It's tempting to dismiss Michelle Obama's wardrobe as a topic so frivolous that it shifts the public gaze from its rightful focus on the first lady's efforts to reduce childhood obesity or put healthy eating on the national agenda.

But if there's one thing we can learn from her panache for mixing patterns or flair for pairing Talbot dresses and designer shades, it's that fashion doesn't have to be frivolous.

"She's someone who has proven that you can care about looking great, and take risks in that regard, and also be an incredibly well-spoken, intelligent person who takes action and gets behind issues," said Leah Chernikoff, managing editor of style blog Fashionista.com.

As she stands on the brink of another four years as first lady, her leadership and values should get more attention than the ease with which she transitions from slacks and cardigans to cutting-edge designer gowns. But to minimize the influence of her sartorial choices deprives the rest of us of an opportunity to learn from them, fashion consultants say.

In an image-conscious society, Michelle Obama embodies the importance of honing a signature style and remaining true to it, said Mikki Taylor, editor-at-large of Essence Magazine and author of "Commander-in-Chic: Every Woman's Guide to Managing Her Style Like a First Lady." Developing a personal style that fits our lives and our bodies frees us from worrying about what to wear and lets us focus on what really matters.

"She teaches us that to be a commander-in-chic of your life you don't have to spend a lot of money. It's not about becoming someone else; it's about becoming your best self."

As a style icon, she has the ability to inspire the public in an accessible way that one-wear red carpet fashion doesn't come close to approximating.

"When you look at red carpet you're stargazing, but when you're looking at Mrs. Obama you're taking notes," Taylor said. "We don't have time to stress getting dressed any more than the first lady does so I think it's really important to have wardrobe that you can count on that works for you."

Her outfits emphasize fashion and function, reflecting her broader platform of healthy and active living, said decorative arts historian Carmela Spinelli, chair of the Savannah College of Art and Design's fashion department. When she bares her arms for a gym class with schoolchildren, she makes headlines on the politics page and the style section, inspiring Americans to hit the floor for push-ups and reconsider sheaths under cardigans.

"It's not just great for the fashion industry, but also great for helping us get out and move by showing that the body is just as important as the moment in fashion," Spinelli said.