THE president-elect wore a dark suit rumoured to be recycled from his Democratic convention collection and the jubilant crowd couldn't care less. But the lady in red was not polling well.

Within minutes of Michelle Obama's appearance at her husband's side on election night, the blogosphere erupted with fashionista grief.

"I voted for Obama, but I didn't vote for that dress," read an early post on a New York Times blog.

Emblazoned with a patch of red that trailed off like popcorn at the edges and was bisected by a bow at the waist, the satin sheath made for her by designer Narciso Rodriguez will forever be associated with the expressions "hell-coloured" disaster (on the gossip site Wonkette.com) and "lava lamp".

Canada's NationalPost.com carried a reference to "the opening scene in Carrie " - absolute carnage over her cardigan.

It happens to all first ladies. Think of Hillary Clinton's early outings with an alice band in her hair. Public scrutiny has always been the unique burden of any woman in the spotlight. But US first ladies have Jacqueline Kennedy to live up to.

Still, Mrs Obama is making an impression in the right places. She made her debut in Vanity Fair's international best-dressed list last year and in April became a Vogue "It girl". A smart, forthright glamazon (she's nearly 180 centimetres tall), she was a highly paid lawyer before her husband decided on a career change.

She doesn't have a stylist and doesn't need anyone to tell her what she should or shouldn't wear. Even that cardigan.

"She wore the sweater because it was cold," wrote one nytimes.com reader with a sense of perspective.