From recent comedic headlines about Melania Trump’s hats, to the long-standing influence previous First Ladies have employed through their styling, fashion has consistently shaped both presidential politics and personal public image. While it may seem easy to dismiss clothing as irrelevant to political power, history and modern media prove otherwise: the First Lady’s fashion choices are deliberately crafted to send a political message and, alongside public reaction, tell the story of America’s cultural and political development.
Starting with the French-inspired elegance of Dolley Madison, First Lady to the fourth American president, we can see how quickly the Fashion of the First Ladies began to help shape the cultural identity of America in the early 19th century. Her embracement of rich and luxurious fabrics and colours stood in stark contrast to her reserved husband, James Madison, setting an early model for the role: a First Lady who counterbalanced the president’s public persona. By embracing neoclassical gowns that echoed the ideals of the Roman and Greek republics, she projected sophistication and helped shape positive public perception of her husband’s leadership. In contrast, Mary Todd Lincoln faced harsh criticism for her approach to fashion. She, too, wore extravagant gowns meant to convey national confidence during wartime; but her spending was seen as painfully out of touch with the suffering brought by the Civil War. Therefore, while Dolley Madison’s luxury was celebrated, Lincoln’s was condemned, demonstrating how First Lady fashion has always been judged against the political moment. Their very different receptions reveal that even in early American history, the clothing of First Ladies was closely linked to public expectations and political sensitivity.
The fashion of the First Ladies in the 19th century can be seen to historically symbolise the early development of American politics however, with limited media, it arguably didn’t advance to have the international significance as it does today until later in the 20th century, with Jackie Kennedy being centre stage during the rapid surge in media access and her fashion being featured from front pages to TV screens across the world. Her style was central to creating her husband’s youthful and sophisticated image as president; branded as the ‘New Frontier.’ She was globally revered to perfectly compliment JFK’s international relations, for example, by strategically incorporating the customs and colours of host nations into her styling of tailored suits, sheath dressed, pillbox hats and more. Jackie Kennedy’s redefinition of the role as First Lady in promoting arts, culture, and the historical restoration of the White House was acutely balanced in complimenting her husband’s political image whilst working with her American designer, Oleg Cassini, to embellish the American fashion industry to her own taste with a European flair. Jackie Kennedy’s fashion can be seen to perfectly compliment the president’s youthful and refreshing approach to international politics whilst establishing an iconic historical role for herself.
Once international mass media had been firmly established to place great significance on the fashion of the First Ladies, it seems needless to say the politicisation of their styling only increased. For example, First Lady to the Republican president of the 1980s, Nancy Reagan, was known to publicly support many exclusive American designers alongside bringing glamour back to the White House with prestigious and patriotic couture, branded as ‘Reagan Red’. There was much admiration for her affluent take on Republican style, despite receiving criticism for her extravagance. In contrast, Michelle Obama, First Lady to Democrat president, Barack Obama, deliberately employed fashion as a way to communicate relatability, inclusion and creativity. Styling both high fashion with accessible brands acutely portrayed her role in championing diversity and emerging designers whilst challenging expectations in the role of First Lady, for example in wearing sleeveless dressed, pantsuits, and braids, highlighting her and her husband’s emphasis on the importance of diversity and unconstrained self-expression. Ultimately, Obama’s fashion perfectly portrayed her political identity not only as the wife of a consequential Democrat leader, but as an icon of diversity and female power throughout both America and the world.
Overall, we can clearly see how First Lady fashion has mirrored both political climates and party differences throughout American politics; despite changing eras and aesthetics, their clothing remains a form of national storytelling and key in representing the Presidents’ political agenda. However, the truly iconic fashionistas of the White House not only employed style as a means to reflect their husband’s image, but as a fundamental element of self-expression in pioneering their role as First Lady to go beyond wife of the President.
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