Yegads! Not only is that brown-and-blue outfit ghastly; but Michelle's bad taste appears to have leached over to Mrs. Brown, who is desperately in need of better shapewear and a better tailor than that blue polyester number.
The orange dress is the best day dress I have ever seen her wear, from a campaign appearance last year in North Carolina. It is simple, covered up but not dowdy, in a fashionable length and a good color for her. She should have it copied in lots of flattering-but-appropriate colors, and acquire several neutral jackets in various styles, like a chanel jacket, a lapel jacket, a collarless jacket, etc., in various weights and tones for the seasons. In addition, she needs a few skirted suits specifically tailored to minimize her butt, her posture problems and arm exhibitionism. Her workout regimen should now be about back posture and leg stance, not biceps.
And she needs some conservative shoes with a sturdy heel. Many of her kitten heels with witchy toes are ridiculous on a size-eleven foot with the large African heelbone that is pushing out of the shoe in the photo with the blue outfit, in part because of her little-girl pigeon-toed stance.
There are better shoe options. A well-chosen shoe should say "I am a stable person on firm ground and am not wearing a weapon."
Scary, witchy, immature personality.
Stable, discreet, grounded personality not attempting to overshadow her husband.
Washington style is very elegant and understated. It should convey the statement that the people who are trusted to do important business wear "the uniform" so that their clothes are not the focus of attention, unless, of course, she just wants to be known for superficiality instead of brains, tact, or resentment of her secondary role in the scheme of things.
The essential Washington wardrobe is a few well-cut, well-fitted suits, well-fitted shoes (no witchy points or extreme heels) and classic, simple, gold or platinum jewelry -- NOT diamonds, rhinestones, ethnic specialties, bangles, artsy crap or bling, especially not for day. Diamonds, in DC, are only for evening, such as a diamond tennis bracelet, or perhaps simple earrings or a pendant for evening only. Why? Because from the beginning of the Republic, top elected representatives have strived to convey a distinction from the propertied elitism of Europe that we broke away from. People like the Kennedys, the Kerrys and the Obamas just can't wait to re-establish European elitism here.
To sum up: in Washington, it's style, not fashion. And, at least in the daytime, it's straight style, not gay fashion.