State Dinner Style Past & Present: See What Former First Ladies Have Worn (PHOTOS, POLL)

It's that time again! On Wednesday night the Obamas will host Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife Margarita Zavala for what will hopefully be a Salahi-free state dinner at the White House. While the big question is "Will there be any party crashers?," the event's second great suspense is "What will Michelle Obama wear?"

Just as we did before Indian state dinner, here's a look back at what former first ladies have donned for this formal occasion (with a little Michelle Obama in Naeem Khan thrown in). As always, vote for your favorite.

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Mamie Eisenhower, 1958

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Following a state dinner for Supreme Court Justices, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower (1896 - 1979) (center, with white gloves) talks with a group of women in the Red Room of the White House. (Photo from LIFE.com)

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Following a state dinner for Supreme Court Justices, First Lady Mamie Eisenhower (1896 - 1979) (center, with white gloves) talks with a group of women in the Red Room of the White House. (Photo from LIFE.com)

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Comments

[MagnoliaBreeze]

10:10 PM on 05/22/2010

Boris Yeltsin and his wife with Barbara and George Bush were really out of place. Black tie event and they both dressed as if they were going to the office.

[TaurusRose]

07:20 PM on 05/21/2010

Hillary Clinton, 1995, with Helmut Kohl looks splendid, simply elegant.

[socalcde]

03:13 PM on 05/24/2010

She looks good in all of the photos, and it is ironic that Nancy Reagan's dress looks so bad when appearance was her whole life.

[TaurusRose]

07:17 PM on 05/21/2010

Jeeeez was it really necessary to include a photo of the dratted Barbara Bush? I've had enough.

[Pupadup4oBama]

05:18 PM on 05/22/2010

very dowdy I must say

[kel2]

01:41 PM on 05/21/2010

Hands down-Michelle Obama in Naeem Khan during the State Dinner for the Indian Prime Minister and his wife. That is the most stunning dress and she looks absolutely glorious. Jackie O is no slouch but can't beat that Ms. O in that instance.

[Pupadup4oBama]

05:18 PM on 05/22/2010

I agree...her shoulders and arms look great.
But there is always something about Jackie...

[jrakansas]

12:20 AM on 05/21/2010

Is it just me, or did Laura Bush have the worst stylist ever? Those gowns were doing her ZERO favors, in both cut and color.

[Pupadup4oBama]

05:19 PM on 05/22/2010

the sparkly bluish purpley peacock thing was not very attractive...and neither was the orange with pink

[Karama]

12:10 AM on 05/21/2010

I put Mrs Kennedy's dresses in 1st, 2nd and 3rd position. Nobody beats her!

[Sunflo]

02:37 PM on 05/20/2010

No more gloves, thank God!

[NevaforLeadership]

04:45 PM on 05/19/2010

Jackie Kennedy, then Michelle Obama, stand out.

[LMPE]

04:23 PM on 05/19/2010

I guess that no foreign leaders wanted to be guests of honor under Nixon and Ford. I don't blame them.

[moda31]

02:42 PM on 05/19/2010

i'm glad michelle chooses formal wear that looks like it was designed this decade. i hope we've seen the last of first ladies who feel as though they have wear those awful skating costume sleeves, and 80s shoulder pads in order to look appropriately formal.

[Yalegirl03]

04:21 PM on 05/19/2010

I agree. Her dress for the state dinner in 2009 was stunning on her. I am glad she chooses designers that dress her decade and age appropriate for these events. One thing I also noticed was all the bare arms and shoulders in the pictures. There is even a pick of Nancy Reagan with an gown that bares one shoulder (which I think looked very well on her.) I think it just shows all of the flap over Michelle Obama's bare arms was just a bunch of nonsense.

[turururu]

05:51 PM on 05/19/2010

I love shoulders pads! And fortunately for me(not so much for you, I'm afraid), they are back in fashion.

[Karama]

04:45 AM on 05/22/2010

Not only are shoulder pads back in fashion, but they turn slightly upwards at the outside end. I think it will take time to get used to that!

[Chloe33]

02:36 PM on 05/19/2010

Except for the lacy bathrobe she looked to be wearing with the King Of Morocco, Hillary never looked so good. Jackie of course has them all beat - by far.

[roblabrousse]

10:12 AM on 05/20/2010

I believe that was probably in deference to the king and his culture of modesty and keeping bare flesh covered. Goes for both men and woman. I thought the garment Hillary wore was charming in light of this observance. Get some culture.

[metivo]

06:08 PM on 05/22/2010

Baloney, culture-man. Did you see Jackie covering her arms etc. during any of the many JFK state dinners? No. It's her house and our country and we dress the way we dress. Our guests dress the way they dress. (The only exception might be the Pope.) No, the explanation for Hillary's bizarre get-up is just her usual lack of style.

[msoverall]

02:26 PM on 05/19/2010

Was someone specifically ordered to make Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush as unattractive as possible? Yikes, what a collection of frumpster, icky colored, ill fitting gowns. Jackie Kennedy looks fantastic, she knew what worked and worked it well.

[trudyjh]

04:50 PM on 05/19/2010

I had forgotten how amazing Jackie looked.

As for those sort of net black things over the arms and shoulders like Hillary is wearing in one photo, they should be illegal. They say Old Lady. If someone feels they need to cover their arms, use something opaque.

Mamie had a nice figure in her youth, who knew.

[Mikeeee]

05:14 PM on 05/19/2010

There's no work involved in making a bush woman unattractive.

[msoverall]

07:00 PM on 05/19/2010

I don't like her husband, I but I don't think Laura in unattractive. I think she picked her clothes to blend into the background, so they were boring and unremarkable, and in some cases (her formal wear) down right ugly.

[raphaella]

01:20 PM on 05/19/2010

Please Hp give the job to someone who really needs it. how many more times are you going to post this article?

imho, Hillary Clinton is the prettiest US first lady.shame that OCDR found it neccessary to make her looks frumpy and dated.

[SukiTheCat]

01:03 PM on 05/19/2010

Calderon needs to get his country in order