I think people should be allowed to spend their own hard earned money any way they please.

Believe me - *I'd* never buy a $540 pair of shoes (especially not at retail HAHA) - but I'd never make that choice for someone else... also I'd love to teach the whole world how to be frugal and not wasteful (buying frivilous expensive shoes) - but you know that it will never happen...

when I told my 22 year old neice that my husband & I never bough anything that we did not have the money for & she asked us "why would you do that?" - you just want to cry! ... but I digress ;)

anyway, she gets to chose to buy whatever she wants with her money. that's my opinion.

It's her money. She decides how to spend it. The real point is that she is volunteering her time. The press should focus on that.

Like I should be surprised that the socialist queen wears shoes from France.

Note to the queen: Next time you need a photo op at a food bank, dress it down a bit, that way your peasants won't get upset.

Thank you both for commenting. Isn't it amazing that women's hair and clothing is always dissected if they are in public life?

I think the press and bloggers should put on their scrappy-ass shoes and try volunteering to fill bags at a food bank near them and stop focusing on what she is wearing to do good.

uh, hello, but that isn't the most expensive pair you could buy in either Chicago or D.C.!
I don't know why any female in public life is judged by her appearance rather than her character, but so far that is the norm. The only exceptions are Supreme Court Justices!
It's time to get over it, please. If I could look half as good as she with the same amount of stress, I'd be really happy :-)

The sneakers are ugly and she's ugly They hide her big ugly feet.

I think it's wonderful to have the first lady shining a light on volunteering. I volunteer many hours at my children's school and plan to continue volunteering all my life.

Who cares if she wears expensive sneakers while volunteering. It would be insensitive to dress in diamonds and a tiara while helping the less fortunate, but she's wearing sneakers for pete's sake! Her family made millions of dollars last year on book profits... does she have to buy her sneakers at Target to get the press off her back???

I would never waste my money on shoes that expensive, but then again I don't regularly make millions every year either. So let her enjoy her fashion.

How incredibly out of touch does a person have to be to wear $500 sneakers to a food bank, where people don't have money to eat? Insensitive, bad judgment, whatever you want to call it---I'll just call it another "Obamination."

The press crucified Sarah Palin for wearing not-as-expensive clothing. It was all over talk shows.

They should all be able to wear what they want. But the disparate treatment is baffling.

Hey Bill,

The difference is that Palin was dressed by the contributors and Michelle spent her own money. Plus, Michelle has never claimed to buy her clothes at "second hand" stores.
There is a difference.