Yesterday was all about the principles and their wives, the would-be First Ladies, so we get to take a little break from Sarah Palin.

I liked what Michelle wore last night — a simple royal blue sheath the hit just below the knee — but I don’t think it was her best-dressed moment.

It looked as if she had burgundy kitten heels on (a welcome change from the flats she wears so much). If so, they were a nice complement to her husband’s tie. (But is it possible to overthink these things? I’m refering now to the stylist(s), not to myself.)

What stood out was her necklace. Others last night were also wearing them (see the woman to Obama’s left, Lilibet Hagel, Senator Chuck Hagel’s wife — love that necklace) but Michelle’s was a little different, a simple pearl strand gussied up with some pins.

She may win points for creativity, but I have to say I didn’t love it. It seemed a little too playful, casual, and, well, fun for this setting — a formal event that, for the participants, didn’t seem particularly fun at all. And to me the point of a sheath like this one (which fit her just a wee bit too snugly, in my opinion) is its simple elegance, and that’s another reason why the necklace didn’t work for me.

A necklace more like the one on Lilibet Hagel might have worked better. That’s what others in the audience chose — shorter multi-strand necklaces, which can frame the face very flatteringly. Hillary looked good in hers, and I love the necklace on the woman next to her in this photo — anyone know who that is?

(First and third photos from Huffington Post. Middle photo from Zimbio.)