Dresses get place in history
The two ensembles installed in the first ladies exhibition Wednesday afternoon, one in shimmering ocean blue and the other in ethereal ivory, reflect an American history that’s both heartbreaking and reassuring. First lady Jill Biden wore the dresses, with their matching coats, on Inauguration Day in 2021, which was a day that seemed only to have happened by a combination of luck, tenacity and the grace of God.
“Clothing is an art and articulation. It’s a manifestation of a moment of time,” Biden said during the ceremony to mark the donation. “It’s history. And today, I’m deeply honored to play a small part in a big moment of our history.”
Two years ago, Biden stood alongside her husband on the west front of the Capitol holding a Bible as he took the oath of office. Spread out before her were reminders of everything the country had suffered. The pandemic had taken 400,000 lives. There was no crush of citizens huddled together. The few invited guests sat at a distance from each other.
And, on the very platform where she stood, insurrectionists had attempted to overthrow the election on Jan. 6.
And so, on that historic Inauguration Day, the first lady wore blue. Specifically, it was a dress decorated with pearls and crystals along with a matching velvet-trimmed coat by Alexandra O’neill, the founder and designer of Markarian.
“Her designs seemed both timeless and new,” Biden said during the ceremony at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. “And that was exactly what I was hoping to find. Because young people showed up and voted for Joe in historic numbers. And I wanted to reflect their passion, creativity and hope that day.”
The color signified optimism.
Gabriela Hearst designed Biden’s evening ensemble. The ivory midcalf dress with its accompanying coat was embroidered with the flowers of each state and territory. “My focus on Inauguration Day was being a first lady for all Americans — doing my part to bring our country back together,” Biden said.
Hearst created this ensemble in lieu of a ball gown, something that was unnecessary because there were no inaugural balls. The first lady wore Hearst’s designs to a celebratory concert at the Lincoln Memorial. And she stood on a balcony at the White House, her eyes fixed on the night sky as it was lit up by fireworks.
Biden made history by having her day ensemble join her evening one in the Museum of American History.