Image via TheHuffingtonPost.com

If you were one of the many Americans who were watching the coverage of the inaugural balls last night, you saw Barack Obama, with wife Michelle in tow, walking across the stage of ten different parties in D.C. Aside from the fact that this was probably the most hyped-up and exciting presidential inauguration in my lifetime, it was also the most fashion forward. Last night, Michelle Obama solidified the fact that she is, indeed, the next Jackie O.

Mrs. Obama wore white chiffon, embellished with appliques, beading and one thick strap draped over her right shoulder. The dress was designed by Jason Wu, a 26-year-old Taiwanese designer who now works in Manhattan. She kept the accessories simple, staying away from excessive jewelery, and instead opting for just a bracelet and dangling earrings.

As superficial as it sounds, I believe her choice of dress was extremely important. It set the tone of the next four years, whether this was a calculated choice or not. Wearing white sends a message to America, conjuring up common associations with purity, goodness and invigoration. It’s almost as if our innate feelings about the color white secure a sense of trust regarding political and economic reform to come.

When it comes to the political stage, we are privy to the plot: actors come and go, and promises that are easily made are also easily broken. While Obama has been able to bring in the crowds and inspire the masses, we have yet to see if his actions live up to his charisma. But 2009, and especially inauguration day, is representative of a new start and new hope for the future of America. The fact that the first lady wore white symbolizes a fresh, youthful, optimism. A blank slate, if you will, and a new beginning that the voting population of the country asked for when they showed up in droves at the polls on November 4th.

Maybe my youth and innate idealism inspired me to write these claims, making what may appear to be exaggerations about the importance of Michelle Obama’s clothing. Admittedly, when all is said and done, the dress is just a dress. But regardless of how deep we probed into the meaning of the gown, it’s hard to refute that Michelle Obama was truly a vision in white.