15 Times Michelle Obama Slayed FLOTUS Style

Michelle Obama has given us seven and a half years of First Lady fabulousness both in her spirit and her style, turning up the gorgeousness in elegant looks by go-to designers like Naeem Khan, Jason Wu and Marchesa. She always looks flawless, but these are the times when the First Lady truly slayed:

2009

Jason Wu created Michelle’s otherworldly off-the-shoulder inauguration gown, a white silk chiffon confection adorned with organza flowers and Swarovski crystals.

When he later donated it to the Smithsonian, Jason revealed that he didn’t know she had chosen his dress until he turned on the TV.

Michelle wore a sleeveless black sheath dress by Michael Kors and pearls for her premiere First Lady photo, letting us know she was officially setting a new bar for style in the White House after decades of artificially square shoulders.

She topped Glamour’s Women of the Year cover wearing her own red gown, her confidence shining even brighter than that vibrant hue.

2011

An incredible red Alexander McQueen dress worn for a state dinner with Chinese President Hu Jintao is a first-term fashion highlight, especially with that beautiful natural updo.

2012

Tracy Reese made a lovely bright pink and gold custom dress for Michelle's 2012 DNC speech, echoing a time of bright hope in Barack's campaign.

Always fierce as a lady in red, Michelle appeared with the late Maya Angelou at that year's BET Honors in memorable J. Mendel.

2013

For her second Vogue cover, Michelle wore a blue Reed Krakoff dress paired with Kimberly McDonald geode-and-diamond drop earrings. She looked like the personification of class.

She also worked some beautiful bangs, a hairstyle that she wore for some major appearances that year, including Barack’s second inauguration, when she wore a sharp Thom Browne coat.

Emerald green Marchesa stole the show at the Kennedy Center Honors that year, a dream in draping.

Could her club-ready appearance for BET’s former music video countdown show 106 & Park in 2013 offer a hint at Michelle’s potential after dark style?

2014

The intricate draping of a grey Marchesa gown showed off Michelle’s statuesque shoulders and windswept waves at the 100th White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

2015

Michelle Obama + long hair + custom mermaid Vera Wang dress = The most epic moment in First Lady fashion that has ever been. And may ever be. Yasss, queen!

2016

She looks like she could simply float in this stunning Naeem Khan creation worn to this year’s Nordic state dinner with leaders from Sweden, Iceland, Denmark, Finland and Norway.

Narciso Rodriguez is a designer who really understands how Michelle’s tall frame makes for the perfect canvas for dresses, as this abstract design shows.

She unleashed an electrifying DNC speech in an cobalt blue Christian Siriano frock, making some wish they could hold onto her for four more years. At least it’ll be fun to see how she expresses her civilian style post-White House.