The President and Mrs. Obama recently spent a few weeks abroad, courting the Queen, meeting the Royal newlyweds, and spending time in France for a G8 Summit. During their trip, style maker Michelle debuted several amazing gowns, as well as a few chic day dresses. Michelle is one of our favorite chic style icons, so we weren’t surprised we loved almost every ensemble, but there was one look that stood head and shoulders above the rest. On Wednesday, May 25th, the First Couple hosted a formal dinner for the Queen in London’s Winfield House – the official residence of the United States Ambassador. Not surprisingly, Michelle’s dramatic black Ralph Lauren evening gown and stunning jewels nearly outshone the Royals! We love the First Lady’s penchant for representing American designers – especially abroad – so keep reading to discover how you can create a similar look, even if you don’t have a Presidential budget.

We’re sure Mrs. Obama feels obligated to wear homegrown fashion abroad for the same reason the newly minted Princess Catherine had to choose a British designer for her now-famous wedding gown. Your wardrobe can, and should, be a wonderful avenue for self expression and patriotism, where it’s appropriate, and we can’t think of a label with more American pride than Ralph Lauren. He owns a sprawling Midwest ranch, complete with horses and massive stables, and recently appeared on Oprah’s final season. If that’s not all-American, we don’t know what is! And his Fall 2011 design looked gorgeous on statuesque Michelle.

The off the shoulder, portrait-style neckline is a perfect way to call attention to a pretty face and impeccably groomed locks, so it’s a perfect look for Michelle. The wrap-style bodice is ideal to flatter any figure, and the a-line chiffon skirt is a perfect choice for spring temperatures. Of course, the dramatic black hue was pitch-perfect for a Royal dinner – so look for similar, budget-friendly styles for summer weddings. Mrs. Obama accessorized with drop dead dramatic jewels, including a statement necklace, bracelet and emerald ring.

We’ve never been secretive about how much we love Michelle Obama’s style. Not only does she have a great sense of personal style, but she is also regularly making good waves by supporting emerging designers and wearing vintage pieces by forgotten or unsung heroes of the fashion world’s past. In yet another fashion triumph, the first lady looked incredible at the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner. For the event, Mrs. Obama wore a gorgeous empire waist dress in a color that elegantly danced between mauve and espresso.

The dress was, in fact, designed by Halston, a classic line of clothing that was recently resurrected with the help of fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker. In addition to choosing a beautiful gown that showed off her powerful, elegant arms and shoulders, Mrs. Obama also wore a treasure trove of accessories. On her right arm she wore a stack of bracelets in silver tones with white gem details. The collection included two matching bracelets of different widths that were both studded with glinting stones and a snake bangle that coiled around her wrist. She also wore a ring that matched the snake bangle and looped around her right ring finger.

Mrs. Obama’s necklaces and earrings matched her ring and bracelets in their burnished silver tones. Her necklaces fell in three tiers that included rounded beads and a mesh chain that hung pendant-style.

One of our favorite things about the first lady’s look at the 2011 White House Correspondent’s dinner is her hair. Mrs. Obama wore her hair in a slightly curled manner that gave her a slightly sultry look. Of course, as with all of her outfits, neither her choice of collected jewelry or her hair do were over the top. They were just perfect. Way to go, Michelle! As always, we can’t wait to see what you wear next.

Monday, May 2nd marked a big day in Oprah Show history. In fact, every single show from now until the end of her reign will have a special place in the hearts of Oprah fans worldwide. But May 2nd represented two separate milestones. First, it was officially the seventeenth-to-last Oprah show ever – and second, the President and Mrs. Obama stopped by for a chat on the famous couch. It was the first time ever that a sitting United States president appeared on a talk show alongside his wife – and they certainly did not disappoint. Sure, the Big O pumped the power couple for information about the looming 2012 presidential election, and about the President’s personal life. To that end, we actually discovered that The Prez misses taking his daughters, adorable Sasha and Malia, trick-or-treating, but we were most focused on the fashion!

As usual, Michelle brought her stylish a-game to the Oprah stage, and we weren’t surprised to see her don the season’s hottest hue – sunny orange! Michelle opted for a pretty silk day dress by African-born, London-based designer Duro Olowu – and not surprisingly, the frock was sleeveless! Look below for a few photos from the show – and discover how you can incorporate a little bit of Mrs. O-approved color into your own spring and summer wardrobe.

As much as she dislikes being lauded as a “fashion icon,” Michelle knows what works best on her frame. She always looks flawless, and she carries her statuesque height with endless grace and confidence. Fortunately, you don’t need WNBA-like height to pull off a similar shape and color palate. Michelle’s sleeveless v-neck and empire waist a-line dress would be equally flattering on any body type. Look for similar styles in every price range this season. We love her color palate as well – a mix of orange, navy, black and gold, among other hues – and encourage you to mix colors in a fresh and fun way. Michelle completed her daytime appropriate look with a pair of orange pointy toe kitten heels, which would also look amazing with a solid-color frock. What do you think of this presidential ensemble?

Mrs. President has been on our fashion radar since before her family moved into the White House. Remember when her husband was campaigning all over the country, with his J. Crew-clad wife beside him? Michelle’s bold color choices and refusal to succumb to the formal ideals of what a First Lady and her daughters “should” wear while in public has fascinated us ever since the Obamas became part of our political lexicon. Let’s be real here – who else could have pulled off sleeveless at a State of the Union Address? Only Mrs. Obama. After the hours spent at the gym sculpting those biceps, she’d be silly not to show them off, right? It’s 2011 – and a stuffy business suit or completely covered-up evening gown are (fortunately) no longer the only wardrobe choices for politically prominent women.

At last week’s annual state dinner in Washington, Michelle looked stunning in a bold, red and black Alexander McQueen ball gown. Now, if you’re familiar with the late and great McQueen, you know his name isn’t exactly synonymous with demure classics. Women who can pull off his bright, colorful, structural creations have to be proud and confident. It’s no wonder Michelle looked like such a knockout!

The gown, which featured an asymmetrical neckline, flattered the First Lady’s hard-earned arms and flawless skin tone. And to further flaunt the gorgeous frock, Ms. O actually wore her hair up off her face, a style we usually don’t see on her. She accessorized the look minimally, with only a black wrap for modesty and a pretty pair of drop earrings. Because of the dress’s pattern, that’s all she needed to complete her look.

The most important thing to remember when pulling off a bold patterned look like Michelle’s is that confidence is your best accessory! Just because we all don’t have stylists and access to McQueen couture doesn’t mean we can’t try a bold color or pattern for our next night out! Just remember to keep accessories minimal to let your dress shine, and you’ll be as regal as our beautiful First Lady!

Since the moment that she stepped into the spotlight, Michelle Obama has been proving that a first lady’s wardrobe can be much more exciting than pantsuits, twin sets, and a set of tired old pearls. Arguably, Michelle Obama is the most fashionable first lady since the iconic Jackie O. Sure, Jackie had the sunglasses, but Michelle has the arms and, lately, she’s also got some very interesting jewelry. In recent weeks the First Lady of the United States has been spotted wearing a number of pieces from jewelry designer Alexis Bittar who won the “Accessory Designer of the Year” award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2010.

Mrs. Obama has been spotted wearing a number of pieces from Bittar’s collection, but she seems to have a particular affinity for his brooches. The lucite group from Bittar’s collection seems to have really caught the first lady’s eye as she’s been seen wearing two different flower pins from this collection as well as one that is in the shape of a bee. She has also been seen wearing earrings from the lucite collection.

In addition to working in lucite, Alexis Bittar also works in semi-precious stones such as moonstone, smoky quartz, agate, and labradorite. His collection is also outfitted with pearls, but these are not your dusty old grandmother’s pearls. These are pearls that are incorporated into fresh designs and used as components in unique manners.

One of the hallmarks of Bittar’s collection is its affordability. While many women in the spotlight (political or otherwise) often deck themselves in the most expensive jewels, Mrs. Obama’s recent selections are much more attainable. The lucite brooches that she’s been wearing of late range in price from about $250 to $500. There are other pieces in the collection that start at prices as low as $95.

We tried real hard to find our lovely first lady Michelle Obama wearing something awful, but this amazing woman knows her style even when relaxed.  With that we found the best of the best instead.  With a year gone by since she got this picture taken for Vogue magazine we are bringing it back out for another look.  Just a reminder that even extremely busy moms can look simply radiant.

Image via WWD

Michelle Obama wears pink sheath dress created by the designer who also created her inauguration gown, Jason Wu.  She was photographed by world-renowned photographer, Annie Leibovitz at the Hay-Adams Hotel during the presidential inauguration.  She’s the second First Lady to graze the cover of Vogue, following Hillary Rodham Clinton in 1998, also shot by Leibovitz.

The Obamas are fly and when it comes to fashion, we’re so glad that finally we can look up to people in the White House for guidance.  Been a long time since Jackie O, and thank goodness for Michelle O.

Any thoughts on the dress?

Our First Lady believed in research, therefore, as she did with Isabel Toledo, she wore Jason Wu’s silk sheath dress from his Spring 2009 collection when she appeared on the Barbara Walters TV interview.  Wu was excited about the dress and made a comment about why Michelle O worked his creation:

“There’s no muss, no fuss.  It worked because she’s not ornate.  She’s fresh.  But beyond that, I think she’s made an even bigger statement by wearing brands that are more budget-conscious, like J. Crew.”

Speaking of J. Crew, those fabulous green gloves Michelle Obama wore earlier on the inauguration ceremony came from the brand.  She also decided to dress Malia and Sasha in J. Crew coats.  We guess it’s a not only a fashion statement, more importantly, it’s a statement of commitment to stay down-to-earth in this difficult time.

Anyway, back to the main question: Do you like or loathe Michelle O’s inauguration ball gown?

While we haven’t heard First Lady-elect’s decision on whose creation she’ll be donning on inauguration night, we heard that Michelle Obama’s BFF, Oprah, had generously offered the blings.  The most powerful woman in entertainment herself stated that Michelle Obama may borrow any piece from her personal jewelry collection.  Known as a strong Obama supporter and a stylish lady herself, Oprah has a bunch of exotic and classic jewelries, simply everything from simple diamond stud earrings to necklaces worth millions in her collection and Michelle O is free to choose whichever she wants to wear!  Wow.

If you were Michelle Obama, would you take the offer?

“Well, they asked me to. Of course, everybody has. I’m so proud to be an American. Otherwise, right now we would all be so depressed.”

Well we would, probably.  However, we took a sneak peek of Diane Von Furstenberg’s more casual designs and we just love them.  Here are some of our favorites from the DVF collection.

Soffer Dress.  Gotta love the print and the slim sleeves there.

Benny Dress in black.  Not too crazy about another LBD?  It also comes in green!

And finally the colorful Margot Print Dress!  We like!

Should Diane Von Furstenberg gets chosen as Michelle Obama’s inaugural gown designer, well… based on these three dresses, it’s probably safe to say that she’s got our approval!