Michelle Obama sports lavish dresses on USD 4m Christmas break in Hawaii

Although Michelle Obama has only been spotted on a couple of occasions since arriving in Hawaii, a sartorial analysis of her fashion choices has revealed that her outfits have been consistently high-end.

The 47-year-old, who has successfully managed to rile U.S. taxpayers with her lavish 4 million dollars family jaunt to Hawaii this Christmas, was spotted by the blog Naked DC in a seemingly simple sundress she chose for a church service at the Kaneohe Bay Marine Base on Christmas Day.

The white frock with red and yellow stripes was certainly pretty and occasion-appropriate, but certainly not cheap.

A design by French-born, U.S.-based designer Sophie Theallet, who is a favourite with fashion insiders, it would have set the First Lady back almost 2,000 dollars when she bought it in 2009.u00a0

More recent creations by Theallet sell for even higher figures, a mark-up likely triggered by demand following the lawyer's endorsement of the label.u00a0

She deemed it necessary to change for her second photo op later that day, which was perhaps an opportunity to show off another pricey purchase.u00a0

Though the low-key event was just a meet-and-greet with service members and their families in a nearby mess hall, she chose to dress up in a Comme des Garcons skirt that might cost around 950 dollars.u00a0

Many consider her penchant for expensive fashion labels at odds with her position as an everywoman who identifies with the average woman.u00a0

"She claims to be a champion of the poor and a fellow bargain shopper, but yet, here she is, sporting a dress that no unemployed American can afford," the Daily mail quoted a comment on Naked DC as saying.

"For someone who says she understands the troubles of the American people, who claims to shop at Target, she certainly fails to show it," the comment added.