First lady's sleeveless style stirs debate - and curiosity

Is Michelle Obama in the style spotlight for being a) flawless, b) effortless, or c) sleeveless?

Her fans would say all of the above. But Obama's bare arms - in winter, no less - are stirring a hot conversation. Even the New York Times politics and government blog has weighed in: "If she keeps going at this rate, Mrs. Obama may do to dresses with sleeves what President John F. Kennedy did to men's hats."

First ladies are always scrutinized for what they wear. The public searches for meaning in the clothing, because so much else about the lives of presidential spouses is private.

Why is Obama favoring sleeveless dresses? What's she trying to tell us about herself?

Don't read too much into it, advised Letitia Baldrige, former social secretary and chief of staff to Jackie Kennedy during her White House years. "I think she's simply dressing to show off one of her greatest physical attributes - her arms," said Baldrige. "How many women her age have arms like that? I look in the mirror at my own arms and want to shoot myself."

Added Mary Tomer, founder of the Mrs. O blog (www.mrs-o.org) that's devoted to Obama's style, "If my arms looked like that, I'd wear sleeveless all the time." *