Written by Zoё Frantz
Edited by Leah Champagne
We are coming up on one of my favourite times of the year – the leaves are beginning to change colours, you may have to wear a coat to class, and, this year in particular, there is an election to follow. As yet another race for office looms in the United States, I see no better time to look back at some of the most fashionable figures that have passed through the White House. However, instead of focusing on the Presidents and their sea of navy and black suits, I would rather draw attention to their right-hand women; these being the First Ladies, of course. I will discuss three of my personal favourites, including their most iconic looks, and where their loyalties lie in terms of fashion houses.
Jackie Kennedy
To begin, I cannot write an article on First Ladies without mentioning Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis, also known as “Jackie O.” While her husband, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was often the center of attention for his good looks (and some suspicions surrounding him and Marilyn Monroe), Jackie never failed to impress the public with her spectacular outfits. One outfit that stands out in the minds of many was her beautiful pink boucle fabric Chanel suit with gold buttons and a navy lapel; she wore this in Dallas, Texas, where JFK was going to make a speech. Complete with a matching pink pillbox hat, white gloves, and the all-important pearl necklace, this outfit was not only extremely vogue for the time, but still remains a classic today. Of course, the day she wore this, November 22, 1963, became a sombre occasion, when JFK was shot dead (L’Officiel).
Although Jackie’s time as FLOTUS was not easy, she truly became a fashion icon in the White House. One accessory that was characteristic to her look was a pair of larger than life, round sunglasses. She didn’t only stick to one pair – over the years, she sported sunglasses of this style from designers including Nina Ricci, Francois Pitton, and Traction (Banton Frameworks). Today, RayBan actually makes a pair of sunglasses modelled after the ones she always used to wear – they are called the “Jackie Oh,” and come in a wide array of colours (I have a pair in black).
Some other honourable mentions for Jackie’s impeccable style include the apricot dress complete with a big bow and matching clutch that she wore on a trip to India with JFK in 1962, the lavender strapless silk embroidered maxi dress she wore to the National Gallery of Art in 1963, and her leopard print coat and matching hat that she wore throughout her husband’s time as POTUS (W). And into the 1970s and beyond, even after she was no longer FLOTUS, Jackie always tried something new and fresh with her style.
Lady Bird Johnson
The next First Lady I’d like to shine the spotlight on is Claudia Alta Johnson, more commonly known as “Lady Bird Johnson.” Her husband, Lyndon Baines Johnson (notice the continuity of initials) was President from 1963, stepping in for Kennedy after he was assassinated, until 1969. Lady Bird Johnson was known best for her dresses – although their silhouettes were very en vogue for the time (usually floor-length, a-line shift or swing dresses), and her style was fairly modest for the most part. She always added her own twist to her pieces and this could be through embellishment, a cape or shawl, or a funky fabric.
One dress I absolutely love is a butter yellow spaghetti strap maxi dress paired with a tulle floral cape she wore to accompany LBJ to meet with President Giuseppe Saragat of the Italian Republic in 1967 (LBJ Library). She pairs this with a yellow leather clutch and gold earrings, all of which work together to elicit a certain air of glamour.
Johnson also prided herself on collaborating with American designers as much as she could. In particular, she was loyal to designer Mollie Parnis, who also worked with First Ladies Mamie Eisenhower, Pat Nixon, and Betty Ford (LBJ Library). Together, LBJ and Parnis would work to design the perfect dress or outfit to fit the event. Included with this article are the sketches for one gold formal gown with jewelled and embellished sleeves which Johnson wore on more than one occasion (LBJ Library).
LBJ was also seen sporting a shorter dress or pantsuit from time to time for less formal occasions or for the warmer seasons, including a tomato orange sheath dress and matching jacket with a navy lapel and black buttons (LBJ Library). Similar to Jackie O’s aforementioned Chanel suit, she wore this outfit to visit Oregon’s Multnomah Falls in 1968 (LBJ Library). In other cases, when she wasn’t dressed in her finest garb, she could often be spotted wearing cowboy boots, a nod to her southern roots (LBJ Library).
Michelle Obama
And finally, we have the absolute style icon that is Michelle Obama. Not only is she an amazing role model to young girls everywhere, but she is also a prolific fashionista. From when Barack was elected in 2008, Michelle constantly raised the bar for FLOTUS style. She worked with a number of designers for her formalwear, including Jason Wu, Michael Kors and Vera Wang (InStyle). One of my personal favourite formal looks of hers was the Carolina Herrera dress she wore to greet Pope Francis in 2015 (InStyle). Despite the 2010s often being regarded as somewhat of a fashion void, this powder blue cowl-neck midi dress with a lettuce hem and matching slim belt is a timeless classic.
When she isn’t writing a hit book or greeting aristocrats from around the globe, Obama is often seen rocking elevated casualwear. This side of her style has perhaps emerged more after her time as FLOTUS, but it is nonetheless very elegant. This branch of her personal style often emphasizes combining textures and playing with the classic pantsuit. While making numerous television appearances in 2022 to speak about The Light We Carry, her second-most-recent book, she always dressed to impress. Some outfits included a dark wash denim cargo two piece set with wine red leather stiletto boots, a black leather jacket and pants with black studded leather stiletto boots and white tank top, and, my personal favourite, the teal pant suit she wore on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (InStyle). Complete with a powder blue sweetheart top, silver slingback heels, and an oversized flower boutonniere, Obama shows us that you really can have it all; an extremely successful career, wonderful family, and style (InStyle).
In my opinion, one thing that is cool about Michelle Obama is that, whether it was during her time in the White House or not, she always worked with haute couture and ready to wear designers, but also more accessible ones. That is, not only did she vary the designers she worked with, but she didn’t always go for the most expensive pieces either; furthermore, she often chose global designers, rather than just American ones. For example, for her final White House State Dinner in 2016, she wore a beautiful custom rose gold fitted chainmail gown with an asymmetric off-shoulder neckline by Atelier Versace (InStyle). However, she has also been seen sporting bridge and mass-market fashion brands such as Hugo Boss and J.Crew, including the navy midi dress with pink, green, and orange chevron she wore to the United State of Women Summit in 2016 (InStyle). In other instances, she has combined high and mid-level brands, such as when she wore a navy and pastel blue checked coat by Thom Browne, Reed Krakoff stiletto boots, and J.Crew accessories for the Inauguration Parade in 2013 (InStyle). All of this goes to show that truly, you do not need to be wearing luxury clothes to look like a million bucks – it all comes down to how you style your clothes and how you carry yourself.
To conclude, these are my picks for the chicest first ladies in U.S. history so far. Honourable mention must be given to Kamala Harris, who never fails to sport a vibrant and smart pantsuit as she campaigns for the upcoming 2024 election. This election is particularly exciting, not only because I want to see more of Harris’ style, but also because it will hopefully mark a very important moment in U.S. history; that is, the first woman president, and one of colour. Then, maybe one day, articles will be written on the chicest women presidents, too.
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