Michelle Obama starts her trends now...
Every first lady has had her effect on dressing from Jackies pill box hats to Barbara Bushes pearls!

Michelle Obama is dressing from American stores and using American desighners. Jackie Kennedy started her run as first lady dressing in French designer wear. This did not go over well so her father in law made a deal with her so she could continue to dress as she liked but using Ameican designers. He provided her an allotment for clothing and she found French styles she enjoyed and hired an American designer to re-produce those clothes.

Michelle Obama kicked off her statement by wearing a 145.00 dress on "The Voice." It was, by far, the least expensive dress for a woman in her place in many, many years and she made headlines. She wore a dress from the store Black/White.

since then, Michelle has admitted to and worn clothing from J.Crew, the Gap and many less expensive Amercian stores. She is setting a trend that is welcome.

Michelle Obamas idea of dressing is to not let the dress wear her. She shops for the way the dress suits her, not by the designer or price. She appears in very different sytle dresses made by new American designers with lower prices and again, the lower priced American Stores.

She is bringing back dressing for yourself, for what works for you, and not for what the designers put out for her.

Hillary Clinton, for almost her entire career in the White House was dressed by Donna Karen, black label. Donna Karan makes a high line that is expensive as well as lower lines more affordable. Hillary wore specially fit clothing by Karan from her high end label. Her pant suits were almost entirely Donna Karan who stayed at the White House and enjoyed a friendship with Hillary.

Michelle Obama has not "married," a designer or two. She shops for herself and she shops for what works, not for what is expected. This is understandable when we look at the financial state of our country. If Michelle dressed like, for example, Nancy Reagan, she would be over the top in what she spends on clothing. Even Donna Karan who is excellent would appear over the top in this time in our country.

Michelle just might bring induvidual style back into fashion and creative dressing at it's finest. If we shop designer and less expensive clothing and put them together we are creating our own "look," and it looks best on us. Hopefully she will contiune to set this example and if so, no one will be able to pick out her exact sytle and cause a national trend for Washington and the whole country.

What do you think of Michelle Obama's dressing thus far? It is definately not as high end as our other First ladies in waiting and it is decidedly different than anyone.

I feel she has managed not to dress too young for her age but still maintains a modern look and one that is hers alone. We all can follow this example by shopping in stores and putting together our own looks without the pattern that the designer asks us to follow if we shope from the same store or line.

What say you?

Dancer, still watching the fashion....