It seems Michelle Obama's influence over sartorial trends has reached new lows ... just below the ankle that is. The First Lady became famous within the fashion community for wearing kitten heels, a style that's not been popular for quite a few terms of office. However, in Mrs. O's case, given expectations that she dress to accommodate certain sartorial conventions (not to mention the fact that stilettos would send her towering over the president), her preference for 1"-2" heels at max is highly understandable. But the fact that high-fashion heavyweights are embracing the trend is a bit more surprising. According to Style.com, from Marni and Missoni to Dolce & Gabbana, kitten heels are garnering new found acceptance. And "if yesterday in Milan is any evidence, the look may have legs."

Ah, New Yorkers: we're pretty cool when it comes to having celebrities in our presence, or at least, unspoken rules dictate that we should be. If you're not, you're either a tourist, or new to town, in which case: get out of my way, I have to get to work/lunch/the subway. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule: The Obama Family. So when we got word that the First Lady was having lunch at Gramercy Tavern (literally, around the corner from BlackBook HQ), like hell we weren't going to get the chance to be twenty feet from the place. Editorial reaction, pictures of the scene, and Ms. Obama's exit? Oh yes.

Earlier this week, images of Michelle Obama sporting a new 'do caused a whirlwind press storm with media allying themselves in one of two camps: she did cut, or she didn't. While the cropped style did give the impression that the First Lady had chopped her coif significantly, it turns out the only change that had been made was a "tuck-up," which according to Mrs. Obama's hairstylist is decidedly different than an "up-tuck." The man in charge of styling some of the world's most obsessively watched locks spoke to Urban Beauty Collective to clarify the confusion.

The CFDA held its annual awards ceremony in New York last night, honoring a rising generation of fashion power players, as well as First Lady Michelle Obama (who accepted the commendation of Board of Directors’ Special Tribute via satellite). CFDA President Diane Von Furstenberg held court, while Tracey Ullman hosted. The latter opened the ceremony with a Keifer Sutherland head-butting joke, which garnered only "weak laughter," says Fashionologie. It probably didn't help matters that Jack McCollough, half of the design team behind Proenza Schouler (who won the title of Accessories Designer of the Year) and the recipient of said head-butt post-Costume Gala, was in attendance.

Much has been made of Michelle Obama's style -- from her perpetually primped coif to her favoritism of American designers (which in recent months has expanded to include a number of international names such as Alaia and Kawakubo). But, until only recently, the fashion risks that the First Lady took were far from earth-shattering: a pair of Lanvin sneakers, no big deal. An asymmetrical Comme des Garcons cardigan not once, but twice: not exactly groundbreaking, albeit sartorially significant in Washington. But the get-up that the First Lady donned in London just a few days ago is most definitely one for the books.

Have you ever selected your handbag, footwear, or jewelry before deciding on what clothing to wear? Sometimes we’re so into wearing a new accessory that the sole purpose of apparel is to draw attention to that very item. Designers are also aware of our thrill for frills, as they test new colors, materials, hardware, and versatility to bring us something innovative every season. And as somewhat of a tribute to this wave of bright and bold accessorizing, everyone from models, celebrities, and our very own First Lady occasionally let their clothing take a backseat in order to accentuate their unique designer embellishments. Alexa Chung paired a navy cardigan with black tights, showcasing the intricate details of her safari-style Louis Vuitton platforms and handbag. Michelle Obama wore a long flowing black dress, highlighting her vibrant jewels by Tom Binns. Photographer Carin Backoff selected red lace-up sandals, adding a touch of color to her blazer and cutoff shorts ensemble.

We all know Michelle Obama is no stranger to fast fashion or pairing low with high. But for her lunch with Nancy Reagan yesterday, the First Lady made a significant all-American, high-meets-low sartorial statement with a match-up by way of Michael Kors and the Gap. According to Mrs-O.org, "Mrs. O has fully embraced a summer palette, wearing a striped T-shirt and floral cardigan from Gap (on sale for $24.99!), and white textured pencil skirt. A single strand of pearls and diamond bangles accessorized the look." The skirt in question turned out to be Michael Kors SS09, a designer Mrs. O has sported on a number of occasions in the past.

On the same day that the United States' first African-American president has nominated a Hispanic woman for a Supreme Court appointment (another first if Sonia Sotomayor is elected), Women's Wear Daily muses on the melting pot that is Fashion's 7th Avenue. The article opens, "Unlike any other fashion capital, Seventh Avenue has undergone a remarkable transformation in the past decade. Where once the industry was the domain of Italian-Americans and Jewish immigrants in pursuit of the American dream, it is now a melting pot reflective of the changing demographics of the city itself." In fact, the nationalities of CFDA members read like something out of an UN roster, rather than a homogeneous hodgepodge. Take the handful of much-talked about designers that the First Lady has donned during her time in office, for instance, and the proof is apparent. Michelle Obama favorites Isabel Toledo and Narciso Rodriguez are Cuban-American, while Maria Cornejo is from Chile; meanwhile Thakoon and Jason Wu were both born in Thailand.

Much has been made of the Obama effect on fashion. From mannequins crediting the President and First Lady as having sparked a trend of casting more non-white models for shoots and runway shows, to Michelle Obama being heralded as a stimulus package for the fashion industry, Capitol Hill’s sartorial power is presumed to be as varied and wide reaching as the designers stocked in Mrs. O’s closet. But, how much of a financial impact has the First Lady actually had on brands like Jason Wu, Peter Soronen and Thakoon, now household names thanks to Michelle Obama?

With Bush's legacy looking to be preserved solely by wrinkled suits and a general disdain for smarts, it's a relief that his successor's looking to mint his rep on literacy and innovation. Apologies to the Bill O'Reilly set, then. And if a White House-hosted potluck of multi-talented literati can get a generation of Americans to re-examine their issues with the they're/their/there conundrum, or at least encourage them to crack open something other than Twilight or Harry Potter, it can only be a good thing.