Michelle Obama has certainly earned her place as the top fashion touchstone of the political world. But, just as President Obama’s re-election was not the only victory on Election Day, the First Lady’s outfit also faced some sartorial competition with the evening’s results watchers.
(MORE: Michelle Obama Repeats Michael Kors Dress on Election Night)
Two of Obama’s challengers were Lily Esposito (no, not the character on the old WB show Popular) and Maddie Esposito, daughters of Senator Claire McCaskill, who surrounded their mother in St. Louis as she delivered a victory speech after defeating Republican Todd Akin, who was considered a heavy favorite in the race before he became infamous for his comments about “legitimate rape.” The Espositos wore matching matte raspberry lipstick and black eyeliner with natural-looking faces. Lily Esposito (left, the one who yawned just as her mother began speaking) wore a dutch-braid headband (YouTube tutorial, here we come), a corn-colored collared shirt and a black dress with a striking blue color-block sleeve. Maddie Esposito (right) wore a pale dress with ruffles and pleats and a black belt. Buzzfeed dubs the sisters “The Breakout Stars of Claire McCaskill’s Victory Speech” and compares Maddie to Chloe Sevigny. (We were also reminded of Leelee Sobieski.) The Huffington Post style section is also singing their praises, while Styleite calls them “our new political girl crushes.”
(MORE: Presidential Eyewear: Benji Frank’s Election Collection)
Last night wasn’t a one-time thing either. The Flickr feed that belongs to the Boone County Democrats, of Columbia, Mo., is full of shots of the Espositos looking chic while helping their mother’s campaign. (Full discloser: I think Maddie Esposito and I own the same shirt in different colors. That polka-dot number is from Madewell.)
It’s also not the first time Maddie Esposito, who is two years older than Lily, has made news. Early in 2008, when she was 18, Esposito made another appearance in TIME: Senator McCaskill’s daughter was credited with convincing her to endorse President Obama during his first campaign for the office. She threatened never to speak to her mother again if the endorsement was not forthcoming—and now we know that’s not the only way in which she’s bold.