Style Tips from Fashionable First Ladies

There is a lot we can learn from the most prominent and beautiful First Ladies around the globe in general, but it seems most people right now are most fascinated with their fashion senses. First Lady fashion fever certainly seemed to spike in the United States with Michelle Obama's first trip abroad, and it is currently reaching new heights internationally as France's First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has just met with another fashion plate in Spain, First Lady Sonsoles Espinosa. Given the wide variety in backgrounds, body shapes, style, and ages evident in these fashionable ladies, there is something every woman internationally can learn.

Michelle Obama: The rumored heir-apparent to Jackie O's fashion throne in the United States, Michelle Obama first caused a stir with her love of sleeveless dresses and lesser-known designers. She demonstrates with great aplomb some widely applicable rules to follow for business-minded curvy women.

First of all, she knows that curvy women need to define a waist. Michelle Obama is rarely seen without a belt, and for good women. Anyone with hips and a bust needs to delineate the line between, in order to avoid looking like a sack. A belt, even over a light cardigan, is an easy and affordable way to do that.

Secondly, Michelle is often seen wearing sleeveless dresses. This is a great way for women in the office to show skin without being overtly sexy. Michelle Obama's arms have caused quite a stir, and can serve as an inspiration to women worldwide to take time for themselves to exercise, and to show off the results once they do.

Carla Bruni-Sarkozy: Since she is a former supermodel, Carla Bruni obviously had a great step forward in the genetic blessings department. As such, she is able to pull off things very few women can, like wearing ballet flats with tea-length dresses and no makeup. However unattainable her beauty may seem, she does use a few tricks to help highlight it.

Carla Bruni is the epitome of seeming effortless elegance. When making the transition from jeans-clad folk singer to First Lady, she maintained her sense of style, choosing clothes that are clean and simple, but well-tailored and classic. She is a prime example of someone who shows how a few perfect pieces in your wardrobe can transform you into the pinnacle of grace under fire.

Sonsoles Espinosa: More shy and retiring than either of the previously discussed women, Spanish First Lady Sonsoles Espinosa perhaps is the best example of how mature women should dress to look elegant, stylish, aspirational, and inspirational. She has a very sophisticated sense of style, but is still unafraid to take certain risks, from her love of color and prints to her boyish pixie cut.

One of her signature styles is to use tone-on-tone mid-length coats to lengthen her silhouette and add a polished feel to her outfit. Pairing the midlength skirts and coats she favors with knee-high boots makes it still feel young and beautiful. And keeping the colors simple and solid lets her make her statements through bold, large accessories, a great way to make one outfit seem like many, for the economically-minded.

Sonsoles, like Donna Karan, also knows the power of a bare shoulder to add sex appeal to any woman. Sonsoles favors, however, more draping with her one-shouldered dresses and tops, which adds a breezy, modern feel to what might otherwise look like a Wilma Flintstone costume. And pairing the top with the same colored pants creates a long, lean elegance that any woman of any age can pull off with confidence.

First Ladies the world over are constantly in the public eye. While some prefer to keep a low profile, others have embraced their roles as examples to married women everywhere on how to keep the spice in your marriage, and yourself off the worst-dressed list.