Leaving Washington
Fashion icon,Michelle Obama
Barack and Michelle Obama
With her toned 5ft 10 1/2 in frame and her impeccable fashion choices, Michelle Obama effortlessly stood out during her and her husband\'s visit to Britain this week. Wowing crowds with her tactility, approachability and warmth, she also managed - advertently or no - to pad out her new role as fashion icon. Much has been made of her continued support for fledgling American designers such as Jason Wu and Thakoon Panichgul. Others have noted how, in support of her husband\'s anti-protectionism stance, she chose a few European designers too - witness the Azzedine Alaïa belt she wore over the chartreuse Wang dress, and a cardigan by Junya Watanabe. While the UK fashion press went wild for \"the new Diana\" - and bemoaned our own first lady\'s comparably dowdy sartorial get-ups - in the US there were some faint rumblings of discontent, with Women\'s Wear Daily questioning why she has as yet chosen to largely ignore the so-called big guns of American fashion: Calvin Klein, Donna Karen and Ralph Lauren. Either way, step aside Carla Bruni, following this week\'s events, there is only one clear fashion leader on the world\'s political stage. Here, Handbag looks at the wardrobe of this celebrity fashion icon.
\r\n\r\n
Picture: Heading for the plane to take them to the UK, Michelle accompanies her husband in a cream coat with black edging, over a black dress with black kitten heel pumps.
Arriving in the UK
Fashion icon,Michelle Obama
Michelle and Barack Obama
Stepping off the plane in the UK with her husband, wearing a chartreuse satin dress by Jason Wu, with a black coat cinched with a belt by Azzedine Ala
Visiting a hospital
Fashion icon,Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
With Sarah Brown, visiting Maggie\'s Cancer Care Centre at Charing Cross Hospital, in a J. Crew sparkly cardigan and a spearmint pencil skirt, with animal print pumps.
The royal visit
Fashion icon,Michelle Obama,Jason Wu
Barack and Michelle Obama
Arriving at Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen with Barack, in a black duchess satin opera coat by Jason Wu and black kitten heel pumps.
With the Queen
Fashion icon,Michelle Obama
The Queen and Michelle Obama
Posing for photos with the Queen, wearing a silk satin crepe dress with a black skirt and white bodice by Isabel Toledo (who also designed
her yellow Inauguration Day outfit), a black cardigan by Azzedine Alaïa and black kitten heel pumps. Some of the big American designers have been left feeling disgruntled that Michelle has thus far eschewed them in favour of lesser known names. Oscar de la Renta, for example, was quoted as saying, \"You don\'t wear a cardigan to Buckingham Palace\".
