Wealthy people are spending less on luxury. At least that's according to a survey by Pennsylvania-based company Unity Marketing. According to the survey, folks with an average income of $200,000 spent 6.4 percent less on luxury goods such as fashion accessories, electronics and home furnishings. That may explain why the plethora of ballgoers at Saturday's Academy of Music's 152nd Anniversary celebration were wearing gowns that were recycled or on sale. Can we say awesome fashion trend? Our favorite recycled dresses? A wine colored Marchesa by Martha McGeary Snider that the Chestnut Hill socialite wore to a State Dinner. And Linda Siegfried's black floral, sequined Oscar de la Renta that she got on sale at Saks. What a bargain. Are you cutting back on your luxury purchases this year? How has your fashion budget suffered?

The inner girl in us loves a good belly dance. So why get it in with the goal of flattening the abs. On Wednesdays, Sweat Fitness is offering cardio belly dancing. The class is taught by Alexa Krepps. The low-impact classes includes warm up, isolation and toning. And participants will get to put together their own dance routine. (Next stop is the poll, of course.) Classes are at Sweat Fitness in Center City located at 1425 Arch Street; It is free for members and $15 for non-members. Now you have no excuse for not putting on a bikini this summer and we mean it. Have any of you out there tried bellydancing? Is it a true workout?

It seems celebrities at Sunday night's SAG Awards took a page out of first lady's Michelle Obama's fashion diaries and went angelically white.  Of course there were other standouts at Sunday night's award,  namely Mickey Rourke in his leather get up. And many celebs rocked jewel tones, namely Frieda Pinto whose pearl blue gown was a definite winner. But my colleague Carrie Rickey and I cast our votes for the dames in sparkly white. Actresses Taraji P. Henson was cute as a button in her goddess-style  Herve Leroux. Anne Hathaway was relaxed in her her jeweled Azzaro.  Rosario Dawson was sexy in her slinky, fish-tailed Dolce and Gabanna and the ever disappearing Teri Hatcher was scary, yet sublime in her frothy Monique Lhuillier. Do you have a favorite gown of the evening?  What do you think about the white gown trend? Will the color extend into the high school prom season? Is white the new black?  

While I'm still not sure how I really feel about Michelle Obama's frothy, one-shouldered Jason Wu gown, I know I absolutely loved Dr. Jill Biden's tomato-red floor grazing masterpiece. Albeit safe. What do you think? The gown in the classic, powerful woman's red classic shade was Reem Acra. The horseshoe opening in the bodice was just sexy enough. And the high waist bodice seems to be a look that's favored by gown wearers this ball season.

Reem Acra, like Jason Wu and Isabel Toledo, is an American designer who grew up in another country. (Can we say Obama melting pot?)  Acra's gowns are a hit on the red carpet, especially this year's Golden Globes. She dressed Eva Longoria Parker in a body skimming red gown that was the epitome of hottness. She also dressed Rumer Willis. That dress was OK, but not on her.

Back to the significance of Jill Biden's dress: Red is the strongest, yet most feminine shade on the rainbow. It can be hard to wear if you don't know whether you run toward cool (bluish) or warm (yellowish) tones.  And with the wrong cut, red can be very matronly. Staid. Boring. But the toned Dr. Jill Biden pulled it off... fabulously.

The vice-president's wife also chose a bold red coat during the daytime swearing in ceremonies. We liked it.  Red played well against Michelle Obama's  Inaugural daytime nude shades and super princessy looks. Both women were sleek and feminine, without being mega fussy.

Lastly I want to give Jill Biden props for the Milly grey, glen plaid dress with a deep blue ribbon belt we caught a glimpse of at the luncheon.  Loved the cowl neck. Love Milly, who is known in the fashion world for her vast array of sophisticated but far from staid frocks. Michelle Obama and Jill Biden have made it hip for powerful women to care about clothes again. Let's all watch as we enter a new strong, yet, feminine era that is sure to excite the fashion world for wives and politicos.
 

When 26-year-old Jason Wu saw that Michelle Obama chose his one-shouldered ivory gown for Tuesday night's inaugural activities, he dropped to his knees in excitement. The young New York based designer, much like Isabel Toledo, will be well known beyond the Vogue crowd after today's festivities.

Obama's dress was pretty; ebay style director Constance White described the gown as fairy-tale like. A classic Jason Wu style. The design community is ecstatic that Obama is bringing little known American designers to the forefront.  But while she didn't chose Oscar de la Renta, or Carolina Herrera, she followed tradition. Jacqueline Kennedy, Laura Bush and even Mary Todd Lincoln all chose white gowns for the Inaugural balls. As usual, Obama is classic with a twist of her own: the flourishes, the overlay. It's all Michelle.

At first I wasn't sure what to think. I was attending the Biden Home States Ball and as I watched the revelers dance in sparkly confections from our locale,  Michelle Obama's dress had already been seen by millions watching CNN. The texts came in fast and furious. Some of my friends, you know who you are, praised the dress. Others were appalled by the frufruness. I finally caught a glimpse on a friend's cell phone. Many people wanted to see our first lady in a sexy, tailored silhouette. I think the dress was pretty. It was what we've become accustomed seeing Michelle in.  She has defined her style, which is very understated with a broach. (We know how much Michelle Obama loves the broach.)

The one shouldered silhouette shows off her trim physique. We can't ignore the fact that having  a youngish first lady in the White House means a new fashion era can't help but be ushered in. (I can hear your silent thank yous.)

Strangely enough, it's still not clear what color the dress was exactly. It looked white on camera, but there were news reports that it was a pale yellow, because the dress was not as light as Barack Obama's white tie get up courtesy of Hart Schaffner Marx.

I would have liked to see Michelle Obama's hair up. And I had my fingers crossed that Obama would be loyal to Maria Pinto. Pinto designed Obama's famed purple sheath and the turquoise dress she wore during the Democratic National Convention and there is something about her work that I just like. Michelle Obama's  satin slippers gave the gown the perfect monochromatic look.

All in all Michelle Obama's long awaited dress was an historic dress for an historic day. Classic, unmistakably Obama. And no doubt, white gowns and gold sheath dress suits are about to be in like Flynn. What did you all think of Michelle Obama's Inaugural choices?

PS Jill Biden wowed the crowd in a floor-length red gown by red carpet favorite, Reem Acra. More information on her get up tomorrow.

There is so much to say about today. But Aretha, Oh Aretha... What's up with the hat? Festive? Yes... Bold. Yes. What a choice? What do you all think?

Michelle Obama is wearing American designer Isabel Toledo this historic morning. The coat suit is very appropriate. We like the pencil skirt and the appropriate day time glitter. (Not too sure about green pumps... but we'll talk about that later.) Obama won rave reviews a few months back in the Isabel Toledo suit she wore. Toledo is Cuban born designer who has managed to bring a kick to women's suiting.

The first lady seems to be favoring coat suits this weekend.  Does that say anything about her gown tonight? We're waiting.

The temperature is in the single digits so the look of the day are coats, hats and scarves... Folks are doubled up on everthing.  Look at all of these people! Amazing. Truly amazing.

We just saw Michelle Obama get in the car on her way to St. John's Church. Maybe running about 15 minutes late. And Michelle looks sharp in what looks like a sparkly gold, brocade suit. Pencil Skirt. Long coat... Hair done. Wonderfully day time appropriate. Glitter works here. The First Family is making their way inside. Service expected to last an hour.  More to come.