Project Runway: The Inaugural Edition

On January 20th, all eyes in the political world will be focused on Barack Obama. He'll be the one taking the oath of office in some boring suit and tie.

Those in the fashion world, however, will be more concerned with someone else on stage, the person allowed a little more creativity when she gets dressed that morning: Michelle Obama.

While she hasn't asked any of them for help, Women's Wear Daily reports major designers are firing up their sewing machines, dreaming of the chance to dress the future first lady for her first two major events; they insist she'll need a stylish suit for the inauguration and a knockout gown for the inaugural ball.

During the campaign season, Michelle drew praise for her ability to mix high fashion with more budget-friendly options. We saw her in dresses from top American designer Narciso Rodriguez, but she seemed to draw even more attention when she chatted up the ladies on "The View" in a $148 sundress from White House/Black Market and when she sat beside Jay Leno on "The Tonight Show" in a preppy sweater and skirt from J. Crew.

So, it's anybody's guess whether Mrs. Obama will respond to the 24 or so top designers who submitted their sketches to WWD. Some of the higher-end names like Michael Kors and Carolina Herrera see her in what New York Times fashion editor Cathy Horyn calls the "flag-waving snap of a one-shoulder gown."

Avant-garde designer Christian Lacroix offers a few ideas; one of his inaugural ball pieces features a dramatic oversized red cape and navy evening gloves. Another pairs a bustle-back floor-length gown with a fuchsia boa. Monique Lhuillier, who is known by many for her gorgeous wedding gowns, has dreamed up a show-stopping gathered red number that is perfectly patriotic for the big day. Oscar de la Renta adds to the fun by designing coordinating dresses for the first lady and her two daughters, Malia and Sasha.

But maybe Michelle will surprise us and go for the gowns created by those who design for the runway as well as for the mall set. Will she swoon for the simple and sweet pink ensemble by Nicole Miller? What about the updated retro sketch submitted by Diane von Furstenberg?

If none of those work, she can always ask the well-known contestants from past seasons of the TV show "Project Runway" to design for her.

A few have already offered up their ideas to the future first lady, although we don't think some of them will make the cut -- Season 4 semi-finalist Chris March's out-there patriotic barrel and suspenders makes wacky-but-stylish designer Betsey Johnson's red, white and blue gown look like it came from L.L. Bean.

It's more than just designers who are chiming in with unsolicited advice for Michelle's wardrobe. At Slate.com, Josh Patner's column chronicling Michelle's election-season fashions offers his thoughts to succeeding style-wise for the next four years. His big hint? Don't dress like Jackie Kennedy.

And Julie Turner, who blogs for Slate about women and politics, has some advice for the designers: She argues they all need a lesson in how to sketch a black woman.

Knowing Michelle Obama, all of this speculation and debate about what she'll pick for the big day could be moot. Maybe she'll just blow us all away in some gorgeous thing she got off the rack at the after-Christmas sale at Nordstrom.

--Jamie Rubin