Among the most fashionable and influential First Ladies, there is a spot reserved for Frances Cleveland. At just 21 years old, she married 49 year old President Grover Cleveland in the first and still the only White House wedding. Interestingly enough, Grover had been her father’s business partner when she was born. He generously supported her family following the passing of her father when she was a small child. He took a special liking to Frances—he even paid for her college education—and she took to calling him Uncle Cleve (O’Brien 120). It is unclear when the two became romantically involved, but Grover owes much of his popularity to his endlessly stylish young wife.
Their wedding itself was a grand affair covered extensively by the press. The American public could not get enough the beautiful and refined soon-to-be First Lady. The papers reported detailed descriptions of her lavish wedding dress and praised her simplicity and beauty:
“The bride wore an enchanting white dress of ivory satin, simply garnished on the high corsage with India muslin crossed in Grecian folds and carried in exquisite falls of simplicity over the petticoat. The orange blossom garniture, commencing upon the veil in a superb coronet, is continued throughout the costume with artistic skill. She carried no flowers and wore no jewelry except an engagement ring, containing a sapphire and two diamonds” (Pous).
Perhaps the most influential of Frances’s fashion choices was one she didn’t actually make—it was made up by the press!
“So closely was her clothing style copied that during the summer of 1887, when two Washington reporters found themselves with no general interest stories, they created a tale that the First Lady had decided to stop wearing the bustle-type dress: shortly thereafter the popular bustle met its fashion demise across the country” (First Ladies’ Library).
At any rate, this incident exemplified the extent to which American women followed and imitated the First Lady.
Not everyone was especially pleased by her youthful and modern style of dress. In fact, she was often criticized by conservative groups, particularly the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, for showing too much skin and promoting unwholesome ideas. While she supported the temperance movement, Frances stuck to wearing what she liked. It was not uncommon for her to wear dresses that revealed her shoulders, chest, and arms. She made many statements through her bold clothing choices.
With that being said, Frances refrained from involving herself too much in politics. As a bright, intellectual young woman, she was highly educated about social issues but struggled to find a balance between her personal opinions and her formal role as the First Lady. However, due to her remarkable popularity and education level, she was seen as a role model and leader for women’s suffrage, education, and labor laws without needing to speak her mind on such issues (Robar).
Frances Cleveland may have been the youngest First Lady, but she set the bar high for future First Ladies with her exceptional charm and style.
The First Ladies of Fashion 