CHICAGO , Illinois ( CNN ) -- Michelle Obama turned the campaign trail into a runway this year , sporting eye-catching colors and feminine cuts that sent fashion bloggers buzzing . Future first lady Michelle Obama hugs one of her favorite designers , Maria Pinto . As she coupled chic designer splurges with off-the-rack goodies from J . Crew , H & M , White House/Black Market and Target , fashion spectators say her ability to make a strong statement on a budget sends an important message during tough economic times . `` Michelle Obama ca n't be too over the top ; she has to be recession chic all the way , '' style expert Mary Alice Stephenson said . In a soured economy , the choices she made throughout the campaign show that `` she gets it , '' Stephenson said . And it 's inspiring American women to emulate her style . `` What she has worn in the last year has really caused a seismic reaction in the fashion community , and also retailers are depending on her , '' Stephenson said . `` The choices she has made have set fire to slumps in retail that we 've seen because of the recession . '' Watch the buzz on Obama fashion and a favorite designer » . There is such a demand for information on Obama 's style and outfits that there is a Web site dedicated to that theme : MrsO.org . It promises a regular look at who and what she 's wearing . Obama 's urban chic wardrobe is a style turn from the sometimes matronly choices made by other first ladies . It 's also elevated the status of designers whose clothes she wears , especially Chicago 's own Maria Pinto , the woman behind some of Obama 's most notable looks . The prices of Pinto 's outfits may not fit all recession-squeezed budgets . Her collections are sold at Saks Fifth Avenue , Barneys New York and Takashimaya . Her signature scarves sell for $ 300 , and gowns may be priced at $ 1,200 to $ 5,000 . But her designs have served the future first lady well during historic moments of her husband 's campaign . The coat Obama wore in Springfield , Illinois , when her husband announced his candidacy , the purple sheath she donned the night she fist-bumped her husband when he clinched the nomination , the teal number she sported at the Democratic convention in August : all Pinto creations . `` Sometimes I have no idea what she 'll be wearing until I see it on television , '' said Pinto , whose 92-year-old mother had to call her to ask , `` is that your dress Michelle is wearing ? '' when Obama , wearing a red dress , accompanied the president-elect to the White House to meet President Bush and first lady Laura Bush just days after the election . `` I am very attracted to colors , because I think it really lifts our spirit . It flatters a woman . Even if you 're wearing a dark suit , it 's important to have color to lift up mood . I try to take into consideration women 's needs , and it has to be low-maintenance and still fulfill an element of beauty and longevity . I think wardrobe is an investment , and the pieces that I create have that quality and workmanship that is timeless . '' Pinto 's been fortunate . She 's spent a lifetime building up her brand and attributes her success to understanding a woman 's body and adapting to how their needs change . She firmly believes that the woman should be the first thing that walks in the room , not her dress . `` I think we all have our own beauty , but you really need to be true to yourself , '' Pinto said . `` I know it 's time-consuming . Especially working women and mothers do n't have a lot of time to pay attention to how they 're wardrobing themselves ... but there 's a certain amount of time we need to give ourselves as women , because it 's an expression of who we are . What we put on our backs when we go out in the morning speaks more than what we say or do initially in terms of how people perceive us . It 's a little bit of an investment in that we need to make to be able to feel better about ourselves . '' Many speculate Pinto is designing Obama 's inaugural gown , a big honor because inaugural dresses are put on permanent display in the Smithsonian 's First Ladies Collection . Whatever dress Obama chooses to wear , many hope she wo n't suffer the same fashion embarrassment that first lady Laura Bush almost faced at a White House event in December 2007 . She had planned to wear an $ 8,500 red Oscar de la Renta gown but quickly changed her outfit when three other guests showed up in the same dress . For any ladies fearing that they may show up at one of the celebratory balls in Washington in the same gown as another or , heaven forbid , several other women , there is a Web site where you can register your designer gown . DressRegistry.com states on its site that you can see what other ladies will be wearing so you do n't become their fashion twin .
Fashion watchers : Michelle Obama makes strong fashion statement . Some clothes are J . Crew , H & M , White House / World Market or more . One of her favorite designers is Maria Taylor of London .