Michelle Obama with Carla Bruni-Sarkozy in Strasbourg, France on a trip planned for NATO Members' spouses in April 2009

I have to admit ignorance about the particulars of French politics, but when French President Nicolas Sarkozy conceded the election this weekend to Francoise Hollande, I felt a pinch of sadness that I’ll no longer see images like this one of Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, partially because it will mean less coverage of international politics on fashion blogs and sartorially-focused news sites.

The last five years have been a magical time for news junkie style folks. Between Michelle Obama’s oft-documented impact on the fashion industry, making household names of niche designers and brands like Jason Wu and Zero Maria Cornejo, and injecting relevance in formerly fading retailers like J. Crew, Anna Wintour hosting fundraisers for Obama, and blogs feverishly cataloging the sartorial choices of Michelle Obama, Bruni-Sarkozy, and that of Duchess Kate Middleton, style coverage has extended (albeit tangentially) to substantive issues.

Yes, Michelle Obama was wearing a Balenciaga sheath, for instance, but more importantly, she was wearing it at an event for Girls, Inc., an org committed to equipping young girls with all they need to be tomorrow’s leaders. Suddenly, my favorite fashion blogs were covering the G8 summit. People.com cared to explain the blinging poppy brooch Kate Middleton’s been wearing is a symbol of the Royal British Legion Charity, much like the pink ribbon is to Breast Cancer awareness. Of course, this was the case when Jackie Kennedy and Nancy Reagan were in the White House and when Princess Diana was using her celebrity to bring attention to charitable causes around the globe including landmines, but the glam trifecta of Michelle, Carla, and Kate has brought triple the attentiveness.

Hopefully, this crossover coverage won’t suffer with the inauguration of France’s new First Couple Francois Hollande.Even more hopefully, the coverage will become deeper than what they wore where, but expand to the issues that are important to fashion like how KORUS will negatively or positively impact the textile sector. I just Google Imaged his partner Valerie Trierweiler and she’s not too shabby a dresser either.

[photo courtesy of Getty Images]

With everyone from Michelle Obama to singer Adele to Miley Cyrus to One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush rocking Toywatches, it seems the timepiece with the rainbow bright jelly bands is the new Rolex. Just not at Rolex prices. Sign-in and shop our exclusive ToyWatch event now.
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[photo courtesy of ToyWatch]

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[Image courtesy of StyleList]

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[photo by David Cheskin - WPA Pool, courtesy of Getty Images]

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[image courtesy of The Cut blog]

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[photo by Frazer Harrison courtesy of Getty Images]