THE gut reaction for many people to the outfit chosen by Michelle Obama for her husband’s much-publicised acceptance speech last week was distinctly bilious.

Nothing, of course, diminished the power of the moment as the country’s first black President prepared for power.

But there is no doubt that Michelle and Barack Obama are a charismatic and influential couple. Or that Michelle, an attorney who graduated from Harvard Law School, is plainly an accomplished and clever woman whose every word and deed will be followed from now on.

Unfortunately, and it may seem quite a trivial matter alongside the world problems her husband is facing, Michelle will also dictate fashion.

Just like Jackie Kennedy, her outfits will be scrutinised and copied, and pages of pictures and prose will follow her public appearances. We are now as interested in what she wears as what she does and little will change that.

In that case, on this very important occasion she was either dressed by a lunatic or is so strong-willed that she chose her favourite dress because she just liked it, so there. Whatever the case, that black dress with red shading on the top and bottom broken by a plain waistline looked hideous.

Her next step? Sack the stylist — and then check Trinny and Susannah’s diary.