As the fashion world waited with bated breath to see which label Michelle Obama would choose to wear during her husband’s swearing-in ceremony this weekend, her thunder was somewhat stolen by her daughter Malia – and a $49.95 H&M dress.

The older First Daughter followed her father’s lead in wearing blue, the Democrat party colour. But she shunned designer labels, instead choosing a cobalt blue skater-style dress by high street retailer H&M. She layered it over a long-sleeved black T-shirt and black opaque tights.

Michelle, meanwhile, opted for a sedate navy shift dress and matching cardigan by – which, some commentators noted, was a brave choice, considering that the Republican candidate Mitt Romney's wife, Ann, was roundly criticised for wearing a $990 silk T-shirt by the brand during the election campaign.

Younger daughter Sacha rounded out the family picture in an as-yet unidentified sweet pink party dress cinched in at the waist with a gold belt.

H&M have confirmed that the dress Malia wore was stocked in the UK as part of its adult line - priced £34.99 and in colours red, black and blue - and that there is limited stock still available. She has worn the dress previously, in September 2012.

'It’s great that Malia has chosen to wear H&M for such an important occasion, and by wearing it again it shows that she is not afraid to recycle her previous style choices,' a spokesperson for the label told us. 'We love that she added a black top underneath when she wore it the second time in order to update the dress and make it more appropriate for the time of year.'

Only Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the President’s family were present at the private taking of the Oath of Office, which took place in the Blue Room of the White House on Sunday afternoon.

The previous evening, Katy Perry, dressed head-to-toe in stars and stripes, performed at the Kids’ Inaugural Concert, which celebrates military families. And there’s plenty more celebrity – and fashion – watching to be done, as today is official Inauguration Day, which hosts the public Swearing-in Ceremony, the Inaugural Parade through Washington DC and the official Inaugural Balls. Like her emotional rendition of At Last at the President’s 2009 Inaugural Ball, Beyoncé’s performance at this year’s is again set to be a highlight.

See Michelle Obama's Style File

What we’d love to see Michelle Obama wear during the 2013 inauguration