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By CLOE CABRERA

ccabrera@tampatrib.com

Published: January 4, 2009

As soon as the race to the White House was over, another competition got under way: Top designers clamored for the chance to dress the soon-to-be first lady for the Jan. 20 White House Inaugural Ball.

Whoever she settled on can expect to be catapulted into the style stratosphere. Inaugural dresses are put on permanent display in the Smithsonian's First Ladies Collection.

While fashionistas across the country wait to see what style statement Michelle Obama will make, we asked some students from the International Academy of Design & Technology in Tampa to play around with the idea of dressing her for the big bash. The resulting sketches would make any fashion-forward first lady proud.

Jose Erazo, 17 - Erazo, a native of Puerto Rico, says Obama's simple yet elegant manner inspired his design.

"I wanted her to be noticed, but I wanted her to look like a first lady," says Erazo, a student at the academy since January. "I combined her simplicity with a little of my glitziness."

Erazo came up with a turquoise knit-gabardine gown with a trumpet skirt. It has a key-hole shoulder strap and features a sprinkling of gold beading along the neckline.

"I love details in a dress," says Erazo, who has been sketching designs since he was in the seventh grade. "Obama is tall and elegant. She can wear a dress with a lot of detail, a lot of beading and a bright color."

Antonette Carter, 20 - An inaugural dress doesn't have to be floor-length, says Carter, a Greensboro, N.C., native.

"I've watched how Michelle Obama speaks; she speaks with authority, and she likes to move around a lot," says Carter, who will graduate from the academy in 2010. "She should be classy, cute and really comfortable."

With that in mind, Carter created a smoky-gray wrap dress made of a cotton blend for "a little give." The collar, neckline and bodice are trimmed with large ruffles. A pleated belt cinches the waist.

"It's very simple; but when the lights hit the fabric, it will radiate," Carter says.

Rogerio Martins, 38 - "She Michelle Obama has to wear a dress that's going to be remembered," says Brazilian-born Martins. "It has to be very feminine, very classy and very spectacular."

Martins looked to the 1930s for inspiration in creating this form-fitting cobalt-blue silk jersey gown with a gathered bodice and a rosette adorning the neckline. It has imperial violet on the waistline and a mermaid skirt.

"The 1930s was a very feminine era," says Martins, who will graduate from the academy in March. "And her dark skin will look beautiful in this color.

"She has a strong personality, and the color matches her personality. She will be remembered in this dress."

Which design do you think is fit for the future first lady? Go to Keyword: Obama Style, and cast a vote for your favorite style. While you're there, tell us which of Michelle Obama's past looks were fab and which were drab. Reporter Cloe Cabrera can be re

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