When it came to fashion, there were two first ladies on the podium yesterday.
Michelle Obama and Beyoncé were both inaugurated as couture queens at the presidential swearing-in ceremony.
While both wore outfits pricey enough for an Oscars red carpet, the first lady chose accessories any American mall shopper could afford from J.Crew.
Beyoncé, however, brought a huge helping of Hollywood excess to DC, accenting her designer dress with jewels worth more than $2.5 million.
Obama’s sleek, high-collared navy coat and dress were made especially for her by Thom Browne, a designer who rocketed to fame with his shrunken suits for men.
The sharp, check fabric was a magnified version of a man’s silk tie that is part of Browne’s pre-fall collection.
For the frigid temps, Obama accessorized with $118 leather gloves by J.Crew. They coordinated perfectly with the purple tones of her daughters’ outfits.
She added a dash of flash with a jeweled belt that fashion followers would recognize as a style nod to designer Lanvin — although it’s actually a $275 item from J.Crew.
Knowing how far she had to walk, she wore $1,095 navy suede and leather pointy toed knee-high boots by Reed Krakoff, who makes some of the most comfortable designer shoes on the market.
While Obama was all about restrained elegance, Beyoncé was out to dazzle.
The singer greeted the first lady wearing a custom Emilio Pucci black velvet and chiffon beaded cutout long-sleeved gown. A short version from fall runs about $4,600.
Sexy but appropriate, the dress was accessorized with some “Sasha Fierce” touches. Her fur coat and shoes were by Dior.
She also did not shy away from a bling statement. The lady rocked 130 carats’ worth of emeralds by Lorraine Schwartz on her ears and hand. Given that Angelina Jolie’s 115-carat emerald baubles from the same designer ran $2.5 million, Beyoncé’s easily topped that.
(Anthony Behar/Sipa USA)