Since her husband's inauguration, Michelle Obama's wardrobe has received as much attention in the spotlight as the First Lady herself.
In 2009, she was named as one of the world's most beautiful women. The same year, she was awarded a CFDA gong honouring her role in American fashion - and all while wowing a global audience with her grace, elegance and daring style, championing new designers and supporting U.S. business, and her husband, to boot.
Diplomatic choices: Mrs Obama chose Tom Ford, top when she dined with the Queen in May and a Doo-Ri Chung creation, down when she met the South Korean president in October;
It comes are no surprise, then, that the First Lady's sartorial acumen is the subject of its very own book, Commander in Chic: Every Woman's Guide to Managing her Style like a First Lady.
Written by Mikki Taylor, the hands-on style guide is packed with tips, advice and notes on how to dress like Barack's wife and, in doing so, perhaps emulate a fraction of that famously laid-back self-assuredness.
Here's looking at Wu: The First Lady wore Jason Wu to the inaugural ball on January 20, 2009;
Speaking with Huffington Post, Ms Taylor said that the idea behind the project was not as a coffee table book, but rather as a guide 'that was filled with information that [women] could embrace, that would give them the kind of guidance to take the guesswork out of style.'
The Essence magazine editor, who first worked with Mrs Obama, 47, on a shoot for the magazine in 2006, is clearly a devoted admirer of her 'easy muse' and hopes to empower women with the style tips. Ms Taylor says that Mrs Obama is 'comfortable in her own skin' and always 'knows what works for her, who she is, who she isn't.'
Trend setter: Mrs Obama in In Junya Watanabe, left, in J Crew, centre, and in Kai Milla, right, all in 2009;
On trend: Michelle Obama embraced summer 2011's trend for colour blocking with bright suits in red, left, coral Narciso Rodriguez, right, and a blue, yellow and taupe panelled shift centre;
From the graceful and frothy white Jason Wu ball gown she wore to the January 2009 inauguration ball to the Gap and Target dresses she pulls off with aplomb, her style has consistently been modern, fresh, classic and daring.
Easy muse: Mikki Taylor is editor of Essence magazine and a renowned beauty authority;
Taking a lead from the First Lady's rhetoric, Ms Taylor told the site that she wants 'every woman to be the "commander in chic" in her life. Simply put, that means someone who owns her life and masters style with distinction.'
She describes Mrs Obama's style as 'classic with a twist.'
'She has a great love of color. She loves a great dress, which at the end of the day is the best no-brainer dressing there is. She loves a multitasking cardigan; she's shown that it's a great adapter, the way she plays it over dresses, over the perfect pencil skirt or a pair of flared pants.'
Certainly, some of the First Lady's most successful outfits have been her knee-length skirts twinned with bolero jackets, while she has proved she has an eye for personalising by adding a colourful belt to a plain dress, or updating an older item with a fresh brooch.
'She works accessories like a head of state, if you will. Even down to her footwear: the kitten heel or a classic skimmer. She just has this great ease, she is so modern yet it comes together so effortlessly. I don't think there is a woman that doesn't want that,' she told the news site.
Hot on the heels of her new book, out today, Ms Taylor is launching the Forever Nude Collection by Mikki Taylor, a range of nail colours, in February.
HOW TO DRESS LIKE THE FIRST LADY: TOP TIPS FROM MIKKI TAYLOR
- Everybody should own: Clean-cut Dresses. 'I think women need several clean-cut dresses with great necklines that allow you to adorn them.'
- Everybody should own: Cashmere Cardigans. 'The cashmere cardigan in any weight is a great buy, and thanks to resources like J.Crew, Talbots and Express, you can get a fabulous cardigan at any price.'
- Everybody should own: Little Black Dresses. 'You can never had too many LBDs. Our lives go from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and beyond. I always say the little black dress is like a good girlfriend: she never lets you down.'
- Everybody should own: Flared Pants. 'I prefer flared pants rather than a trouser. Flared pants work on most body shapes and are always elegant. You can make them rockstar edgy of classic by simply changing a top.'
- When it comes to haircuts, having healthy hair and scalp is more important than style. 'At the end of the day,' she says 'you have to know your hair.'
- Keep skin clean and clear, especially if travelling often. Ms Taylor is an ambassador for Ambi.
- Make accessories work for you, including footwear - pick a style that you know works, like Mrs Obama's favoured 'skimmers' and match them to clothe;
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