Michelle Obama's State Dinner Gowns, Ranked

A not-so-small part of the First Lady's role is wearing dresses and being photographed in them. It's especially visually important at State Dinners. The President hosts a foreign dignitary, but all eyes are on the wives. Suits don't allow for much in the way of variety. Dresses are more fun. That's just how it is - I don't make the rules.

In exchange for having our taxes used on huge parties for the wealthy and powerful, we the people get to look at photos of what they wore. It's not a fair deal, but it's what we've got, and I'm going to run with it.

Michelle Obama is great at wearing gowns. That's not a political statement. So don't even start with the "but WORST PREZ EVERRRR" noise. If you don't like Barack Obama, you're in luck, because this post is 100% not about him.

Point is, no matter what happens on November 8th, we won't have a First Lady like Michelle Obama come January. Bill Clinton won't be donning couture gowns, and if Melania is First Lady I assume she'll just plagiarize everything Michelle wore. Yawn.

Here are the most memorable gowns:

1. 2012, UK Prime Minister David Cameron

The color is perfect. The necklaces look...heavy. Especially on such a sleek gown with dainty pleats. The big beads just don't match.

2. 2016, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi

This dress says "It's senior year and I'm a style icon, in a few months it's MICHELLE OUT." It's way flashier than her other gowns. But let's think about what's goin on in the country. If I was a passenger on the Titanic and watching two angry, incompetent captains compete for which one gets to steer it directly into the iceberg...I'd wear a YOLO dress, too.

3. 2010, Mexican President Felipe Calderon

It's blue and covered in sparkles. FLOTUS was the original blue and silvery princess, three years before Elsa.

4. 2016, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

I think the pattern is either flowers or fireworks? Either way, it is working. Also, her hair is the big curly hair to which every Southern girl aspires. I'm very jealous. The only reason this isn't ranked higher? I miiiiiiight like Mrs. Trudeau's dress even better.

5. 2016, Nordic countries

This dress looks like soft, rich, whipped buttercream frosting and I am HERE for it.

6. 2014, French President Francois Hollande

The French know fashion and Michelle Obama is seen here beating them at their own game. Lace? Check. Billowy skirt? Check. Color blocking? Also check.

7. 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping

You know how Audrey Hepburn is always remembered for that simple black dress from Breakfast at Tiffany's? How when you think of her, you picture her in that iconic dress? This is that dress for Michelle Obama.