Image by Tim Sloan / Getty Images

The first lady spent St. Patrick's Day as a participant in Newsweek Magazine's Executive Forum on childhood obesity, hosted at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. The first lady seemed to make a nod to the Irish holiday with her ensemble today, pairing a green top and pumps with a sheer yellow cardigan and blue pencil skirt, accessorized with a silver belt and pearls.

Update #1: The festivities continued, as the first lady hosted a St. Patrick's Day reception at the White House this evening. Below she is pictured alongside Mary Molloy, the wife of Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen.

Update #2: Mrs. O wore a Jason Wu custom kelly green faille sheath with embroidered french knots for the St. Patrick's Day reception.

Image by Jason Reed / Reuters

Images by J. Scott Applewhite / AP Images

There's a new designer in the mix! To address the Grocery Manufacturuers Association Science Forum today, Mrs. O wore a pink and white striped silk sleeveless bow shirt and raspberry pink laquered high-waisted pencil skirt, both by L'Wren Scott. The pieces hail from L'Wren Scott's Spring 2010 collection, and can be seen here. What a delight to discover the unexpected inset of pink silk as the first lady left the stage!

Mrs. O's daring style was matched by the strength of her message today, as she called for a step change in the food industry: “We need you not just to tweak around the edges, but to entirely rethink the products that you’re offering, the information that you provide about these products, and how you market those products to our children." In fewer words, Mrs. O said the food industry has a duty to "step it up.”

Image via Newsweek.com

As many of you have noted, Mrs. O is on the cover of this week's Newsweek, which includes an article penned by the first lady herself. "Michelle on a Mission" provides further insight into the first lady's "Let's Move" initiative, the ambition of which is succinctly summed up as follows:

"Let's Move is about families making manageable changes that fit with their schedules, their budgets, and their needs and tastes. It's about giving parents the tools they need to keep their families healthy and fit, and getting more nutritious food—more fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and less sugar, fat, and salt—into our nation's schools. It's about helping grocery stores serve communities that don't have access to fresh foods, and finding new ways to help our kids stay physically active in school and at home."

For the cover, Mrs. O wears a blue, cap-sleeve, scoop-neck dress, accessorized with pearls and diamond earrings. Might this be the same Narciso Rodriguez dress that Mrs. O wore to meet the First Lady of Greece last week? Update: Indeed, it is!

Continuing to champion her cause for healthy eating, Mrs. O will deliver remarks at the Grocery Manufacturers Association Science Forum later today. Stay tuned for photos and a new post.

Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson

First Lady Mrs. O met with Mrs. Elizabeth Preval, the First Lady of Haiti, in the Yellow Oval Room of the White House today. For the meeting, Mrs. O dressed in a textured lilac skirt and short-sleeve trapeze coat, closed with a diamond brooch. The first lady looks ready for Spring!

Update #1: Today also marked the presentation of the fourth annual Award for International Women of Courage at the State Department in Washington, D.C. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was joined by First Lady Mrs. O to present the award to Sister Marie Claude Naddaf of Syria.

Update #2: The first lady's ensemble is indeed Moschino.

Image by Alex Wong / Getty Images

Official White House Photos by Pete Souza

Additional photos from the recent White House Governors Ball have made my day! Love the second look at Mrs. O's Thakoon gown. And might those be the Loree Rodkin diamond bangles Mrs. O parted with yesterday?

Per Political Punch, the first lady gave her inaugural jewelry a special goodbye at yesterday's Smithsonian event: “Oh look the jewelry!” she said with a laugh and a wave, “This is what I’ll miss the most. Bye jewelry!”

Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton

What a busy day for Mrs. O! Also today, the First Lady met with Mrs. Ada Papandreaou, the First Lady of Greece, in the Yellow Oval Room of the White House. For the appearance, Mrs. O changed into a vibrant blue sheath dress, accesorized with bronze heels and stacks of gold cuff bracelets.

Update: Mrs. O wears a deep royal jersey dress by Narciso Rodriguez.

Images by Mark Wilson / Getty Images

This morning the first lady will donate her fabulous, frothy Jason Wu inaugural gown to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Mrs. O's inaugural gown will be part of a new gallery, "A First Lady's Debut," which will showcase 11 dresses worn by first ladies. Mrs. O will be joined by designer Jason Wu and a group of design students.

Update #1: Today brings us not just one fabulous dress, but two! For the Smithsonian event, Mrs. O wore a dress from another up-and-coming designer, Prabal Gurung, who was recently highlighted on this blog, here. The dress is a black and white brush painted rose silk twill gazar hand draped off-the-shoulder design from Mr. Gurung's Spring 2010 collection. For a more detailed look, see below.

P.S. How fabulous does Marian Robinson look?

Image by Jewel Samad / Getty Images

Update #2: The first lady's full and entirely inspiring remarks:

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you, everyone.  Thanks so much.

Well, clearly, it’s a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you today.

Let me begin by thanking Secretary Clough for that generous introduction.  I want to thank him and his wife Anne for their dedication to the mission of the Smithsonian.

And I want to thank our hosts from the National Museum of American History -– Dr. Brent Glass and John Rogers.  Thank you for making these museums such wonderful places for people of all ages to learn and to explore.

And I have to also do my part in recognizing our very special guests, the students and the teachers from Huntington High School, who made the trip all the way from New York to be here.  You all please stand so we can see you.  (Applause.)  Now, there’s a special reason why I invited these students here.  They sent me this book of beautifully designed inaugural gowns of their own creations, and I had so much fun looking through all the designs.  You all are obviously a very talented and beautiful and handsome group of people.  And I am so pleased to be able to share this special day with you.  You make us proud.  And thank you for the gifts.

And, finally, I also want to thank all the board members, the staff, the supporters of these museums, all of you, for the work that you do every day, and for being here and sharing this moment with me, as well.

So, here we are.  It’s the dress.  (Laughter.)  And I have to say, to be honest, I am very honored and very humbled, but I have to say that I’m also a little embarrassed by all the fuss being made over my dress.  Like many of you, I’m not used to people wanting to put things I’ve worn on display.  (Laughter.)  So, all of this is a little odd, so forgive me.

But, at the same time, I truly recognize the significance of this day.  This gown –- and all of the items that we’ll see in this wonderful exhibit –- help us connect with a moment in history in a very real way.

When we look at the gown that Jackie Kennedy wore 50 years ago, or the one that Mary Todd Lincoln wore more than a hundred years before that, it really takes us beyond the history books and the photographs, and it helps us understand that history is really made by real live people.

The detail of each gown –- the fabric, the cut, the color –- tells us something much more about each single First Lady.  It’s a visual reminder that we each come from such different backgrounds, from different generations, and from different walks of life.

Each gown places us right in the moment and makes us wonder about the intimate details of that evening, like how did she feel in the dress?   Did her feet hurt in those shoes?  (Laughter.)  How many times did her husband step on that train?  (Laughter.)  But, more importantly, these gowns and this exhibit uniquely define a moment in our American history.

When I look at my gown –- which I, in fact, have not seen since the day that I took it off –- memories of that moment truly come rushing back.  I remember that it was freezing cold in Washington.  I know we all remember that.  Yet, despite the frigid temperatures, hundreds of thousands of people flooded the Mall.  Nothing was going to stop them from being part of history.

That day was so hectic for us.  And I remember the inaugural parade and how the President and I stood and we waved until every last band walked by.

Then we only had less than an hour -- ladies, if you can believe that -- (laughter) -- all of my friends left us in the stands, by the way.  (Laughter.)  “See ya, good luck!”  (Laughter.)  I was like, “Yeah, thanks.”  (Laughter.)  “We have to get ready for the ball.”  (Laughter.)  Like, “Yeah, so do I.”  (Laughter.)  So at the time I wasn’t really focused on what I was wearing that evening -– I was really just trying to stay warm.

But I’ll never forget the moment that I slipped on this beautiful gown.  I remember how just luscious I felt as the President and I were announced onto the stage for the first of many dances.  And I’ll cherish that moment for the rest of my life.

And now that the crowds are gone, and the Mall is silent, and our family has settled into our new home, the White house, this gown is one of the most tangible things I have left to remember that day.  And that’s why it will always hold a special place in my heart.

And today, when I look at the dress, I remember all of the incredible people that we met along our journey and on that day, and how warmly -- welcome they received us.

I remember the joy on the faces of so many young people who devoted so much time to getting us to that point.

I remember the wonderful letters we received from folks who were there and others who watched the event from home; people who told us about how much that day meant for them and their families -- letters from octogenarians who told us how they never thought they’d live to see the day.

I remember all the men and women who worked so hard and so long to make sure that every single detail was just perfect.

And I remember the time we shared with Americans from every corner of this nation.

And one of the people who made that day possible is the creator of this beautiful gown, Jason Wu, a young man who, not so long ago, was just an aspiring designer like many of you students here.  When Jason was just five years old, growing up in Taiwan, his parents would take him to the bridal shops so that he could sketch the gowns in the windows.  He started making clothes for dolls when he was 16, and after studying under some of the best designers in the world, he opened his own shop four years ago with the money he had saved.

And Jason’s dress, as you can see -- this gown is a masterpiece.  It is simple, it’s elegant, and it comes from this brilliant young mind, someone who is living the American Dream.

The countless hours that you can see that he spent sewing this piece made my night even more special, and now I am proud that millions of visitors will be able to see just how talented this young man is.

Thank you, Jason.  Thank you for your vision and for your hard work, because, in the end of the day, today is about much more than this gown.  It’s also about how, with enough focus and with enough determination, someone in this room could be the next Jason Wu.  Someone in this room could be the next Barack Obama.  It’s about how the American story is written by real people –- not just names on a page.  And it’s about how something you create today –- whether it’s a dress, or a painting, or a story or a song –- can help teach the next generation in a way that nothing else can.

Thank you all so much.  (Applause.)

Update #3: A fabulous behind-the-scenes video from the Smithsonian:

Image by Mandel Ngan / Getty Images

The first lady is celebrating International Women's Day with an event at the White House today. Per USA Today, the introduction went as follows:

"So, I get so speak first while he stands and watches -- I love this!" Mrs. Obama said of her husband, to the chuckles of the mostly female audience in the East Room at the White House.

"Look at me adoringly!," she told the president.

To which he responded: "I can do that ..."

To which she said: "... with sincerity!"

Later, Mrs. Obama, cracked, "it is my pleasure to introduce one of the few men in the room."

Following the light-hearted start, the president gave remarks on American women who have impacted our nation's history, ranging from former first lady Abigail Adams to Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. The program also featured actress Kerry Washington, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Afghan singer Mozdah Jamalzadah, and singer Katharine McPhee.

On the style front, the first lady wore a draped grey dress by Lanvin, last seen in Oslo, Norway in late 2009, and true to the title of this post, looked absolutely lovely!

For a video of the remarks:

Images by Jim Watson / Getty Images

The first lady is participating in a soccer clinic in Washington, DC today, joined by the US Soccer Foundation, Major League Soccer, Women's Professional Soccer, the National Alliance for Hispanic Health and other organizations, all in an effort to highlight the "Let's Move!" initiative. Though we've seen Mrs. O give a series of speeches and interviews on the "Let's Move" initiative over the past few weeks, today we saw her put those words into action, quite literally.

Per Political Punch, the first lady's soccer attire consisted of: "a black scoopneck long-sleeved T-shirt over a black tank top; a silver track jacket; yoga pants and black and pink tennis shoes."

Images via Facebook.com/Whitehouse

The first lady is in Jackson, Mississippi today, visiting Pecan Park Elementary School and Brinkley Middle School to discuss healthy eating for school children as part of her growing Let's Move initiative. The Clarion Ledger has a full report, here.

Style wise, the first lady returned to an old classic, a banded Narciso Rodriguez jacket worn on the campaign trail in 2008, seen here. Today Mrs. O paired the jacket with slim black pants and a cropped wool pea coat. It's fun to see how Mrs. O gets mileage from her wardrobe and transitions key pieces from season to season.