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First Lady Arms Race
Michelle’s sartorial savvy may have caught the world by surprise, but is she the chicest first lady in the world?
The media’s interest in Michelle Obama’s fashion sense has reached a fever pitch, with everyone from Vogue’s Andre Leon Talley to the New York Times’ Maureen Dowd penning pieces both supporting and condemning her sartorial choices. (Not to mention Mrs. O moonlights as cover girl of the New Yorker’s bi-annual style issue.) From her penchant for pairing designers unfamiliar to mainstream Americans with staples like J.Crew and H&M, to her buff, bare biceps, the country can’t get enough of the first lady’s style sense. But, Mrs. Obama is by no means the only fashionable woman wedded to a head of state. View our picks of the world’s chicest First Ladies—from Queen Rania of Jordan and Mehriban Aliyeva of Azerbaijan, to the inimitable Carla Bruni of France, with plenty of bare shoulders to boot.
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Queen Rania al Abdullah
For Jordanian royalty, Queen Rania al Abdullah’s fashion sense is as decidedly Western as it is youthful (she is only 38 years old). She has been dubbed a fashion icon for her favoritism of high-end designers like John Galliano (of Dior) and Philip Lim, whom she considers friends. In addition to making waves with her stunning natural beauty, Queen Rania has garnered quite a bit of attention for spearheading an ongoing series of YouTube videos where she addresses issues concerning women living in the Middle East.
Pascal Le Segretain / Getty Images
Carla Bruni
It goes without saying that model-turned-chanteuse-turned-first-lady Carla Bruni is a style maven. Though perpetually clad in flats now that she’s married to French President Nicolas Sarkozy (she stands a full 4 inches taller barefoot), Bruni hasn’t lost her taste for designer clothing. For finer affairs she typically supports Parisian designers like John Galliano or Jean Paul Gaultier. And the statuesque brunette has even been credited with bettering the fashion sense of her high-powered husband.
John Talks Joe
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
What the Wild Things Wear
Alisa Gould-Simon is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer. She also covers fashion and culture for BlackBook, New York magazine, and PAPER among other publications.
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Alisa Gould-Simon is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer. She also covers fashion and culture for BlackBook, New York magazine, and PAPER among other publications.
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Alisa Gould-Simon is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer. She also covers fashion and culture for BlackBook, New York magazine, and PAPER among other publications.
I hate to be mean but a fashion article written by Alisa who is using a photo that looks like she is posing for the Les Miserables Broadway show poster.
Cute Article! However, just to let you know: Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein is not the wife of the President of the UAE. SHe is the wife of the ruler of Dubai. Two different men and it would be nice if can make that distinction.
Other than Rania and Carla, Michelle has no competition.
France's Segolene Royal would be fun to watch if she ever becomes Madame President!
Wow! Out of the ten most glamorous and stylish First Ladies chosen, four are Arab-Muslim women. There sure is beauty in that part of the world.
Love Cristina! Great list.
Carla Bruni is amazing. Easily the most elegant first lady. I have a lady crush on her. Ever hear her crazy, breathy little songs? I would love to come back to earth as her.
And the woman upholstered in green looks like Elizabeth Taylor when she was starting to go downhill. Or a romance writer in the 80s. That outfit is just wrong!
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I do not know why people think Michelle Obama has fashion sense. Everything she wears does not suit her. The comparisons to Jackie O also have to stop. Michelle cannot even carry her gilded slippers.
Any of these women is more attractive and polished than Michelle. Queen Rania and Carla Bruni are really stunning and elegant.
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When do we get to legs?
Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein's husband is evidently BOTH Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE AND the Ruler of Dubai, according to the Princess' website. Though I agree that I'm not sure being Vice President and Prime Minister qualifies him as the 'ruler' of UAE, it may qualify him as A ruler.
I think you're right that the author of this article may have mistaken those two titles, though.
What about Finland's President, Tarja Halonen???
I can't believe you tried to slip the frumpy Sara Brown onto this list!
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I'll give you Queen Rania and Asma Al-Assad, and maybe Princess Haya and Carla Bruni. The rest of the women don't count.
And even the women I consider well-dressed don't put their stamp on their clothes like Michelle Obama who really seems to think about her clothes and what looks good on her unlike the ones who just wear what the "famous" designers put out. Asma al-Assad is the only one who is remotely comparable to Mrs Obama.
Who cares, none light a candle to Salma Hayek
Sorry, that hideous green outfit...if that represents good taste then I would rather not have any. BTW, no woman from a country requiring that women cover up in any way should make a list like this.
Obama is so likeable and seems grounded and perhaps all women could, with a little primping and exercise, look so good. She's like a regular gal and very approachable!
Sarah Palin is a knock out. Plus she is walkin' all over that glass ceiling because she has the brains, attitude, guts and vision to get out on top of it. She's a W-O-M-A-N and not afraid to give life.
No wuss, she.
Michelle is not Carla or Queen of Jordan. She is not a member of that fashionista genre. Michelle is American and dresses like one. Idiosyncratically, idividualistically and wholly personal. She's not as ON the depeche mode as they. What works for Michelle is her clothes don't give her importance she give importance to them. C'est le difference!
Thank you.
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