Michelle Obama Gets "A+" For Fashion

(CBS)  First Lady Michelle Obama caused a fashion stir on her first official trip abroad, with some calling her a new American fashion icon while others criticized some of her ensemble choices.

But Mandi Norwood, author of the upcoming book "Michelle Style: Celebrating the First Lady of Fashion," thinks that overall the first lady did a very good job choosing outfits for the trip.

"I would definitely say she scored an A, perhaps even an A+," she told Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith. "She was trying to combine propriety with personal style. She's working within the boundaries of unwritten rules here. So I think she did a great job."

One outfit that Norwood loved was the cardigan and mint green skirt from affordable American brand J. Crew. In this, she said, the first lady outshone U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown's wife, Sarah Brown.

"Frankly, she's just dazzling and shimmering. … She's modern and fresh and classic and fun," she said. "And poor old Sarah looks like she just stepped out of 'Nanny 911.'"

But the trip wasn't without some misses. Norwood criticized the black-and-white tank dress by Isabel Toledo that she wore when meeting Queen Elizabeth II, saying it was not an appropriate outfit to meet the monarch in. She had hoped to see the first lady in a bright color, or in something more formal than a sleeveless dress and cardigan sweater.

Other pieces she liked included the Junya Wantanabe modern argyle cardigan the first lady wore while speaking at a London school and the pink-and-black Thakoon coat worn while meeting French first lady Carla Bruni.

Overall, Norwood commended Michelle Obama for putting her best foot (and clothes) forward on the international trip, concluding that it was a "great moment for American fashion."

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View sample pages from Mandy Norwood's book.