Michelle Obama Wears Jason Wu for Vogue Cover

Inside, a photograph shows her in a black dress by designer Narciso Rodriguez. She is standing in front of open French doors. Outside is Lafayette Park and in the distance you can barely see the White House, the seat of power. Behind her are the props of her profession: a laptop, a cup of coffee or more likely tea. A notepad, a pen. A folded newspaper. She is tethered to work by an old-fashioned telephone, the spiral cord stretched, the receiver at her right ear. She is not talking. She is either listening or on hold.

"Change was the clarion call of Barack Obama's election campaign," writes Vogue's editor, Anna Wintour, "though I don't think any of us at Vogue initially realized that would include the difference that was going to be made by First Lady Michelle Obama's wardrobe."

Wintour wrote that she was impressed by Michelle Obama's inauguration dress designed by Isabel Toledo and her ball gown designed by Jason Wu. She liked the Narciso Rodriguez camel coat she wore to the opening ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial.

"It wasn't just that her choices projected a simpler, streamlined, more modern attitude, rejecting the ridiculous idea that the only way for a First Lady to dress is in the dreaded White House standard-issue uniform -- the boxy, anonymous suit that always managed to look as appealing, and as comfortable, as armor. Instead, we have a woman who is happy in newer, less obvious designer choices like Wu and Toledo. . . . It's inspiring to see our First Lady so serene and secure in her personal style."