Michelle Obama: the first lady as trendsetter

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

9:35 AM EDT, July 8, 2009

First lady Michelle Obama at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner at the Hilton Hotel in Washington. (AP Photo / May 9, 2009)

Models on the runways are supposed to simultaneously evoke fabulous over-the-top fantasy while convincing the real woman that she, too, can pull off fashion-forward, couture-caliber clothes.

But the messages often get garbled, leaving shoppers unable to decipher what the newest signs from the fashion industry say to them. Enter Michelle Obama, translator.

The first lady has proved a knack for taking high-fashion styles down a notch to make them relatable. Other times, she rekindles interest in silhouettes (sleeveless sheaths, one-shoulder dresses) that most tastemakers had shelved.

"I don't think she sparks trends, but I think she validates them," says David Wolfe, creative director at The Doneger Group, which guides retail buyers on trends. "She's attractive as a personality, so I think people look at her as a role model, not to copy what she's wearing but to copy her attitude about fashion."

Not all of her individual outfits have been winners, he adds, but the public is drawn to her freshness, and they can imagine themselves in similar styles.

-Click here to see photos of Michelle Obama's recent outfits, worn at home and overseas

THE BELT

Michelle Obama works the cardigan so well because she treats it more like a jacket or blazer, so it's no surprise she sometimes belts it, which gives it a new shape, White says.

But she doesn't just belt her sweaters -- she belts dresses and blouses, too.

"Women of stature look terrific with a wide belt because it helps create an hourglass shape and divides a longer torso," says Adam Glassman, creative director for O, The Oprah Magazine. "A wide belt helps to create a waistline for those not blessed with one -- certainly not Michelle Obama's case, though."

Designers' new collections are full of thick, aggressive belts, many with studding or grommets. Obama already has the black Azzedine Alaia one she wore for several events during the campaign and has kept wearing, especially when she visited Europe. There's also the clear Sonia Rykiel she wore on the cover of O.

HOT PINK

Bright shades of berry, fuchsia and even neon pinks made a strong statement on the catwalks for fall, even if blacks and burnished metallics were more prominent. It's the hot-pink looks from Michael Kors' fall collection, especially a hot pink sheath, that stylist Mary Alice Stephenson thinks best represent the trend. "It showed you hot pink doesn't have to be scary. It can look sophisticated and grown-up," she says.

"We've seen a lot of her in the color," Wolfe says. "She happily gravitates to color. Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana knew this: If you want people to be able to see you, wear color." If you're not quite ready for so much of a look-at-me look, Lucky magazine fashion director Hope Greenberg goes back to another Michelle Obama trick: "Go for the cardigan," she says.

THE CARDIGAN

"There's no question that Michelle Obama has not only sparked interest in the cardigan, but she's making it happen," says Susan White, co-founder of knitwear brand White + Warren. "Literally, people are looking for cardigans to be the topper that makes the outfit."

Cardigans have been a strong seller for her, she reports, but instead of being that last-minute thing that wards off a chill or covers up a top that's too bare, it's a bona fide "fashion" item.

Stephenson says she thinks the marketplace is headed toward even more stylish versions: Look for more brightly colored cardigans and those with beading, bows and other embellishment as the fashion calendar flips to fall.

-Click here to see photos of Michelle Obama's recent outfits, worn at home and overseas