Fashions of the First Ladies

The first ladies of China and the US, scheduled for their first-ever meeting this week, have much in common: They are symbols of glamour in their own countries and stand uneclipsed by their more powerful husbands. They are loved by the public not because of their spouses but for who they are. Each woman has created a "power center"-a kind of soft power-from a combination of femininity and self-assertion. And they have channeled it to worthy causes such as helping others. They command the spotlight but never steal the show when the occasion calls for supporting roles. They know that what they do will be put under a microscope, including the clothes they don, and they parlay that kind of influence into exposure for causes with larger meanings. Because they exude strength and charisma at once, they become role models who transcend gender and age.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Chinese first lady Peng Liyuan arrived at Moscow's Vnukovo Airport with her husband President Xi Jinping on March 22, 2013. She picked a navy-blue overcoat, from low-key Chinese fashion designer Ma Ke. The country's fashion observers gave two thumbs up to Peng's look. She has promoted the designer and her brand. US first lady Michelle Obama walked from the Capitol to the White House during President Barack Obama's inaugural parade in Washington on Jan 20, 2009. She was wearing a yellow-gold sheath dress with matching coat by Cuban-born American designer Isabel Toledo. She paired the embellished ensemble with green gloves from J. Crew.

IN TANZANIA: When Michelle Obama visited Tanzania on July 1, she picked a multicolored Rachel Roy printed dress with a coordinating coral cardigan. Peng Liyuan, on arrival in Tanzania on March 24, 2013, chose an elegant suit. She created a formal yet stylish look with a square bag and sky-blue scarf.