Much like Jackie O before her, Michelle Obama, 45, is using her position as First Lady to put the spotlight on American designers. Making her official entry on the world stage wearing only US designer labels, she showed us how to mix glamour with practicality, pairing her designer outfits with off-the-rack accessories.

Exuding youthful confidence, the First Lady complimented her athletic figure with a fresh, sparkling sheath dress and matching coat in yellow-gold from Cuban-born designer Isabel Toledo's, a complete departure from the usual red, white or blue tones adopted by most U. S. female politicians and spouses, was an apt choice for the swearing-in, as yellow is seen as a symbol of hope and optimism in many parts of the world. Accessorising her designer outfit with olive green gloves from J. Crew and a pair of Jimmy Choos, her daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, wore preppy, double-breasted blue and pink J. Crew coats, to the presidential swearing-in ceremony.

Seeing his wife clad in a full-skirted, white chiffon gown by twenty-six year old Taiwan-born U. S. designer Jason Wu, whose dresses cost up to $6,000 (4,290 pounds) for the first of the 10-scheduled inaugural balls, President Barack Obama couldn't help but ask the crowd: 'How good looking is my wife?'. The chic though youthful style of dressing, has won the former lawyer many accolades, who is often known to team chain store garments with newer, excitingly edgy designers like Chicago's Mario Pinto and Narciso Rodriguez.

Obama's style of dressing is a clear indication of how she intends to perform her role as First Lady, when the country is deep in the midst of recession. The $148 black and white off-the-rack dress worn for her appearance on TV chat show 'The View', was highly appreciated, selling out nationwide overnight.

However, Us Weekly celebrity magazine's online poll reveals, her swearing-in outfit of yellow-gold did not gain universal approval, with 55% hating the outfit, while 44% loved it. Bonnie Fuller, former editor in chief of Glamour magazine, was amongst those who didn't like the outfit, calling it bold and wondering on huffingtonpost. com, whether Michelle was '.walking around in inaugural upholstery?'

Defending her choice of colour and fabric, New York-based designer Toledo , 47, said the coat and dress made of Swiss wool lace, was backed with netting for warmth and lined in French silk. Talking to Reuters, Toledo said: 'For me yellow represents hope. It really feels like freshness to me. I wanted to capture optimism, I wanted it to feel happy, I wanted it to feel inclusive.'

Her inaugural ball gown received a mixed reaction, with U. S. fashion bible Women's Wear Daily saying her choice of gown, to go on show at the Smithsonian, made the Obamas look like newlyweds, while the Los Angeles Times wrote: 'But, Michelle Obama is rewriting the fashion rules and she looks every inch the style icon she is becoming.'

Obama, an Ivy League graduate and an accomplished attorney, may be moving into the nation's most exclusive address, yet, much like us, she continues to shop at the mall for clothes. It's her way of telling us that she is one of us!