Normally, I don't blog much on matters involving people's personal appearance. But occasionally I can't resist temptation, and there's always the exception that proves the rule.

So, after 24 hours of self-deprivation, I am no longer able to resist the picture of first ladies Carla Bruni and Michelle Obama that launched a photo caption contest. (When Glenn Reynolds linked it, he said the picture reminded him of this vintage gem.)

Here's the picture that generated the commotion:

Incidentally, this comes on the heels of an earlier "First lady fashion faceoff," which had been detailed in a HuffPo puff piece:

The first ladies' outfits complemented each other, and each stuck to their favorite designer. Michelle wore a poppy printed Thakoon coat over a matching pink dress, while Carla wore a belted Dior trench in gray suede. Both coats had a bow on the neck and fell just below the knee.

Michelle wore black kitten heels while Carla went for Dior flats.

Anyway, among the comments to the Althouse post was a remark which, while not a caption, caused a friend to email me to say, simply, "this one hit it":

Carla Bruni is a beautiful rich white woman. There is no more priveledged class of people on earth than rich, beautiful, white Western Women. Bruni is the symbol of everything Michelle Obama has been angry about her entire life.

It is hard not to notice that Michelle Obama does not look happy in the picture. (I think she looked downright pouty, and she didn't look especially happy to me in most of the HuffPo pictures.) How much of this is based on animosity or resentment towards Bruni, I don't know. But the overall dynamics of the European move to the right must just kill the left, especially the American left. For years they were scolding America for having a conservative presidency who was out of touch with progressive Europe, and now that they've got someone exactly to their liking in the White House, the damned European voters had to betray them by acting like a bunch of ungrateful children and electing conservatives. Really, look at this:

Right-leaning governments were ahead of the opposition in Germany, France, Italy and Belgium, while conservative opposition parties were leading in Britain and Spain.

And now President Obama -- the guy who promised to rebuild bridges with our former European allies -- has to build new bridges with conservatives. (Will our former allies just go on being former allies?) The irony is delicious.

What I also find delicious is what the First Family had for dinner in England.

Having spent yesterday in Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament - they had tea with Sarah Brown but were at least spared meeting Gordon Brown - the Obamas probably felt they had earned a hearty meal.

However, they eschewed the many upmarket restaurants of Mayfair - such as Scott's and Corrigan's - for the rather less glamorous surroundings of the The Audley.

The children chose the fish supper at £7.95 while their mother opted for sirloin steak at £9.15.

Before their main course the girls tucked into a hot cheese platter, washed down with Pepsi Cola. Mrs Obama, 45, shared wine with the adult entourage, who ate burgers.

In England the government has condemned them in a press release.

In New Zealand, the mere mention of fish and chips has been banned from children's books.

And in the United States, the well-heeled (well non-leather-heeled, I would hope) lobbying group PETA has called for relabeling fish as "sea kittens" in the hopes of brainwashing children.

So, I like the fact that Michelle Obama served her children sea kittens and chips.

As to the fact that she ordered steak, does it take a conspiracy theorist to say that she was in the mood for red meat?

MORE: Those who assume she's a garden variety conservative might find this statement from Carla Bruni surprising:

I'm monogamous from time to time, but I prefer polygamy and polyandry.

We live in confusing times.