Style at Center Court

The First Lady traveled to North Carolina yesterday for a "Let's Move" promotion held between games of the CIAA basketball tournament in Charlotte. Above, Mrs. O runs onto court with Senator Kay Hagan. For the appearance, Mrs. O wore a crisp white blouse, black pants and silver sneakers, with a stack of Jordan Alexander bracelets to complete the look.

Earlier in the day, when arriving at Raleigh-Durham International Airport, Mrs. O was seen wearing her Ann Taylor Promenade Coat, while greeting Military Spouse of the Year, Bianca Strzalkowski.

Just For You: Jordan Alexander!

If one took a vote on Mrs. O's staple accessory for 2011, beaded bracelets by Jordan Alexander would certainly be a front runner. The bracelets first appeared during the First Lady's trip to London in May, and have been an integral part of Mrs. O's jewelry repertoire ever since.

Always a fan of the emerging designer, it shouldn't be a surprise that the First Lady has tapped into yet another rising talent. Still new to the scene, Jordan Alexander was launched in August 2010 by designer Theresa Bruno. 

Curious to know more, I was delighted to have the opportunity to interview Ms. Bruno, which you'll find below. Please be sure to check out a very special offer from Fragments and Jordan Alexander at the bottom of the post!

I would love to know a bit more about your background -- where you're based, your background in jewelry design, etc.

I spent my formative years in the South before moving to New York to attend Julliard. I love the creativity of the human spirit; whether it is playing a magnificent sonata or designing a stellar piece of jewelry. I play many roles; I am a mother, a wife, and a business woman, and my day may take me from the set of a commercial shoot into the boardroom of a major company. In any role, I try to embody that creative spirit in my work. I started designing for myself about three years ago and was amazed when numbers of individuals in the fashion industry would ask to buy my designs off of me. Today, I operate Jordan Alexander from Birmingham, Alabama as a LA- and New York-based company.

What was the inspiration for Jordan Alexander? 

The inspiration and corresponding journey that led me to starting the line all stemmed from my love and appreciation for beauty and artistry. The true beginning can be attributed to my own beginning and growing up in the South – I was deeply influenced by my mother’s and grandmother’s sophistication and beautiful sense of style. They radiated class and were always adorned with multiple strands of pearls.  I wanted to accomplish that same aura, but I didn’t see myself in classic strands of pearls. I wanted to create a look that reflected what made them so classic while embodying my own edgier sense of style. So, I started designing solely for myself about three years ago to get that look.

Where does the name come from?

My business partner and I each have two sons. The name of our line combines the names of our oldest children, Jordan and Alexander.

How would you describe the Jordan Alexander aesthetic? 

I frequently refer to my look as Boho Chic. You’ll soon find out how much I truly adore pearls. I love everything about them, from the way they look against the skin and the luminescent quality of them to what they represent. Still, as I mentioned earlier, I don’t feel like myself in traditional pearls. You’ll see big, baroque pearls paired with chunky mine-cut diamond pieces, Yemen prayer beads, and unexpected tying methods. What resulted were pieces that are everyday wearable yet classically luxurious.

What is it like to see the First Lady wearing jewelry from your line?

It's truly overwhelming. I'm honored to see someone in such a position with such grace and elegance wear my line. She helps embody the face of our nation, and she's wearing my jewelry!

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A very special offer:

Theresa Bruno, in partnership with Fragments Jewelry, is generously offering a Jordan Alexander bracelet to one lucky reader. Pictured above, the piece is a Jordan Alexander moonstone bead bracelet with four tiger eye beads, five peridot and semi-precious rondelles, and one antique yemen prayer bead. It's one of the bracelets that Mrs. O has worn in her Jordan Alexander stack!

Here's how to enter for a chance to win the bracelet:

(1) Follow @Mrs_O @FragmentsJewel and @JA_Jewelry on Twitter

(2) Tweet the following: @JA_Jewelry @FragmentsJewel and @Mrs_O are giving away a Jordan Alexander moonstone bead bracelet. RT this to be eligible to win.

Entries will be collected from now through Friday, October 7 at 3pm EST. The winner will be announced the week of October 10. Please note: The winner must have a U.S. address for shipping purposes.

For more information on Jordan Alexander, please visit the Jordan Alexander Facebook page. For more information on Fragments, please visit the Fragments Facebook page too!

Update: Congrats to @PeruvianLilies, who is the winner of the gorgeous Jordan Alexander bracelet!

Cheery O

Photo by Greg Flume / Getty Images

The First Lady cheered as the first pitch was thrown at the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs game in Washington, D.C. yesterday. The game was dedicated to Joining Forces, which meant children of military service members were able to join Mrs. O on field. One lucky kiddo even had the chance to throw out the first pitch. No wonder Mrs. O is cheering so enthusiastically!

For the event, the First Lady sported a circle print top, cropped pants, gray Converse sneakers and a wrist full of summer-staple Jordan Alexander beaded bracelets. 

Update: Mrs. O wears a printed silk and cotton knit top by Duro Olowu. Duro Olowu has certainly become a staple in the First Lady's closet! 

"Michelle Obama at Cubs-Nationals Game" [Chicago Sun-Times]

Happy Fourth of July

Photo by Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images 

Happy Fourth of July dear readers! The President and First Lady celebrated Independance Day with a South Lawn barbecue for White House staff and armed servicemen and women today. For the patriotic occasion, Mrs. O donned a red and blue floral dress by Sophie Theallet, from the designer's Spring 2011 collection, seen here. Black ruffle sandals carried through the black accent of the dress straps, while beaded Jordan Alexander bracelets and hoop earrings accessorized the ensemble. Hope everyone is having a spendid holiday weekend!

Mrs. O on iCarly

While in California earlier this week, the First Lady stopped in on the set of iCarly, where she filmed a scene that encourages support of military service members. The episode will air in January 2012. 

On a style note, Mrs. O wore a black and white graphic print Duro Olowu top from Spring 2011 (available here) paired with red pants and accessorized with a stack of Jordan Alexander bracelets. Black and white with a pop of red certainly seems to be one of the First Lady's favorite color combinations as of late!