Valerie Trierweiler Wears A Dress Only A French First lady Could Pull Off (PHOTOS)

Try as we might, we'll never compete with the allure of French women. Nowhere was this more apparent than during last night's state dinner at France's Élysée Palace, where "first lady" Valerie Trierweiler taught us Yanks a thing or two about turning heads.

Sauntering in to greet German President Joachim Gauck and his companion Daniela Schadt, Valerie looked impossibly elegant in an ankle-length black dress with an asymmetrical hem and hip detailing. The clean lines and three-quarter sleeves gave us Audrey Hepburn vibes, but the overall effect was classic French sex appeal.

Up until now, Valerie has eschewed all things glam, skipping red carpets and performing her "first lady" fashion show duties in simple ensembles. Last night's state dinner look, however, is certainly the political journalist's first major Carla Bruni moment since François Hollande became president last year.

If she keeps this up, she might just be able to soften her image and lose that pesky nickname.

PHOTOS:

There's something about Valerie:

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