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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.

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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.