The hidden symbolism of first ladies’ inaugural fashion

By the time each U.S. President is sworn in, the first lady may already be a familiar face, either due to her campaign trail appearances (or absences), or prior roles within the White House. And, since 1965, when Lady Bird Johnson spearheaded her environmental campaigns, it has also become customary for first ladies — and, presumably in the future, first gentlemen — to prepare their own policies.

Still, the presidential inauguration has long been an opportunity for the first lady to make an immediate first impression — and they’ve often done so through their fashion choices during the day-to-evening affair. In 2021, Dr. Jill Biden promoted the spirit of unity through subtle symbolism, wearing a custom ivory dress and cashmere coat by Gabriela Hearst, embroidered with the federal flowers from every U.S. state and territory. Four years earlier, Melania Trump wore a Ralph Lauren cashmere dress and high-neck cropped jacket in a baby blue hue that conjured the image of former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy and all the fashionable prestige her image evokes.

But the tradition of making a statement through clothing goes back to 1912, when Helen Taft donated her gown from the inaugural ball to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Since then the museum has collected each inaugural ensemble for its First Ladies collection, giving their sartorial choices additional longevity and gravity as they are kept on view for the public.

Below are some of the first ladies whose inauguration outfits held deep symbolism — and sometimes, invited controversy.

Caroline Harrison

Elevating American fashion is now expected when it comes to dressing the first family — with Ralph Lauren becoming the first designer to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom earlier this month, following a long history of dressing presidents and first ladies. But this statement of national pride can be traced as far back as 1889, when, according to the Smithsonian, first lady Caroline Harrison made a tacit declaration when she opted for an inaugural ball look that was fully made in America in order to support President Benjamin Harrison’s “America first” economic platform, according to the Smithsonian.

It was a multistate effort, with a gown from Ghormley, Robes et Manteaux in New York City, its brocaded silk fabric sourced from the Logan Silk Company in the Finger Lakes further north, and its pattern of burr oaks — a tribute to the former president William Henry Harrison, Benjamin’s grandfather — designed by Indiana artist Mary Williamson.

Mamie Eisenhower

Mamie Eisenhower knew the power of the press (and the judiciousness of hype). In 1953, despite calls from the newspapers to release the details of her inauguration dress, she intentionally held her press release and photos until the week before, according to the Smithsonian.

The Nettie Rosenstein-designed dress featured more than 2,000 hand-sewn rhinestones, and was accompanied by matching opera gloves, a rhinestone-encrusted bag, and a triple-strand choker of pearls. The color of her gown was a shade she’d become known for — as the press release described it, “a delicate, yet definite Renoir pink.” Eisenhower’s soft pink gown made another appearance, too, but rendered in paint; for her official portrait by Thomas Edgar Stevens, she posed in the dress next to an accent of spring blooms.

For her husband’s second term, Eisenhower included a bit of self-promotion beyond the press release: She accessorized her glitzy pearl-, crystal- and topaz-embroidered gown (also by Rosenstein) with a bag featuring the letter “M” on one side and “1957” on the other.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Jackie Kennedy was not the first in her role to see fashion as a tool for soft power, but she is remembered for wielding it so efficiently. Though traditionally the evening’s inaugural ball was the place for making a grand entrance, Kennedy’s most notable choice of the day was her pillbox hat: a modern, elegant silhouette in an arresting powder blue by then-emerging milliner Halston. The first lady’s sartorial choices throughout the day, including the off-white silk chiffon sleeveless gown with a matching cape worn to the evening ball itself, solidified her as a new force in the fashion world and supported John F. Kennedy’s vision of a new, transformative era for the presidency.

But some of the hallmarks of her looks that day were not as intended — her hat and coat from the day were not actually blue, but a more neutral tone, and may have been a color-correction issue from Life magazine, CNN reported in 2020. The shape of her hat had a happy accident as well, with a small dent that appeared as Kennedy was adjusting it widely replicated in homages to her look.

Lady Bird Johnson

As first lady, Lady Bird Johnson was the first to take a more active role during the presidential oath of office, holding the bible for Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965 — a choice that has since become tradition. She had already been first lady for more than a year, but the president’s first inauguration had swiftly and grimly taken place on Air Force One in the hours following John F. Kennedy’s assassination.

In pictures from the 1965 event, Johnson stands out in striking red among a sea of mostly black suits. But it’s her vivid yellow satin gown and sable-trimmed coat from that evening that has become one of the most memorable inauguration day looks.

That was intentional, as Johnson considered the dress’s second life in the Smithsonian exhibit when making her choice, according to the museum. The John Moore-designed look was chosen for its straightforward design and materials that she believed would age well in an institutional setting.

Rosalynn Carter

Celebrities and public figures today who resurface looks at different events are often lauded for their sustainably-minded choices — including Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex; Jane Fonda and Cate Blanchett. But Rosalynn Carter, an early adopter of the trend, did not receive the same reception when she recycled her Mary Matise-designed gold-trimmed gown to the inaugural ball in 1977 following Jimmy Carter’s oath of office. She’d worn the gown to his inaugural ball six years earlier when he was elected governor of Georgia, and her resourceful style choice was meant to be a meaningful nod to his accomplishments. But the press (and beyond) criticized the decision.

“She wanted to continue the tradition and wear it when (Carter) was inaugurated president,” Edith Mayo, then-curator of the First Ladies exhibit, told PBS in 2001. “But the fashion community distinctly did not get that and they did not like it.”

Nancy Reagan

Following Rosalynn Carter’s tenure, Nancy Reagan set her intentions in 1981 with an expensive white one-shoulder beaded and lace sheath gown at the inaugural ball. It was “a declaration that fashion mattered,” the New York Times wrote in the obituary of its designer, her longtime collaborator James Galanos. Paired with white opera gloves and her hair in a polished French pleat, the incoming first lady channeled poise and luxury — though she, too, could not escape criticism from the press, this time for having extravagant tastes.

In her outerwear earlier in the day, Reagan introduced the hue she would be most closely associated with during her husband’s two terms: Reagan red, which she wore for his second inauguration as well four years later.

Michelle Obama

Throughout her two terms as first lady, Michelle Obama consistently raised the profiles of emerging American designers, choosing homegrown talent who deeply aligned with her values — and she began with Jason Wu, who designed her one-shouldered white gown adorned with florals and crystals for the 2009 inaugural ball. But it was an accessory earlier in the day, paired with her sparkling Isabel Toledo coat, that caught the attention of the public: her sage green J. Crew gloves, which was interpreted by many as an early symbol of her relatable for-the-people approach to politics.

Obama’s J. Crew outing was not an isolated incident, but the start of a long love affair with their off-the-rack finds. In 2017, Time acknowledged her thriftiness as a J. Crew aficionada, saying: “Women across the nation could relate to the First Lady’s affinity for a cute sweater and a good deal.”

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