MICHELLE OBAMA'S GOVERNOR'S BALL GOWN: A BETTER FIT FOR THE INAUGURAL BALL?

Personally, I feel that Michelle Obama would have rocked this sequined gown better at the inaugural balls, which was designed by Peter Soronen, along with the new hairdo! Instead, she chose to wear it to the Governor's Ball this past Sunday.

She looks really amazing in this ensemble-- oh well! Better to "step it up" each time you step out!

WANT AN ULTRA-FEMININE LOOK? CHECK OUT TRACY REESE'S SPRING '09 COLLECTION!

Tracy Reese's dresses and gowns have a style that is unique to any of the other designers. The ultra-feminine dresses, gowns, and coat dresses are beautiful! I love the fabrics that she uses for her creations: silky, flowing, with a splash of color, some frills, and accentuated with lace trim. She is able to pull off combining a totally funky style with delicate fabrics and patterns.

I am truly proud of my fellow sister because there are very few big-name "real" designers of color out there. Tracy Reese is one of the few who actually studied and worked in both New York and Europe. Even in my own experience of working in the apparel industry and teaching for many years, I personally saw very few people of color working in a design or creative capacity, or even studying to become a designer, for that matter. I always found this to be interesting because I know there are many talented people of color out there who can either sketch, sew, or create. One thing that I know for sure is that Tracy Reese has a gift for designing.

Check out these gorgeous dresses from her Spring 2009 collection:

Funky and feminine at the same time-- see what I mean?

No one has coatdresses like the one's Tracy Reese puts out!

Flirty and flowing-- Love the purple!

This dress is my absolute favorite! So regal and sexy at the same time!

I must say-- this girl has really got it going on!!!

For someone who really loves her designs, I only own one item with her name on it - a scarf that I purchased about four years ago. At the time, I didn't even know who she was! I was going out with my husband to a black-tie affair, and needed a scarf or shawl to accessorize my dress with. I found the scarf in a local boutique and remember cringing when I looked at the price tag. It was around $200, but I had fallen in love with the floral silver metallic pattern on the scarf, and it was large enough to use as a shawl. It also had long fringes that gave the scarf its own individual personality.

Here it is:

This dress actually looks like my scarf!

Now I'm glad I bought it. I know that there's no way now that I would be able to buy a scarf with her name on it, for $200!