First Lady has worn other well-known designers like Alexander McQueen, Michael Kors, Isabel Toledo, Talbots, J. Crew, Isaac Mizrahi, and others. She is certainly being talked about for her fashion choices, as some argue that her style can be too daring and bold at times but others come back saying that she always appears elegant and classy.

I’m not sure why Jackie and Michelle decided to stick to fashion's high road, but I imagine that it's because they're two of the youngest First Ladies. I’m not a huge fan of politics, and in no way is my opinion influenced by any political matter, but I love what these two women have done and what they are continuing to do. The First Lady has a status that no one else really has and to take a clean, young and elegant look has a big impact on how people might dress. We might not see as many Michelle-O clones running around America as we saw for Jackie-O, but it still gives hope that others will take their fashion choices into account and we’ll see as much of the beautiful fashion today that we saw in the 60’s.

Articles like this one: Huffington Post and Vogue

"All we are saying is give peace a chance."

 

The Vietnam War was to the 60’s as the war with Afghanistan is to the 2000’s. There are many similarities and differences with both wars but the question remains, what are we fighting for?

In both wars, there haven’t been any great battles, just American forces exerting their influence over the territory and trying to eliminate terror. But, as an article on NeonTommy.com points out, what Americans apparently haven’t learned from the Vietnam war is that “you can kill a terrorist, but you cannot kill terror.“

Another comparison you can find when looking into both of these wars is the costs that Americans have had to pay for a war that they don’t all believe in. During Vietnam, it was the lives of soldiers that were claimed by the government, some 58,000 lives to be exact. Today, it is money that we are putting into the war- $378 billion and growing, along with the amount of deaths that we have seen thus far. Although the economy is a current issue in America today, no amount of money is ever more significant than the American lives that we have seen lost for an opposed war.

So what did Americans do 50 years ago about this questionable war? Why, they protested of course! One of the main differences between the war in Vietnam and in Afghanistan is the draft. People rebelled against the war by burning their draft cards, holding teach-ins and sit-ins, music, and marches. I don’t think there will ever be a draft again in this country because of the controversy that history has shown us. Thank you for that, 60’s protestors!

Still, I think Americans should get up and actively show the government that we don’t support this war. A poll taken by the Washington Post states that 51% of all adults say that the war is not worth fighting but we haven’t seen a demonstration like any from the 60’s yet. Maybe it’s because the war in Afghanistan has already surpassed the Vietnam War so people are starting to lose interest and concern for it. Or maybe it’s because we don’t have a draft that is forcing our brothers, friends and boyfriends to fight. Whatever the reason, we can compare the aspects of both wars but there is no comparison as to what we have seen Americans actually do about it. 

Check out other comparisons at: Washington Post, NeonTommy and CNN

My Inspiration

The first influence I have that led me to fall in love with the sixties generation is my parents. Even though they were just born around the mid to late sixties in different countries, my dad born in Portugal and mom born in Brazil, they were still grooving to 60’s classics as they were growing up. Music, like the Beatles, Stones, Bob Dylan, The Who, Ray Charles, and the Beach Boys are some of my parents’ favorite artists. And, if there is anyone that loves 60’s fashion as much as me, it’s my mom. I used to go in her closet (as daughters often do) to borrow clothes like peasant and floral tops, some which I even kept and am reminded that they’re hers every now and then.

On to the other people that taught me growing up: my teachers. My high school was founded by full-on hippies who were still rocking their over-sized glasses and long wavy hair while I was there. One of my favorite classes in high school was my American History class, not only because the teacher was a laid-back hippie, but because half of the year was dedicated to sixties pop culture. We made tie-dye shirts, love beads, and spray painted graffiti on posters. For the class, I also put on a sixties fashion show to flaunt bell-bottom pants, go-go boots, miniskirts, and plenty of fake fur (some of the clothes were, again, compliments of my mom’s closet).

Even though I’m not walking around campus with a fringed suede vest and a flower in my hair, I’m constantly looking back to the sixties to help me find myself today. Sometimes I’ll put on some peace sign earrings or a necklace but as long as I feel peace within, then I already feel inspired by my favorite generation.