Mrs. O has never been one to shy away from color, and she gave us a taste in Maria Pinto’s classic knee-length dress and a matching Erickson Beamon brooch at the Democratic National Convention.
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First Lady Style: 2008
Even back in 2008, Michelle Obama stunned us with her style — especially on the night her husband accepted his Presidential nomination, when she stepped out sporting designer Thakoon’s swirl print dress.
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First Lady Style: 2008
Mrs. O stuck to her classic shift-style silhouettes throughout the Democratic National Convention and looked stunning every time.
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First Lady Style: 2008
At the election night victory rally, the First Lady opted for a special selection — a vibrant red and black Narciso Rodriguez dress with cross-over satin panels.
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First Lady Style: 2008
The First Lady knows what works: clean, classic silhouettes in splashes of color.
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First Lady Style: 2009
In 2009, we saw more of Michelle Obama’s chic style unfold in the White House. Here, she sits pretty in lavender in the East Wing of her home.
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First Lady Style: 2009
Even a casual day finds Mrs. Obama in a fab ensemble. Here, the First Lady is clad in grey, complete with matching suede knee-high boots on her way to receive the White House tree with the family.
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First Lady Style: 2009
The First Lady channels her predecessor Jackie O in classic black and white.
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Firs Lady Style: 2009
Again, the FIrst Lady plays up her classic pieces, this time a collarless Chanel-style tweed coat.
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First Lady Style: 2009
The First Lady makes even a simple little white dress in a body-skimming style look marvelous.
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First Lady Style: 2009
Gradually Mrs. O began to polish her already sophisticated style. At the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Awards ceremony, the First Lady donned an origami pleated Moschino dress fabulously with flats and a matching brooch.
AP Images/Susan Walsh
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First Lady Style: 2009
First Lady Michelle Obama is all smiles in another origami pleated ensemble at a White House event.
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First Lady Style: 2009
Soon Mrs. O began to slide out of her signature shift dresses and into chic separates, like this layered blouse and cardigan with a fun printed skirt.
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First Lady Style: 2009
The First Lady experiments with new styles at the International Olympic Congress in Copenhagen, wearing a gold pleated Rodarte cocktail dress with a trio of brooches trailing her neckline.
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First Lady Style: 2009
The FLOTUS accessorizes with ease, topping her already chic shift dresses and ensembles with fab belts. This wide style matches exactly with her look for a flawless monochromatic moment.
Official White House photo by Pete Souza
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First Lady Style: 2010
2010 was a year of classic elegance for Mrs. O, as illustrated by this luxurious silk ensemble.
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First Lady Style: 2010
Mrs. O looked ravishing in this red Michael Kors gown, worn at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Phoenix Awards dinner.
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First Lady Style: 2010
At the second White House State Dinner, Michelle Obama wore yet another breathtaking gown: a one-shoulder, metallic blue belted style by Peter Soronen.
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First Lady Style: 2010
The First Couple arrive at a reception for the recipients of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Mrs. O in a dazzling Naeem Kahn gown.
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First Lady Style: 2010
Accessories are key to any ensemble, and we start to see Mrs. O add fab statement necklaces to take her look to the next level.
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First Lady Style: 2010
Mrs. O takes a break from her stunning solid shades and mixes it up in a printed dress and pop-colored cardigan at the festival of lights in Mumbai, India.
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First Lady Style: 2010
This fit-and-flare dress style quickly became another First Lady fave. She pairs this sweet printed Tracy Feith style with another staple: metallic flats.
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First Lady Style: 2010
Michelle Obama takes her elegant style with her while jet-setting with the President.
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First Lady Style: 2010
Another note-worthy style moment for the First Lady was her pleated Dries Van Noten skirt, long-sleeve top and Alexis Bittar brooch worn in New Delhi, India.
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First Lady Style: 2010
What’s Mrs. O’s solution to sprucing up a basic look? Belt it! And she does so fabulously at a Howard University game.
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First Lady Style: 2011
Michelle Obama got slightly sexier and bolder for 2011, as shown by this off-the-shoulder multi-toned dress at the APEC Summit in Hawaii.
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First Lady Style: 2011
At the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s gala, the First Lady bared arms in a strapless brocade Chris Benz dress.
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First Lady Style: 2011
Obama’s floral print dress at the APEC Summit in Hawaii was her best-dressed moment of 2011. Our First Lady looks so radiant!
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First Lady Style: 2011
Mrs. Obama loves her many shades of purple, and this flowy dress by Roksanda Ilcinic suits her perfectly.
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First Lady Style: 2011
At the National Design Awards in Washington, Michelle Obama taps into her wild side, but in a softer way by sporting this Derek Lam leopard print dress.
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First Lady Style: 2011
For a woman this powerful, incorporating bold power suits into her wardrobe is a given. In South Africa she wore a silk melon-colored suit and blue patent flats.
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First Lady Style: 2011
The First Lady is on the move in metallic pleats after an appearance on The Gayle King Show.
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First Lady Style: 2011
Over the course of the years, it was rare that we spotted the First Lady without a cardigan to complete her look. This time she stylishly cinched her wine-colored style with a crystal Alexis Bittar brooch.
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First Lady Style: 2011
She transforms a basic LBD by Byron Lars into a sleek style with a wide leather belt and pointed flats.
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First Lady Style: 2011
Holiday dressing knows no limits with First Lady Michelle Obama. At the Hanukkah reception at the White House, she sports an eye-catching metallic cobalt blue style by Rodarte.
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First Lady Style: 2012
The First Lady kicked off 2012 in a bold blue Jason Wu gown at a dinner for members of the U.S. armed forces. This color set the tone of her style for the year.
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First Lady Style: 2012
She followed up with a Marchesa teal stunner at a state dinner in Washington with jaw-dropping Tom Binns pearls to match.
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First Lady Style: 2012
This year Mrs. O’s dresses were just as fab and bold as her gowns. In a JCPenney frock she looked like a million bucks!
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First Lady Style: 2012
At a White House reception, Michelle Obama stuns in a lively yellow draped-front Rachel Roy dress cheerful enough to brighten up the East Room.
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First Lady Style: 2012
This rainbow-hued pixelated Preen shift dress shows just how fashion-forward Mrs. O has become while still maintaining her classic sensibility.
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First Lady Style: 2012
We adored this First Family moment, with Mrs. O and her girls sporting the season’s hottest trend, color-blocking, for Easter.
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First Lady Style: 2012
This casual coffee shop chat in Virginia with the locals shows Mrs. O in yet another cool colorblocked ensemble.
Alex Wong/Getty Images
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First Lady Style: 2012
The First Lady is a true blue fan. In the past four years she’s worn this shade on numerous occasions, here opting for a patterned Barbara Tfank style with matching patent heels at the University of Florida.
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First Lady Style: 2012
We blushed just as much as Mrs. O in this beautiful silk Tracy Reese dress and matching pink heels at the DNC in Charlotte.
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First Lady Style: 2012
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, bolder or brighter, the First Lady steps out marvelously in a fluorescent pink Michael Kors dress suit at the recent presidential debate.