Marchesa: The duo of Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig design the kind of dresses that Cinderella would have worn to the ball — full skirts piled with layer upon layer of tulle. Marchesa gowns are regularly seen on the red carpet and have been worn by everyone from Jennifer Lopez to Halle Barry. But are the gowns too frothy for her taste (and out of step with the country’s economic climate)? Susan Walsh/Associated PRess

Michelle Obama’s Inaugural Ball gown possibilities

President Obama and Michelle Obama on inaugural night in 2009. She wore a Jason Wu-designed gown.

President and Michelle Obama on inaugural night in 2009. She wore a Jason Wu-designed gown.

Damon Winter/The New York Times |

LIKELY: Given her choice of Michael Kors’s dresses (including some repeat wearings) the former “Project Runway” judge has a good chance at designing the coveted dress. His biggest drawback: He’s a well-known and established designer. The first lady wore a Kors dress on election night.

Michael Kors: Given her choice of Michael Kors’s dresses (including some repeat wearings) the former “Project Runway” judge has a good chance at designing the coveted dress. His biggest drawback: He’s a well-known and established designer. Mrs. Obama wore a Kors dress on election night.

Cliff Owen/Associated Press |

Rodarte: Their designs were once edgy, creepy, and nearly unwearable. But after the initial shock value, sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy have ditched the weirdness and now favor far more feminine looks, suitable for the president’s wife.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images |

Vera Wang: Wang’s diaphanous dresses have become increasingly cutting edge. That’s in keeping with Obama’s interest in favoring designs that are daring, but still have wide appeal.

Brendan Smialowski-Pool/Getty Images |

Tracy Reese: Obama has been a champion of African-American designers, and she’s worn Reese designs on at least 15 occasions, including the night of her speech at the Democratic National Convention in September. Initially, the DNC dress was a one-of-a-kind creation made specifically for the first lady. But the pink frock was such a hit that Reese is now selling it.

Charles Dharapak/Associated Press |

Susan Walsh/Associated PRess |

Narciso Rodriguez: The first lady is frequently spotted in Rodriguez’s clean-lined designs. Her most memorable appearance in Rodriguez was election night 2008. The red and black graphic dress drew some criticism, but that didn’t stop the first lady from wearing his designs repeatedly over the past four years.

Narciso Rodriguez: Mrs. Obama is frequently spotted in Rodriguez’s clean-lined designs. Her most memorable appearance in Rodriguez was Election Night 2008. The red and black graphic dress drew some criticism, but that didn’t stop the first lady from wearing his designs repeatedly over the past four years.

Jason Reed/Reuters |

Naeem Khan: The designer has been a favorite of the first lady — she wore a stunning gold Khan gown to a state dinner for the prime minister of India. But Obama may decide to steer clear of Khan because he is currently being sued by two fabric merchants who claim they were not paid by the designer.

Naeem Khan: The designer has been a favorite of Mrs. Obama — she wore a stunning gold Khan gown to a state dinner for the prime minister of India. But Obama may decide to steer clear of Khan because he is currently being sued by two fabric merchants who claim they were not paid by the designer.

Charles Dharapak/Associated PRess |