First Lady MIchelle Obama opens up to Gayle King of CBS This Morning  in a White House interview.  Mrs. Obama talks about her relationships with White House staff, the 2012 campaign and, of course, raising her girls. 

She also shares how she handles recent portrayals of her as an "angry black women" by some media outlets.  "I just try to be me," the First Lady tells Gayle. "And my hope is that over time people get to know me, and they get to judge me for me."

You can watch the full interview here. CBS disabled the embed code, so we were unable to post the video to Polichicks.  Aaaargh!  Anyway, a penny for your thoughts in the comments.

American designer Isaac Mizrahi is over the moon about Michelle Obama's dress choice for the State of the Union address.  Why? Because she wore his dress!

Mizrahi said in his video blog that he thinks Mrs. Obama looked "exquisitely beautiful" in the dress, and that he was "thrilled" to learn that she'd worn it. 

"It was the right dress at the right time, which is what fashion is all about," Mizrahi gushes about the First Lady's choice. It was "not left, not right; it was kind of a bipartisan dress," because it was purple, a combo of red and blue.

In the video, Mizrahi is all giddy Mrs. Obama's whole look, noting that her new bob hairstyle is "divine" and "really gorgeous."

Oh, and lookie here below.  Mizrahi isn't the only one who thinks Michelle looks hot in purple.

Michelle Obama attended the Veterans Day wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of Unknown Soldiers at Arlington Cemetery on Wednesday.

Mrs. Obama was dressed in blue, bringing a dash of color to Washington on a rainy, dreary day.  In light of poor economy, the First Lady stuck with affordable brands and recycled items of clothing that we have seen before.

Mrs. Obama wore her blue tweed coat by J Crew, which you may recall from her lunch date with the mayor of D.C. and his wife this past January.  This time, however, Mrs. Obama added a wide black leather belt around the waist of her coat.

She also recycled the teal blue dress that she debuted at the DNC Convention in 2008. Mrs. Obama polished her look off with flat, knee high boots in patent leather. 

(LOVE the boots! Close up below.)

Designer Isabel Toledo showed her spring collection at the home of the Swiss Ambassador in Washington D.C. Wednesday. 

Toldeo is best known for designing the lemongrass dress and overcoat that Mrs. Obama wore to her husband's inauguration.

The clothes in Toledo's collection are, of course, totally gorge.  (Check them out in the video above).  We also love the backdrop of her fashion show, which is a feminine floral pattern done in black and white.

Politico reporter Kiki Ryan gives full scoop on the show over here.

Mary Tomer is the founder of Mrs. O, a blog following Michelle Obama's fashion choices.

Below she talks to Better TV about her new book, Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy. The book chronicles Mrs. Obama's style with photographs of her most iconic looks and commentary from fashion notables.

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First Lady Michelle Obama is the epitome of holiday sparkle on the cover of Glamour's Women of the Year issue (December issue, on stands November 10th).

Mrs. Obama is pictured wearing a sleeveless, Santa red cocktail dress and a chunky, beaded necklace decorated with two large bows.  Of course, we had to know what stylist and/or designer is responsible for Mrs. Obama's fab look.  Glamour filled us in: "She styled herself and wore her own clothes!" 

Mrs. Obama appears on Glamour's cover, because the magazine is honoring her for her commitment to mentoring young women.  Mentoring is very important to the First Lady, as she told Katie Couric, Glamour's new monthly columnist: 

"I think that mentoring is such a critical part of the role I can play in this position. I see how little bits of exposure and big bits of exposure really change my girls significantly, and I want that for more girls around the country and the world."

On a fun note, the First Lady also showed that she has the chops to be a dating mentor. (Move over, Millionaire Matchmaker! )  Mrs. O's advice on men?  Don't fall for dreamy eyes and a pretty smile, 'cuz cute ain't all that:  

"Cute's good. But cute only lasts for so long, and then it's, Who are you as a person? Don't look at the bankbook or the title. Look at the heart. Look at the soul...When you're dating a man, you should always feel good...You shouldn't be in a relationship with somebody who doesn't make you completely happy and make you feel whole."

For more, read excerpts of Mrs. Obama's interview over here and then get thee to a magazine stand to pick up Glamour on November 10th.

Michelle Obama is often revered for her wardrobe of non-elitist, relatively inexpensive clothing items from stores like Talbots, Gap and J.Crew, but recently she has decided to add civic appeal to a new aspect of her aesthetic: her hair. The first lady debuted her new short and sassy new 'do Tuesday night at a White House event featuring country music star Brad Paisley, and paired a chic white dress with pink-infused makeup and ladylike pearl earrings for a sophisticated and polished evening look.

While this bob is definitely not in the vanguard of hairstyles for the year (see: shaved heads a la Rihianna and Solange), it's definitely an improvement from Mrs. O's previous style. This look is also a little delayed given that WAG Posh and Hollywood BFF Katie Holmes both lopped off all their locks like this a few years ago. Perhaps this is what gives her hair plenty of appeal, however: while previously only stick-thin, superfit movie stars with huge bank accounts and celebrity stylists could afford this risky cut, Mrs. Obama, who has aimed many of her sartorial ensembles to the general public with their lower price tags (especially with the, ahem, recession) and fuller-framed cuts, looks like a graceful "everyday" woman. Maybe this will inspire more housewives to chop off their longer manes, even without the upper-end three digit-charging celeb haircutters.

Although her hairstyle here may be some updo-hairpin-slickback trickery, she definitely looks more president's wife than soccer mom with this elegant appearance. Mrs. Obama's hair would have more personality if she made the decision to go long or short, instead of her mid-length, shoulder-skimming shag she has been sporting previously. We hope to see more of Mrs. Obama carrying off this top-to-toe prim and proper look! 

- Quin Woodward Pu

Quin Woodward Pu is an up-and-coming Washington writer who loves all things fashion and politics. Read her weekly column, Beltway Beauty Beat, for updates on the best-dressed, and sometimes, the not-so-best dressed, in Washington, D.C. Follow her on Twitter @quinwoodwardpu.

Michelle Obama made People magazine's list of most beautiful people for 2009.

First Lady Michelle Obama was a hit at the Kennedy Center Spring Gala, receiving a standing ovation even though she never appeared on stage.  She enjoyed the event with her mother and longtime girlfriends Valerie Jarrett (Special Advisor to President Obama)  and Desiree Rogers (White House Social Secretary).  Gala guests included Vera Wang and Paris Hilton.

First Lady Michelle Obama's well-toned arms have attracted many compliments and landed her on the cover of several magazines.  Not to be outdone, her husband Barack scored a few "hot bod" points himself this month, when Washingtonian put his presidential pecks on its May cover and declared that "Our New Neighbor is Hot."

This being Washington and all, the cover has inspired serious debate: Appropriate or not to put a half nekked U.S. president on a magazine cover and call him hot?  What about calling him beefcake, tenderoni or hunk o' hunk of burnin' love instead of hot?  Any better or no?  Do limitations on name calling apply to magazines only, or do they also apply to in person interactions? Say at a White House dinner, would it be okay to to introduce yourself to the president as Sasha Fierce and greet him with a respectful (albeit slightly husky and slurred), "Shawty, what your name is?" 

After these issues are resolved, Washington power players will return to solving the economic crisis.   

Michelle Obama and her mom, Marian Robinson, are Essence cover girls for the May 2009 issue.  Mrs. Obama's floral print dress is from Talbots. If you likey, you can get it (on sale!) here.

Just as the ladies on The View were reading the most hilarious exerpts from celebrity biographies, ABC News interrrupted programming with a special report. Damn.

The news was pretty important though.  President Obama stopped in Iraq Tuesday on his way back to the U.S. from Europe (more on his and Mrs. Obama's European tour later).  He spoke to about 700 troops, including Vice President Biden's son Beau, telling them that he and Michelle are working on providing additional resources for them.

 "We have not forgotten what you have done, grateful for what you will do and as long as I'm in White House you will get support you need and the thanks you deserve," he said to the troops.

Oscar de la Renta said all this bitchy stuff about Michelle Obama's style, like, "You don't...go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater."  Not nice, Oscar the Grouch!  

Some famous designers are ticked that Mrs. Obama chooses girl-next-door brands like J.Crew and lesser known designers like Jason Wu, rather than allowing the big wig fashion designers to dress her.

In an interview featured in O Magazine, Michelle Obama tells Oprah what she knows for sure. A sneak peek is over here, but you have to pick up the magazine (on newsstands March 17th) to get full scoop.

The White House released Michelle Obama's official portrait on Friday. Loves it?  Tell us in the comments.

Update: Mrs. Obama's dress is by Michael Kors.

First Lady Michelle Obama chats People up on the first family's life in the White House.  Her point? First families are people too.  (Har.  Geddit?) Check out a portion over here.  Still want more?  Pick up an issue on news stands now.

In one fabulous little op-ed, writer Jeanne McManus sums up the point of Polichicks: a woman's ability to be both mentally and fashionably fierce should be covered by the press.  Some readers, us Polichicks included, like to read about a woman's (or a man's) smart fashion choices just as much as her intelligent policy decisions.   "I enjoy reading about Michelle Obama's clothes," McManus writes. "I like to know what she's wearing, appreciate details about her shoes and gloves, wonder where she got her necklace."

We're so on the same page.  Do we care to hear Michelle Obama's message? Yes. Do we want to know what she's wearing when she delivers it? Hells yes!

McNamus implores the press to give us more of what she wore: "I think we have an opportunity for another kind of change in the coverage of a woman who thinks smart, talks smart and looks smart. Why can't we readers be allowed to see the whole picture?"

First Lady Michelle Obama graces the March 2009 cover of Vogue.  Inside, an interview and profile written by Andre Leon Talley.  (Love him!)  Read up over here.

In case you missed it, here's Michelle Obama on Jay Leno.  Yellow outfit purchased online at J.Crew.

Part 2:

Michelle Obama is fast becoming one of the fashion icons of our day.  When Michelle wore a  Maria Pinto purple sheath dress  with a black Azzedine Alaia belt to her husband's "I am the likely nominee" speech, everybody and their momma wanted one the next day.  When she sported a black and white print dress by Donna Riccio on The View, the dress immediately sold out and Riccio had to make 3,000 more to meet demand.  And now, Vanity Fair has named Michelle to its International Best Dressed List. 

Will Michelle officially become America's First Fashionista?  We'll find out on Novermber 4th.

Photo: Michelle Obama in Donna Riccio with co-hosts of The View.

Michelle Obama is on the cover of Ebony this month.  She talked to the magazine about her style, getting in some me time, her husband and kids, and of course, politics.  You can listen to excerpts of her interview over here.

Also in this issue is an interview with Michelle's mother, Marian Robinson.  Mrs. Robinson talks about Michelle's childhood and the road to The White House.

Michelle Obama.  Photo from her BlogHer bio page.

In addition to wife, mother, attorney, and political campaigner,  Michelle Obama is adding blogger to her resume.  She joins 15 million American women who already have their own blogs. 

Michelle's blog will be carried on the BlogHer network.  BlogHer, the online community for women who blog, has 26,000 members and is by far the most well known "meeting place" for women bloggers.  Way to reach women voters, Michelle!  We think this move is smart, smart, smart, expecially when you consider that women make up 54% of the electorate.  

Being tech savvy is nothing new to the Obama camp.  The campaign has used web organizing tools, blogging, viral video and text messaging to it's advantage from jump.  Michelle's blog is yet another extension of the rock solid tech platform that the campaign has built to spread it's message, combat the the messages of political foes and create a momentum now known as Obama-mania.  

Check out Michelle's blog over here and her BlogHer bio page here.

Barack and Michelle Obama attend the NAACP Image Awards.  Photo from AOL's BlackVoices.com.

AOL's BlackVoices website says that Michelle Obama is "hotter than July."  If they mean hotter than July in Washington D.C., well then let us tell you, that's hotter than hell. 

The site named Mrs. Obama one of the "20 Sexiest Black Women Over 40," noting:

US magazine recently gave the hottest couple in politics their cover, emblazoned with the headline "Why He Loves Her." Apparently featuring Michelle paid off, as sales of the issue outpaced those for usual tabloid offerings like Jessica Simpson and Heidi Montag. At 44, it seems that America agrees: Mrs. Obama is hotter than July.

Other sexy women on the list include Halle Berry (duh!), Jennifer Beals, Vanessa Williams (she ain't no Ugly Betty), Stacey Dash and Angela Bassett.

Hat Tip: BlackSuperwomen.com