A Brief History of Our First Ladies' Inaugural Gowns
The Inaugural Ball hasn't always been a must-see event for First Ladies. Our original First Lady, Martha Washington, skipped her husband's celebration, possibly because she didn't really approve of him running for office in the first place. Prior to the 20th century, the Inaugural events were only occasionally attended by the First Lady. Even when the president's wife did take part, her gown was seldom noted, and, sadly, rarely survived the test of time. Today, it's a much different story: The fashion choices of a First Lady are endlessly documented and analyzed, and landmark gowns are preserved for museum exhibition.
2021, of course, is a different story in that Joe Biden's inauguration won't be marked with crowded parties. It's unclear at this point, if there will be some sort of virtual ball for Jill Biden to attend, but ahead of January 20, here, we take a look back at inaugural gowns of recent decades, along with a few stunning examples of those from events long passed.
Dolley was a legendary hostess known for her parties, so it's fitting that she was be the first First Lady to host an official Inaugural Ball. Her love of fashion was just as well known, and her choice of dress was closely watched. She chose a hand-embroidered cream gown that featured a fine floral pattern.
James Buchanan was a bachelor and assigned the duties of First Lady to his niece, Helen Lane Johnston. Her inaugural gown (which was accessorized with flowers) was considered shocking at the time for its low-cut "European" style.
A floral headpiece and sash picks up the embroidered floral accents in the dress Mary Todd Lincoln wore for her husband's inauguration. She famously loved to shop, racking up thousands of dollars in bills for clothes and decorations for the White House (which reportedly enraged the more practical President Lincoln).
For President Ulysses S. Grant's inauguration, his wife wore a silver-and-white brocade gown accessorized with a lace fichu. Julia professed to not having an interest in fashion, but was known for choosing unfussy, American-made clothes.
Benjamin Harrison's policies encouraged American economic expansion, and Caroline's inaugural dress nodded to this stance. Her silk gown was made in New York, with a brocade design by Indiana artist Mary Williamson that paid tribute to Harrison's grandfather, President William Henry Harrison. The details included burr oaks, which grew along the Tippacanoe Creek—the site of the famous battle that gave the elder Harrison his nickname.
Made of Venetian lace and ivory silk, and accented with gold trim, Ida's dress was pure luxury. Perhaps such details mattered because Ida was skilled at handicraft herself: She crocheted 4,000 slippers over the course of her life to give to friends, orphans, and veterans.
It was with Edith Roosevelt that the Smithsonian Institute began their First Lady collection. Unfortunately, she didn't have much to give: She often tore dresses for their material after wearing them, including the bodice of the gown she wore for President Theodore Roosevelt's inauguration, shown here. Luckily, her daughter still had the skirt (and the rest was reconstructed from photos of the gown).
Luckily, Helen Taft made sure that her gowns stayed intact for their later inclusion into the Smithsonian Collection. Her 1909 inauguration gown was made of white silk chiffon and accented with metallic embroidery, rhinestones, and beads.
The second wife of President Woodrow Wilson knew how to make a dramatic entrance. Her inaugural gown was made of black velvet and had an eight-foot sequined train. Her love of fashion even rubbed off on her husband, who began to take sartorial risks after their wedding.
Eleanor Roosevelt attended more inaugural balls than any other First Lady—after all, her husband was elected four times. This pink and rayon gown by Arnold Constable was festive, but low-key, an appropriate choice for the 1945 inaugural reception.
For President Harry S. Truman's inaugural reception, Bess wore a silver dress with a woven feather design. Her gown was by Pola Kostrukoff, a popular fashion designer who received the official title of dress designer for the White House during the Truman administration.
Over 2,000 rhinestones decorated the inauguration gown of Mamie Eisenhower, who chose to wear her signature color, pink. She accessorized the dress with matching gloves and shoes designed by Delman—the pair even had her name on the instep.
For President Dwight D. Eisenhower's second inauguration, Mamie went in a different direction. This time, she chose a citron lace-and-taffeta gown detailed with matching tiny pearls, crystal drops, and translucent topaz. And like her first gown, it was designed by Nettie Rosenstein.
A sharp contrast to Mamie's glittering gowns, Jackie's inauguration dress had a simple silhouette. The sleeveless off-white gown of silk chiffon over peau d'ange was based on sketches by Jackie, and included a matching cape. But it wasn't completely devoid of fanciful details: The bodice had finely embroidered silver flowers.
Jackie Kennedy was a tough act to follow. Lady Bird Johnson chose her yellow gown with matching sable-trimmed coat with timelessness in mind.
Crystals reappeared on the scene with Pat Nixon's 1969 inaugural gown, which included a bolero encrusted with Austrian stones. The gown itself was a high-necked citron number with gold and silver details.
For President Nixon's 1973 inaugural ball, Pat wore a slightly more fashion-forward design by Adele Simpson. The long-sleeved turquoise gown was also covered in crystal details.
With its matching gold-embroidered coat, Rosalynn's chiffon blue gown was very '70s. Her choice was much-discussed, not because of the design necessarily, but instead because Rosalynn had also worn it to her husband's 1971 gubernatorial inauguration.
Nancy had a famous appreciation for designer styles, and her 1981 one-shouldered Galanos gown was definitely a glamorous choice. The lace-over-silk-satin garment suited the ball's white-tie dress code.
Nancy's 1985 inaugural gown, also by Galanos, featured elaborate Art Deco-inspired beadwork that reportedly took over 300 hours to hand-apply. The bolero made for a more conservative silhouette than her 1981 gown.
Like Lady Bird Johnson coming after Jacqueline Kennedy, Barbara Bush had a tough sartorial act to follow in Nancy Reagan. Her personal style was much more conservative than Nancy's, but her 1989 Arnold Scaasi did reveal a glamorous side. The royal blue dress had a velvet bodice and a gathered, silk satin skirt.
Hillary's first inaugural ball gown was by Sarah Phillips, a designer who had just started her label in 1989 (and hailed from Little Rock, Arkansas). The violet beaded lace sheath had an iridescent blue velvet silk mousseline overskirt that gave the dress a fuller silhouette.
For her second inaugural gown, Hillary went with Oscar de la Renta. The long, embroidered tulle dress also had a coordinating cape that nodded to Jackie Kennedy's. While the $4,500 price tag did merit a few headlines, the White House noted that Hillary paid for the look herself.
Laura's first inauguration dress was a red crystal-embroidered Chantilly lace over silk-georgette gown by Texas designer Michael Faircloth. The designer apparently had to talk Laura into wearing the bold color.
Like Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush went with Oscar de la Renta for her second inauguration gown. The designer selected the soft blue color to match Laura's eyes.
Michelle Obama surprised little-known designer Jason Wu by selecting his dress for President Obama's first inaugural ball. (Wu had no idea until he saw the dress on television.) The one-shouldered white silk-chiffon gown was embellished with organza flowers that sparkled with their Swarovski crystal centers.
Just as she did for the first inauguration, Michelle went with Jason Wu for President Obama's second inauguration. The custom chiffon gown had a cross-halter neckline and stood out with its brilliant ruby hue.
After the powder blue Ralph Lauren ensemble Melania wore to the inauguration ceremony, she in an off-the-shoulder crepe gown was designed by Hervé Pierre at the inaugural ball.
A Brief History of Our First Ladies' Inaugural Gowns
The Inaugural Ball hasn't always been a must-see event for First Ladies. Our original First Lady, Martha Washington, skipped her husband's celebration, possibly because she didn't really approve of him running for office in the first place. Prior to the 20th century, the Inaugural events were only occasionally attended by the First Lady. Even when the president's wife did take part, her gown was seldom noted, and, sadly, rarely survived the test of time. Today, it's a much different story: The fashion choices of a First Lady are endlessly documented and analyzed, and landmark gowns are preserved for museum exhibition.
2021, of course, is a different story in that Joe Biden's inauguration won't be marked with crowded parties. It's unclear at this point, if there will be some sort of virtual ball for Jill Biden to attend, but ahead of January 20, here, we take a look back at inaugural gowns of recent decades, along with a few stunning examples of those from events long passed.
Jackie Kennedy raised the bar for history, but the boldest choice may have been Mary Todd Lincoln's floral crown.
Solve the daily Crossword
