Michelle Obama Wears Barbara Tfank Dress for State of the Union

Michelle Obama wore a blue Barbara Tfank dress to the State of the Union address.

Last night first lady Michelle Obama wore a a shiny, sapphire blue dress by Los Angeles-based designer Barbara Tfank for the State of the Union address. The silk twill sheath dress features cap sleeves and a criss cross bodice Obama accessorized with a pin by Alexis Bittar. The silhouette was chic and the bold, Democratic blue shade certainly made a statement in a room full of black suits and navy blazers.

Read more about the power of a Michelle Obama fashion endorsement

Michelle Obama wore another Tfank dress to meet Duchess Catherine at Buckingham Palac …

Obama has worn Tfank's designs several times before, including a sky blue, belted, floral-print dress she donned last May when she visited Queen Elizabeth and met Duchess Catherine at Buckingham Palace. FLOTUS wore the 1950s-style dress from Tfank's 2011 resort collection with a cropped pink jacket as she was introduced to the fellow style icon. Obama also wore a green printed Tfank dress with pink pumps and a pearl necklace to an award ceremony for Chief Master Sergeant Richard L. Etchberger, of the US Air Force in the fall of 2010.

The first lady will make "Tonight Show" appearance later this month

Barbara Tfank started her career as a costume designer, and she made her mark while working as Prada's design consultant when she dressed Uma Thurman in the Italian label for the 1995 Oscars. No one had really heard about red carpet stylists until that point, and the lavender gown put Prada on the map. Tfank launched her eponymous label at Barneys New York in 2001 and recently dressed Adele in a black scallop edge custom dress to last year's MTV Video Music Awards. Her spring 2012 collection was inspired by some of Elizabeth Taylor's most iconic on-screen looks.

Designer Barbara Tfank in one of her creations.

Last year, Obama wore a basic white 3/4 sleeve frock by Rachel Roy to the State of the Union. Just as Rachel Roy, Jason Wu, Thakoon, and other first lady favorites have become household names, we can now expect Barbara Tfank to get a lot more attention.

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Celeb Wedding Dress Trends

By Malia Karlinsky, GalTime.com

What trend will you be following?

Are you planning on tying the knot in 2012? If so, look to "the stars" for stylish wedding dress ideas.

From Kate Middleton to Kate Moss, celebrity weddings are inspiring for brides-to-be across the nation. The good news is you don't have to be a celeb to dress like one on your special day.

According to recent research from PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com, 32 percent of buyers on the site say their choice of gown is or was influenced by celebrity wedding fashion.

"Of course celebrity weddings influence brides," says Josie Daga, founder of PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com. "Celebrity brides tend to have access to top planners, designers and stylists and unlimited wedding budgets…and their gowns are gorgeous!"

Related: Brides Are Falling in Love With Secondhand Wedding Gowns

Daga is sharing her favorite Wedding Dress Trends:

1. Non-strapless gowns are back
Celebs like Kate Moss, Lauren Bush, Amy Smart, Molly Sims and, of course, Kate Middleton, all strayed from strapless in 2011.
"Kate Middleton's iconic dress reintroduced sleeves and covered shoulders," says Daga. "U.S. designers and other celebrity brides have definitely embraced the trend away from strapless."
In fact, Middleton's gown ranked first among celebrity gowns in the survey, with 30 percent of respondents selecting the long-sleeved stunner as their favorite.
2. Color is modern
Brides today are letting their personalities shine through on their wedding day, which can mean choosing colors beyond the traditional white wedding dress. Reese Witherspoon highlighted this trend by selecting a blush pink gown for her recent nuptials.

Related: What to Wear Under There: 10 Wedding Dress Tips

3. Texture adds glamour
Reality stars Kim Kardashian and Kim Zolciak dialed up the style with glamorous gowns that featured gorgeous ruffles and voluminous skirts. "Ugly Betty" star America Ferrera, and fashion icon Ralph Lauren's daughter Dylan also tied the knot in gowns with stunning tiered skirts. Zolciak bought her one-of-a-kind Baracci gown on PreOwnedWeddingDresses.com a month before marrying Atlanta Falcons defensive end Kroy Biermann. This year, Daga expects to see elegance and romance continue as trends, along with more body-conscious gowns and fuller silhouettes. "We can't wait to see what stars like Anne Hathaway, Elizabeth Hurley and Jessica Simpson will wear down the aisle," she says.

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