Michelle Obama: Leader of the fashionable world

On Tuesday, Michelle Obama became First Lady. By Wednesday morning, she had a new title, courtesy of the Washington Post: the Leader of the Fashionable World Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP

Michelle Obama dressed herself and her daughters in a riot of glorious, vibrant, unexpected colour. Her coat and dress were a glinting, greenish-gold. We’re calling it lemongrass, or maybe citrine Photograph: Paul J.Richards/AFP

A daring choice even before she added the avocado leather gloves and clashing bottle green patent shoes Photograph: Reuters

Michelle Obama’s coat and dress for the ceremony were by Isabel Toledo, a 48-year-old Cuban-American designer who is well known to fashion insiders but has almost no profile amongst the public at large Photograph: Paul J.Richards/AFP

The avocado gloves, along with the children’s outfits, were from J Crew, a solidly American good quality high street store Photograph: Elise Amendola/AP

Malia, the elder daughter, wore periwinkle blue and black, overturning once and for all the old wives’ tale that blue and black don’t work together. Sasha - the sassy little one - wore tangerine with candy pink, which really shouldn’t work but just totally, totally did Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters

When it came to getting changed for the evening, she appeared an one-shoulder ivory gown by Jason Wu, a 26-year-old Taipei-born, American-based designer whose name was known before yesterday only to close readers of those New Hot Names To Watch lists in fashion magazines Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP

The shoes for the ceremony and the ball were Jimmy Choo Photograph: Jim Young/Reuters

The bold jewellery - huge cocktail rings, long drop earrings - was an extension of the fondness for statement jewellery she displayed during the election campaign Photograph: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP

All jewellery was by Loree Rodkin, an LA designer Photograph: Chip Somodevilla/EPA

She knows what she's doing, this lady. In fashion, at least, our future is in safe hands Photograph: Mark Wilson/Getty