The First Lady Wears Jason Wu

President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama danced their way through 10 official inaugural balls on Tuesday night.

Before the dancing took off, Barack Obama addressed the crowd, which erupted in applause when he entered the room. "First of all, how good-looking is my wife?" Obama joked.

And how good-looking was Michelle Obama, who had kept her choice of a designer and dress style a secret until the moment she entered the dance floor.

The first lady looked gorgeous in a long white gown designed by up-and-coming designer Jason Wu, 26. The gown is made of ivory silk chiffon, embellished with organza and Swarovski crystal rhinestones and silver thread embroidery.

Wu said he intended the gown to stand for everything that she and President Obama are about. "It's about hope. It's about newness," he said. "It's all a little dreamlike, and we're making history, and I wanted to really reflect that." The designer didn't know that she had chosen his gown until her first ball appearance Tuesday night. "It's thrilling. ... For a young designer, I couldn't ask for any more than this"
-Chloé van der Wel