Once again Michelle Obama has put design within reach for the masses by wearing this white wool sheath dress from mom-tastic store Talbots. (It retails for a moderate $200.) We have to say, Mobama certainly rocks the look better than the Talbots model. If we were browsing the site, we’d probably pass the item by. So, maybe Talbots is worth a try? These days, a lot of mom-friendly stores are trying to attract a hipper client—like New York & Co. and Eileen Fisher. The latter just revamped its flax-heavy line, and the results were pretty cute (yet too expensive).

After the jump, a few surprisingly cute Talbots items that could definitely earn the Obama seal of fashion approval.

The Food Network announced this week that it will air a two-hour “Super Chef Special” of “Iron Chef America,” which will feature First Lady Michelle Obama, White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford, and the White House Kitchen Garden. On Jan. 3, celebrity chefs Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, and Emeril Lagasse will be greeted by Obama and given their challenge: “create a meal for America using the White House Kitchen Garden’s produce as their secret ingredients,” the Food Network revealed in a statement. The teams will be Flay and Comerford against Lagasse and Batali. The four chefs will head to New York “Kitchen Stadium” with their produce for the battle, creating five dishes that show off their garden ingredients and “represent the ultimate American meal.” Chef Nigella Lawson, Olympic gold medalist Natalie Coughlin, and actress Jane Seymour will judge the battle. [FoxNews.com]

If you’re anything like me, you’re jealous of Michelle Obama. Those clothes. Those cutie-pie kids. That husband. That Glamour cover. And that address! But in an eye-opening New York Times Magazine cover story on the Obama marriage, Michelle is candid about their relationship’s ups and (surprising number of) downs. All political marriages are, by definition, unconventional. But to hear Michelle tell it, she has often felt like a single mother with Barack traveling all the time as a Senator.

“This was sort of the eye-opener to me, that marriage is hard. But going into it, no one ever tells you that. They just tell you, ‘Do you love him? What’s the dress look like?’ It’s unfair to the institution of marriage, and it’s unfair for young people who are trying to build something, to project this perfection that doesn’t exist.”

Michelle Obama is doing her part to save the struggling magazine industry by appearing on the cover of Glamour for its December Women of the Year issue. Editor in chief Cindi Leive writes on Glamour‘s website that the magazine is honoring the first lady’s “commitment to mentoring young women.” On the inside pages, Michelle is pictured with seven interns from the East Wing, and she gives women advice for reaching our goals:

“I was blessed throughout my entire career. I had people rooting for me. It started with my parents, but it extended to almost every teacher that I had. When I was a young lawyer, there were other women and men in the firm who took me under their wing. Look for those mentors, because sometimes mentors don’t find you—sometimes you seek them out. Oftentimes, they’re flattered and glad to lend a hand.”

How cute is Michelle Obama? She hobnobs with the Queen and the Pope, but via satellite on “The Jay Leno Show” this past Friday night, she owned up to being nervous appearing on live TV. (We think she did fine!) The First Lady plugged a support-the-troops PSA she filmed with Jill Biden and stuck around to impress the nation with her expert “Brady Bunch” knowledge. After the jump, Michelle dishes about first puppy Bo‘s fancy-pants first birthday party

Ever since her husband began campaigning for the presidency, Michelle Obama has been in the spotlight—and so has her closet. Mrs. O documents the first lady’s wardrobe on the campaign trail and in the White House with more than 120 photographs. Close-ups of Jimmy Choo pumps, Erickson Beamon brooches, Maria Pinto dresses, and more show how the pieces come together to create Michelle’s signature style. [$17.15, Amazon.com]

WIN IT! We’re giving away five copies of Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy, but you have to work if you want one. The five best commenters for this coming week—from today, Friday, Oct. 23 through Thursday, Oct. 29—will be awarded with one. So, be as clever, smart, and original as you can! Click HERE to read the official rules.

The official Obama family portrait was posted on the White House photostream and OMG the first family is so gorgeous. Annie Leibovitz did good. But where’s Bo?

Michelle Obama spoke to the Department of Health and Human Services yesterday afternoon. Relax, the clip above is not at all boring. It’s Michy talking about how she relied on fast food when she was working and raising Sasha and Malia, and comparing the drive-thru to heaven. She’s kind of hilarious. Also, how does she make a sweater set look so good?

What with those sculpted arms and supermom credentials, it was only a matter of time before someone would turn the First Lady into some type of cartoon-y character. Behold the new Michelle Obama action figure, a product of Jailbreak Toys (which also produces the similar Barack Obama action figure). While the doll’s huge head and teeny waist sure depict a weird version of Michelle, it stays true to her personal style, bringing back to life some of her more famous outfits—the black and red dress by Narciso Rodriguez that she wore on election night and the more affordable White House/Black Market dress she wore on “The View.”

MObama probably wouldn’t shut down the operation like she did with the Sasha and Malia dolls, but we do wonder how she feels about this. Thoughts? [Cool Hunting]

• Italy’s Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made a stupid joke about Barack and Michelle Obama‘s dark skin, calling it a suntan. According to the AP, he told a crowd in Milan he was bringing well wishes from the United States from “what’s his name? Some, tanned guy. Ah, Barack Obama!” He then continued, “You won’t believe it, but the two of them went to the beach, because the wife is also tanned.” [Essence]

Last night the Obamas hosted a dinner for the G20 summit, and, naturally, Michelle was expertly styled. Reports The New York Times:

“Mrs. Obama [wore] a taupe, pink and green patterned cocktail dress with straps. Pink patent leather two-inch heels. Hair pulled back in a full, bouffant faux-ponytail. Long pearl necklace, pearl earrings. No stockings.”

Aside from the fact that Michelle Obama hasn’t fully transitioned to her fall wardrobe (no tights!), we were more struck by her shoes ...

The latest Japanese edition of Harper’s Bazaar presents an interesting take on first lady fashion by dressing up a blond-haired, blue-eyed Barbie-like doll in a number of outfits and plopping her into scenes with various presidents. The animal print-wearing Michelle Obama stand-in is especially curious (take a look at it after the jump). Is this story trying to make some sort of political statement, or is this just someone’s ingenious way to show off new clothes gone terribly wrong? And considering Mobama is already a style icon, is she offended?

Chris Andersen’s biography of the Obamas, Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage, comes out today, and in it he dishes on a lot more than the first couple’s date night. According to Andersen, women are constantly rubbing up against Barack, slipping him their digits, and whispering suggestive comments in his ear. “On more than one occasion, Barack tried not to look startled when some random woman in the crowd would grasp him firmly by the derriere—and sometimes try to hold on,” writes Andersen. After one rally on the campaign trail, Barack supposedly said, “Jesus, I wish they’d stop grabbing my ass.”

A new book says Michelle Obama advised Barack Obama to use “Yes, we can!” as a campaign slogan, even though the president apparently hated his chief advisor David Alexrod’s catchphrase. According to Barack and Michelle: Portrait of an American Marriage, by Christopher Anderson, the president dissed the now-famous slogan, calling it “childish” and “corny,” and insisted, “I don’t like it.” Barack then ordered his staff to think up a better slogan, but Michelle assured her hubby, “It will work. Trust me.” Smart lady! Anderson also says that Michelle put the kibosh picking on Hillary Clinton as a vice presidential candidate and urged her husband to pick Joe Biden as a running mate instead. “Do you really want Bill and Hillary just down the hall from you in the White House? Could you live with that?”, she allegedly told Barack. (Guess he couldn’t.) We always knew Michelle was one of the president’s greatest assets!  [Times of London]

Get First Lady Michelle Obama on your side (or in one of your dresses), and your business is guaranteed to boom. That’s what happened to some of MObama’s favorite labels, like Thakoon. So, is it just us, or does Thakoon’s spring 2010 presentation look like it’s playing pretty hard to attract Michelle and all her fashion fans? (Not that we would blame him! Or J.Crew, or Jason Wu, or ... )

One half of the collection took things to a wilder side with mish-mashing prints and loose-fitting resort wear for the jet-set crowd. Yet, the rest of the pieces seemed to directly channel the First Lady’s preferences for floral prints, simple lines of boat necks and long-sleeved shifts, and draped cocktail dresses meant for showing off those famous arms. Think some of these designs have already made their way into Michelle’s closet? [Telegraph.co.uk]

Woman’s got guns. And by guns, I mean a not-too-Madonna-esque but still muscle-y set of arms. I want them. Badly. Luckily, someone hunted down her trainer to get the how-to.
(Now, I’m not promising you results, just an exercise routine—we all don’t have a White House chef and organic garden at our disposal.) According to her trainer, Cornell McClellan: “At the end of a routine of cardiovascular workouts and weight training, Mrs. Obama finishes with the “arm-shaping super set” of tricep pushdowns and hammer curls to tone her biceps.” Say what? Basically, it’s one set of tricep pushdowns using a straight bar attached to the high pulley of a cable station and then, without resting, follow that up with a set of hammer curls using dumbbells. Then, you immediately repeat the entire process until two or three sets of both exercises have been completed. And, if you’re in need of a little video help on all those moves (like me, I’m weight-training challenged), the Women’s Health magazine ladyfolk demonstrate exactly how to get Mrs. Obama’s guns, after the jump.

Forbes’ annual “Powerful Women” issue hits newsstands tomorrow, but their 2009 list of the 100 most powerful women in the world has left us scratching our heads. The magazine insists the list is based on power, not popularity. They go by press mentions and the size of the country, business or organization the woman runs. But that doesn’t explain why German Chancellor Angela Merkel is at number one for the fourth year in a row. I’ll admit, she has been in the news a lot lately. But only because she’s up for re-election and campaign posters showing her in a low-cut top have generated mucho controversy. After the jump, see the other unlikely gals in the top ten.

Oh holy hell. First Lady Michelle Obama has caught some flack for daring to wear shorts while on vacation with her family at the Grand Canyon in 100+ degree heat. (Emphasis all mine because I cannot fathom the absurdity.) This morning on “The Today Show,” The Washington Post‘s Robin Givhan and Mary Tomer, author of the upcoming book Mrs. O: The Face Of Fashion Democracy, discussed the brouhaha over Mrs. O wearing above-the-knee (GASP!) shorts. Apparently, some see this as her, I dunno, giving the middle finger to propriety and tradition since the look is so casual. The whole thing made me mega-stabby, especially since Lauer can’t help but acknowledge how ridiculous it is that they are even discussing the topic. If Obama had been wearing, say, a khaki skirt, would people have cared to comment? If the shorts had been below the knee, would that have been OK, or would the chatter then be about her looking frumpy? Also, isn’t there, like, a health-care debate going on?