Michelle Obama Reveals Her Personal Mantra For Dressing Boldly

Wearing a pink Isabel Toledo dress (her inauguration designer of choice), Michelle Obama delivered a speech to the Cooper-Hewitt National Design and served up some fashion advice that even the design elite in attendance found refreshing:

“The great jazz musician Miles Davis – one of my husband’s favorites – once said, ‘Don’t play what’s there, play what’s not there.’” This rang true coming from a First Lady who’s worn bold green and blue pedicures lately, and whose made surprising fashion choices – everything from retail chain J.Crew to a young, under-the-radar Jason Wu.

Replicate some of our favorite Michelle Obama bold fashion choices here:

Of course Michelle doesn’t wear the traditional pearl strand of past First Lady’s, her’s features colorful, asymmetrical rosettes. Try the look at home with this Swell Multi Flower Pearl Necklace ($39).

Michelle wears her signature shift dresses and cardigans in bold colors – like this yellow – and patterns, like floral. Try her sunny look at home with this KAS New York Toby Floral-Print Shift dress ($150)

Michelle is the first wife of a world leader to wear everyman retailers like J.Crew. She especially loves their embellished cardi’s – grab the presidential look for yourself with this J.Crew Ombré paillette cardigan ($79.99, down from $118).

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