Musings on Past Inaugural Fashions

I've had fun looking at the retrospectives of fashion worn to past inaugural balls and swearing in ceremonies. Huffington Post has a nice photo gallery here and I have to concur with most of the comments about Jackie having the most perfect sense of what styles worked best for her and best suited the occasion. I also agree on the comments about Lynne Cheney - yikes.

Someone whose sartorial preferences I actually admired was Marilyn Quayle. Not her politics to be sure, and not her choices in hairstyles or hats, but consider the rest of the outfit she wore on Inauguration Day 1989, the color and its shape:



She didn't make the mistake of wearing pastel and opted for one of the best colors a brunette could choose - cobalt blue.  The white turtleneck is flattering to her coloring and her figure while being functional.  Trust me, I was down on the parade route that day and it was coooold.

Here she is again in royal purple in a photo from the Marquette University's archives of Governor Tommy Thompson:



Her hair is pulled back and looks almost severe.  But this particular hairstyle works on her by playing up her thin frame and dramatic coloring and is a departure from the DC "helmet" hair. The dress is a bold royal hue that's anything but bland.

And Mrs. Quayle in red, what appeared to be a favorite:



A common choice for inaugural festivities and for women in politics generally but on brunettes again, an excellent choice.

I remember hearing way back she was an admirer of Jeanne Marc designs like this even having a vague memory of her wearing a black and white Jeanne Marc dress with a very abstract look to it, big shoulders, piping and a very inverted triangle shape. Not the usual style of clothing for a political wife or female officeholder but again, this look suited her.

I believe it or not, see similarity in Michelle Obama's choices of clothing - she likes prints and bold color and isn't shy about wearing less mainstream designers like Reem Acra or Thakoon.   She is also tall and like Mrs. Quayle, likes to exercise and work out.   I'm looking forward to seeing what she wears at the Inauguration and beyond.

But What Will the Bidens Wear?

There has been alot of happy speculation in the blogosphere about what the Obamas will wear on Inauguration Day and to the balls later that night. The Preppy Princess has been closely following what the Obamas and their daughters might be wearing on the big day and night and she has links to that eye candy that is the WWD slideshow of potential looks for President Elect and Mrs. Obama and their daughters. No doubt all of them will look great - all four of them wear clothes well.

I'm curious though about that other couple the day will be honoring - the Vice President Elect and Dr. Biden. It's pretty obvious the Vice President elect cares about dressing well and judging from the article from the November 2008 edition of Vogue, Dr. Biden likes clothes as well. Though I wish I knew both of them personally, I don't, but I think it's safe to say she is probably looking forward to choosing a gown for the inaugural balls and will want one that's fashionable but ladylike and flattering - hey, if I ran 5 miles daily, I'd want to show off my figure too.

I'm guessing the Veep elect will wear a business suit with a blue tie, a combo he's been wearing quite a bit of lately and that works for him, then at the balls, a traditional tuxedo. I'm thinking his wife might be interested in looks similar to these:



This Badgley Mischka is a gorgeous color and unfussy, elegant style.



Ah, red. And the interesting thing about this gown is it also skims the body but the sleeves make it ladylike, a little more "serious" and less Hollywood. Not that Hollywood is a bad place but the Inaugrual is not the Oscars.

Both lovely choices, but then I saw this from a designer called Helen Morley:



And thought that this would be the look I'd love to see Dr. Biden wear. When I went to the Helen Morley website and saw a simpler version of the gown above with a lace bolero - I wish I could have uploaded the pic but dratted Flashplayer kept me from doing so - I was convinced all the more. Her designs are beautiful without being froufrou, grown up without being dowdy or sack like. And the shapes are simple enough that anyone who's preppy at heart would feel great in them. I would love to see Dr. Biden in a gown from this designer, and for more people to get to know Helen Morley's clothes.