Inauguration Gowns & The Stories Behind What The First Ladies Wore

A look back at the most significant inauguration gowns in history... and a prediction of what Melania Trump will wear.

The famously stylish and sociable hostess Dolley Madison was the first First Lady to host an official inauguration ball, in 1809. In her richly embroidered cream dress, with a substantial bustle, she set the tone for generations to come by pulling out all the stops when choosing her inaugural gown.

Today, the inaugural gown is possibly the most important dress that an incoming First Lady will ever wear (she likely holds only her wedding gown in higher regard). Over the years, inauguration dresses have captured the world’s headlines, marked the styles of the times and been immortalised in the fashion history books and at Washington’s Smithsonian Museum, which currently houses many of those pictured here.

Here, we revisit the stories behind 19 of the most recent inauguration gowns – and predict what incoming First Lady Melania Trump will wear on Monday.

1953: Mamie Eisenhower

In the run up to the 1953 inauguration of president Dwight Eisenhower, there was much commentary in the newspapers about what his wife Mamie might choose to wear to the gala events. Mrs Eisenhower kept the details of her pale pink Nettie Rosenstein dress, encrusted with over 2000 crystals, a secret up until a week before the big day, when she posed for formal portraits for the newspapers.

The media strategy employed by Mrs Eisenhower in the 1950s set the tone for all First Ladies who followed her - the inauguration gown is kept a secret, creating even more interest.

1957: Mamie Eisenhower

For Eisenhower’s second term, Mamie upped the ante even further. This Nettie Rosenstein gown featured more than 3400 tiny pearls, as well as clear topaz stones. Her bag was designed by Judith Leiber, then an assistant of Rosenstein who would go on to make the inaugural bags for most First Ladies going forward.

1961: Jacqueline Kennedy

For President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration ball, Jacqueline Kennedy wore a white gown and cape that she designed herself in collaboration with Bergdorf Goodman’s Ethan Frankau. She was making a statement by having such an input on her look, and deliberately chose white so that she would stand out in black and white photographs at the time. Underneath the cape, the dress featured a sheer overlay panel and a strapless bodice. There was some sparkle, but the overall lack of embellishment marked the arrival of 1960s monochrome, and a contrast to Mrs Eisenhower’s 1950s bling.

Mrs Kennedy had committed to making the White House “a showcase of American art and history” and had announced that Oleg Cassini, creator of her three daytime outfits for the inauguration, would be her official designer going forward. Many assume that Cassini created Mrs Kennedy’s ballgown that night, however it was in fact Frankau.

1965: Lady Bird Johnson

Lady Bird Johnson, wife of the 36th US president Lyndon Johnson, wore a yellow satin gown designed by John Moore and bought through Neiman Marcus in Texas. The modest all-American look was completed with white gloves and pearls - deemed suitable for an inauguration held just a year after President Kennedy was assassinated.

1969: Pat Nixon

Mrs Pat Nixon also chose sunny yellow to bring a sense of optimism to her husband’s Inauguration Day. The satin Karen Stark for Harvey Berin gown was embellished with Swarovski crystals.

The inauguration ball was held at the Smithsonian Institution - the location of the museum which today houses all of the dresses pictured in this story. At the gala, President Nixon announced, ‘I like all of Pat’s dresses, particularly this one tonight, and, … when she gets finished with it, you’ll get it at the Smithsonian.’ His comments secured the fashion legacy of First Ladies to come.

1973: Pat Nixon

When her husband was elected for another four years, Pat Nixon chose an Adele Simpson gown for his second inauguration ball. This time Mrs Nixon opted for an iridescent turquoise organza fabric, with a lamé material underneath for extra shimmer. Not pictured here is the short white mink jacket which Mrs Nixon added, made by Ritter Brothers.

1977: Rosalynn Carter

If Jill Biden chooses to buy her dress off the rack, she wouldn’t be the first to do so. Rosalynn Carter sent a powerful message when she re-wore the shop-bought Mary Matise dress that she’d worn to her husband’s previous inauguration as Governor of Georgia, a sensitive decision made in times when most of the country was struggling economically.

Mrs Carter’s dress and matching coat was bought at the department store Jason’s in Americus in the state of Georgia. It drew criticism, as well as praise, in the press at the time as writers questioned whether the public wanted to see more glamour in the White House, and whether Mrs Carter should have supported another American brand by making a new purchase for the Presidential inauguration.

1981: Nancy Reagan

At the dawn of the 1980s, there was a demand to see more Hollywood-esque glamour in the White House. Nancy Reagan delivered it at the 1981 inauguration in a one-shoulder gown by James Galanos, symbolising a new era of fashion in America.

The dress was a beaded sheath style, and followed a bright red coat and matching pillbox hat which she had worn during the day events.

1985: Nancy Reagan

Ahead of Reagan’s second stint in office, his wife Nancy echoed her original look by wearing a long sleeved white gown by Galanos. Mrs Reagan would later wear this dress again on another famous night - the November 1985 White House gala at which Princess Diana danced with John Travolta.

1989: Barbara Bush

Barbara Bush opted for a pleated confection by Arnold Scaasi in “Democrat blue” at the inauguration for her husband, the Republican president George Bush. The velvet and satin fabrication, plus the shoulder pads also ticked several 80s trend boxes.

1993: Hillary Clinton

Hillary Clinton chose a rich purple gown by little-known designer Sarah Phillips, attempting to shine a spotlight on a smaller US business owner who was from the same town that she was. The dress was assembled by Barbara Matera, a costume maker for New York’s theatres.

1997: Hillary Clinton

When Bill Clinton was re-elected, Hillary chose a gown by the globally successful New York-based designer Oscar de la Renta. For some of the night, she teamed with a gold cape by the designer, nodding to Jackie Kennedy’s look.

Retrospectively it is interesting to note that both purple and gold are colours associated with the women’s suffrage movement. Mrs Clinton wore these colours, and white, frequently again throughout her own 2016 presidential campaigning.

2001: Laura Bush

Laura Bush chose a design by Michael Faircloth, who was from her home state, Texas. With a crystal and lace overlay, and modest long sleeves, its shade of “Republican red” was considered a statement of pride for her party.

Judith Leiber made the matching clutch bag which Mrs Bush carried on the night, the same designer who created evening bags for Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Bush and Nancy Reagan before her.

2005: Laura Bush

Laura Bush echoed Hillary Clinton by choosing a Oscar de la Renta gown when her husband was re-elected in 2005. This time she opted for a glittering beaded dress in a silver tone.

2009: Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama wore a one-shouldered dress by young New York-based designer Jason Wu, putting the designer’s name firmly on the global fashion map. In the run-up to the inauguration there was a tremendous amount of media and social media attention and speculation as to what Mrs Obama might wear. Wu did not even know himself that Mrs Obama was going to wear his dress until he saw it on television, such was the secrecy around the commission.

Her white, romantic dress was embellished with organza flowers and crystals and her bare arms offered a powerful modern image of glamour at the White House, while nodding to Nancy Reagan’s look.

2013: Michelle Obama

Mrs Obama wore a Jason Wu creation again when Barack Obama was re-elected four years later, despite receiving sketches from a rumoured 15 designers. This time she chose a bright red halterneck gown from the designer.

2017: Melania Trump

After wearing a pale blue skirt suit by Ralph Lauren for the inauguration day events, Melania Trump changed into a cream gown with sculptural detail for the evening, collaborating with her long-time friend Herve Pierre. Pierre was formerly the designer at New York-based house Carolina Herrera and her selection chimed with the message which her husband was encouraging at the time, telling Americans to “Buy American” and put “America first”.

The design featured a “Republican red” ribbon around the waist, yet the choice of Pierre was considered bipartisan.

“Over my 20 years in the US, I dressed all the first ladies: Mrs Clinton at Oscar [de la Renta], Mrs. Bush and Mrs Obama at Carolina Herrera,” the designer pointed out. “So I feel lucky and honoured to dress Melania Trump, but this time under my name.”

2021: Jill Biden

President Joe Biden’s inauguration looked very different from previous iterations. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, crowds were scaled down at the ceremonial oath-taking and parade, and the National Guard was stationed in Washington due to the siege at the Capitol Building two weeks prior. Some longstanding inaugural customs remained, but the inaugural ball was cancelled.

For the inauguration itself, First Lady Dr Jill Biden used the attention around the event to shine a spotlight on emerging, sustainability-minded American designers. Biden chose an ocean-blue tweed coat and dress by New York based brand Markarian with the colour blue chosen to signify “trust, confidence and stability”.

And so to Melania Trump, for her second stint as First Lady. The fashion industry largely snubbed her in 2016; when Trump won the US election, brands rapidly issued statements about how they refused to dress her. Not that this stopped her from purchasing the clothes she wanted for this new high-profile role.

2025: Melania Trump

It would be appropriate for Melania to wear an American designer on Monday, that much we know. She did so last time in custom Ralph Lauren – whether she’ll return to the same label remains to be seen. Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera and J Mendel are also among the US brands she’s worn. Herrera was one of the few designers to admit to being proud to dress Melania.

One thing is for sure: she’s a woman who knows what she likes, and with the help of long-time stylist Herve Pierre, she will wear a gown that is appropriate, glamorous, and, as the latest in this list of inauguration gowns, a piece of fashion history – no matter how any of us feel about the woman wearing it.

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