The politics of fashion played a big part in First Lady Michelle Obama's spectacular choice of gown for the first official State Dinner star-studded gala held in Washington D.C. Tuesday night, writes Elizabeth Snead in the blog site Dishrag.

Michelle wore a strapless, champagne-colored gown with silver detail by India-born designer Naeem Khan. IThe better to flaunt your toned bronze arms with.

Her hair was swept back and she wore traditional sparkly Indian bangle bracelets to accessorize the look.

Michelle's embroidered Indian gown reportedly took 40 people more than three weeks to create in his plant in India.

Jill Biden, or, as we like to call her, the Second Lady, wore a stunning scarlet gown by Lebanese designer Reem Acra.

Also looking stunning was film director M. Night Shyamalan's wife Bhavna Shyamalan.

Actress Alfre Woodard was a bright spot in a tropical turqoise and green chiffon gown that looked a bit like it came from a resort collection.

Katie Couric -- with younger beau Brooks Perlin -- wore a bright purple strapless number that would have looked great on an Emmy red carpet.

While Jill Biden got the loudest fashion raves, some style critics were more impressed by Obama's social secretary Desiree Rogers' controversial pale Commes des Garcon multilayered dress with nude sleeves. Very fashion forward.

But everyone had praise for Michelle Obama's elegant and individual gown.

"Michelle Obama is not following type," Wall Street Journal columnist Teri Agins told  The Daily Beast.

"We've seen her wear cardigans to meet Queen Elizabeth. We've seen her wear walking shorts on Air Force One. We've seen her wear Target and the Gap and White House Black Market; she's just all over the place. And I just kind of think: 'I wonder if this has now set a new tone in Washington.'"