"Michelle Obama's Election Night Dress" - A-Line

Michelle Obama's Election Night Dress - posted by Rebecca Detken

"Last night, Barack Obama made history when he was elected the 44th president of the United States! Obama was joined onstage in Chicago's Grant Park by his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters, Sasha and Malia, as he addressed an estimated crowd of 240,000 people.

While Obama's eloquent victory speech moved me to tears, unfortunately so did Michelle's dress. Barack looked sharp as can be in a dark navy suit, which was custom made by Hart Schaffner Marx, but I just wasn't feeling Michelle's splotchy red and black Narciso Rodriguez frock.

It might seem a little shallow to be discussing fashion the day after such a big moment in America's history, but I'm not the only one buzzing about Mrs. Obama's election night attire. Yahoo! users are searching like crazy for info on her dress, while critics are weighing in on whether it was a hit or miss.

Like me, LA Times blogger Elizabeth Snead was not a fan of the frock, calling it "disastrous." Of course, not everyone agrees. BlackBookmag.com's Alisa Gould-Simon found the dress to be shocking, but notes that it was "unexpected, uncoventional, and right on trend." InStyle.com also applauded our First Lady-elect's bold decision to wear something modern instead of a classic Oscar de La Renta number like many of the First Ladies before her. "Michelle Obama made fashion history last night," writes InStyle's Katrina Szish. "America, get ready to see what a true modern style icon is all about."

I guess I have to give Michelle props for daring to be different!"

Although I personally dislike Michelle Obama's choice of dress for Election Night, I have to admire her courage and confidence for appearing in something so modern and deviating from history. Furthermore, the colors she uses ties together her entire family as a red-and-black theme, presenting a unified front where they all complement and balance each other, a comforting idea for a country in sore need of balance.

I also admire Michelle for putting herself out there and showing her personal tastes, even knowing that she might be attacked for it. She refused to follow previous traditions simply because they were traditional and instead went with what she believed felt right. To me, this is yet another sign that this presidential term is full of new changes, although whether for the better or the worse, it is yet to be determined.