First lady Michelle Obama turned heads during a recent diplomatic visit to Saudi Arabia when she arrived without wearing a headscarf. The visit took place after the death of King Abdullah, and both Barack and Michelle Obama met Abdullah's successor, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Obama always gets high marks for her "fashion diplomacy," as she often references the cultures of other countries. For example, during last year's visit to India, she wore the clothing of Indian-American designers quite often.

However, in her most recent trip abroad she declined to observe the customs of Saudi Arabia - whose women have a very strict dress code, are unable to drive, and must be with a male guardian at all times. According to the Washington Post, Saudi Arabian women must have their face and hair covered in public, and wear long, flowing robes. Obama chose to wear a flowing blue top, black pants, and no head covering.

Her choice of attire resulted in both positive and negative reponses on Twitter. However, many responses were negative and accompanied by the hashtag "#Michelle_Obama_unveiled." Adam Taylor of the Washington Post writes, "Some users pointed out that on a recent trip to Indonesia, Michelle had worn a headscarf. Why not in Saudi Arabia?"

One tweet read, "I actually do not appreciate her disrespect. Regardless of personal feelings and beliefs, she was a guest in another country & culture. She should make no judgments, but show proper respect at a funeral." Another stated, "THANK YOU @MichelleObama for standing up for women. Now can we also tell them that lashes & beheadings are not ok."

The Guardian reports that Obama's choice in attire references the late King Abdullah's legacy on women. A statement by the Human Rights Watch reads, "King Abdullah came to power promising reforms, but his agenda fell far short of achieving lasting institutional gains for Saudi citizens...

King Salman, the new ruler, should move the country forward by ending intolerance for free expression, rooting out gender and sectarian discrimination, and fostering a fair and impartial judicial system."

What are your thoughts on the first lady's choice in clothing?