The most well-known and loved facet of First Lady fashion is undoubtedly the tradition of the inaugural gowns.
An inaugural gown not only reflects a First Lady’s personal style, but it often embodies the political and social climate of the time. Further, her fashion choices early on always spark conversation regarding her influence and agenda. Often, an inaugural gown comes to be representative of the woman who wore it and the era in which it was worn.
Each year, thousands visit the exhibit of inaugural gowns on display at the American History Smithsonian in Washington, DC. The gowns are displayed in an effort to draw attention to the political role and public images of the First Ladies.
Helen Taft was the first to donate her 1909 inaugural gown, but she has truly set the precedent. The Smithsonian has now acquired a dress worn every First Lady—Martha Washington all the way to Michelle Obama.
The history of the exhibit is described as:
“Following the pattern established in 1912 by collection founders Cassie Mason Myers Julian-James and Rose Gouverneur Hoes, the Smithsonian Institution asks each first lady to donate a dress to represent her in the collection. As the popularity of the collection has grown, so has the ceremony surrounding the donation of the dresses. Early donations were informal affairs and often happened after the first lady had left the White House. Modern gown presentations are staged media events publicizing both the Smithsonian and the first lady” (Smithsonian).
There is an online interactive version of the exhibit available at http://americanhistory.si.edu/firstladies-interactive/.
The First Ladies of Fashion 