As promised, here is a look at styles worn by others attending the Inauguration, including former First Ladies Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, and Hillary Clinton. I received so many messages and emails asking about what other guests and family members wore, it made sense to put it all together in one post.
We begin with the former First Ladies.
I wrote about Michelle Obama on Wednesday the 20th, but I thought the ensemble was so wonderful it merited another look. President Obama is in Ralph Lauren.
The former FLOTUS wore separates by Sergio Hudson, who designed the Vice President’s inauguration formalwear. Mrs. Obama has worn the designer’s creations on several other occasions. More about her ensemble from The Telegraph’s Bethan Holt.
It’s been four years since Michelle Obama left the White House, but the reaction to the head-to-toe burgundy outfit she wore to President Biden’s Inauguration on Wednesday has shown that her fashion influence is as powerful as ever.
But there was something about Wednesday’s ensemble which felt different. Ostensibly, it was simple – a shin-length burgundy coat, high-waisted trousers and a polo neck knit, accessorised with a chunky gold buckle belt, all created by black designer Sergio Hudson – but the way that the former FLOTUS inhabited her clothing choice felt special.
As explained by Meredith Koop, who styled the look, Mr. Hudson knows his craft. “Sergio is in the top in his designs, construction, and understanding of how to dress the curves of a woman’s body.”
Here is a sketch of the ensemble via Charles Lynch, co-creative director of Sergio Hudson, and a runway look showing the belt.
Nandi Howard reports in Essence that some of the pieces are available for preorder. The turtleneck ($635) is a blend of alpaca/merino wool/polyamide; shipping is expected by mid-March. As with all of Mr. Hudson’s designs, this item is manufactured in Los Angeles.
It wasn’t only the apparel and accessories receiving rave reviews, Mrs. Obama’s hair was also a hot topic, and her stylist, Yene Damtew, is now swamped with requests for appointments.
Embed from Getty ImagesMore from The Grio’s Biba Adams.
Obama hair wizard Yene Damtew says she and her squad of stylists have been flooded with hundreds of appointment requests in just one day.
The master stylist has been working with Mrs. Obama for more than 10 years and said “she trusts me to pick a style that will work, and I trust her to allow me some creativity.”
Former First Lady Laura Bush was in a powder blue coat with dark grey lapels and buttons atop a slate-gray dress. Unfortunately, I do not know the designer(s).
Another former FLOTUS, Hillary Clinton, was in a grape pantsuit and matching scarf by Ralph Lauren. Mrs. Clinton told the press pool, “I knew the theme President Biden was striking was unity and I thought if you combined red and blue, the way that we are divided politically in our country, you get purple. So I want to just to send a bit of a symbolic message that we need to come together.”
I do not know who created the maroon coat, nor do I know who designed the former President’s overcoat or suit.
In addition to Hillary Clinton, President Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff wore Ralph Lauren.
President Biden and Harris’ husband Doug Emhoff wore suits by classic American designer Ralph Lauren. 4/5 pic.twitter.com/3zihuPatQe
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 20, 2021
The majority of President Biden’s look was from the brand’s Purple Label collection.
More on the Ralph Lauren choice from GQ’s Cam Wolf:
Already, Lauren has played a large role in Biden’s presidency. The incoming prez wore Ralph Lauren—a turtleneck to receive his first dose and a polo with the pony logo on the chest for his second—while he received the COVID vaccine on television. And the brand is a fitting choice: no designer has better defined the idea of American success than Ralph Lauren
This represented a move away from Brooks Brothers, a brand often worn by Presidents for their inaugurations.
The Vice President’s husband, Doug Emhoff, was in a gray Ralph Lauren suit with a white shirt, dark tie, black gloves, and mask.
More about the President and Second Gentleman’s looks via Booth Moore’s WWD story:
The men also made symbolic style statements, both President Joe Biden and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff wearing Ralph Lauren Purple Label suits and coats made in one of America’s few remaining apparel manufacturing factories in Rochester, N.Y., campaigning for the administration’s “Buy In All of America” plan on Day One.
The Vice President’s sister, Maya, and niece, Meena, were in chic ensembles. I have not been able to find out what Maya Harris was wearing but will continue looking for that information. Meena, an attorney, author (“Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea” and “Ambitious Girl”), CEO/Founder of Phenomenal, and mother of two, was in separates by Ulla Johnson topped with a Coach coat. More from this WWD story by Layla Ilchi.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ niece, Meena Harris, followed the monochromatic color scheme seen by many in the Biden and Harris families on Inauguration Day, but hers was an all-green look.
Harris, an author and the founder of clothing label Phenomenal Woman, paired a shearling Coach coat with an Ulla Johnson blouse and skirt from the designer’s fall 2020 collection for the inauguration. She complemented the green look with a pair of sparkling knee-high boots.
Here you see the runway look and a product photo of the coat.
In this TikTok video, you see the girls with “Auntie.”
Meena’s partner, Nikolas Ajagu, made headlines for sporting a pair of the highly sought-after Dior Air Jordan high tops. She joked about the shoes on social media.
Ms. Harris’s stepdaughter, Ella Emhoff, was lauded for her look at the Inauguration ceremony, a Miu Miu coat, and Batsheva dress.
Batsheva posted a photo of Ms. Emhoff in the dress alongside Meena Harris. The headband Ms. Emhoff is wearing is a Loeffler Randall piece.
Fashion Week Daily has more on the popularity of the look.
…according to a press release from fashion forecaster Lyst, it was Emhoff’s choice of outfit that (almost!) broke the internet too.
As per the release, Emhoff’s bedazzled coat was up there with the most viral style moments of the day, causing a 455% spike in searches for Miu Miu coats in six hours. Alongside her embellished coverup, Emhoff donned a Batsheva dress and a Loeffler Randall headband for the occasion—cementing herself as a rising fashion force to watch.
President Biden’s daughter Ashley Biden chose a coat and boots by Gabriela Hearst for the ceremony.
Embed from Getty ImagesOne of the Biden grandchildren, Natalie, was in a brand the Vice President has worn, Lafayette 148.
She wore the label’s Luxe Cashmere Dawson coat ($1998) in a made-to-order shade called Pink Salt.
Now for more about the ceremony and those participating in it via this Essence piece by Donna Owens.
While the ceremony was filled with powerful prayers and memorable performances by Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Garth Brooks and National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, the celebration did not shy away from the reality of multiple crises impacting the country.
We’ll begin with Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, who chose a Prada coat and headband for the recitation of her work, “The Hill We Climb.”
More about the youngest poet to read at a Presidential inauguration from Elena Nicolaou’s story in Oprah magazine.
Reading at the inauguration is the latest in a series of extraordinary accomplishment from the young poet, whose work often reflects on ideas of citizenship, justice, and belonging. When Gorman was 16, she was named the Youth Poet Laureate of Los Angeles. Three years later, while a sophomore at Harvard, she became the inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate.
Ms. Gorman wore Prada’s Double-Breasted Wool Coat and the brand’s High-Shine Headband.
We return to the Oprah article to learn the story behind Ms. Gorman’s jewelry.
Specifically, Oprah sent Gorman a pair of gold hoops with a hanging diamond from Nikos Koulis’s Energy Collection, as well as a birdcage ring by Of Rare Origin to honor previous inauguration poet Maya Angelou, author of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Gorman paired the jewelry with a bright yellow Prada coat, yellow being her favorite color.
The story notes that Oprah sent Maya Angelou a Chanel coat and a pair of gloves when she read one of her compositions at Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration.
Lady Gaga, who performed the American National Anthem, was dressed in Schiaparelli designs with gloves by Cornelia James.
She wore a fitted jacket in navy cashmere and skirt in washed red silk faille with a gilded dove of peace brooch.
The creative director for the house, Daniel Roseberry said, ““As an American living in Paris, this ensemble is a love letter to the country I miss so dearly and to a performer whose artistry I have so long admired. ” Below, a closer look at the brooch.
Jennifer Lopez wore Chanel when performing a medley of America the Beautiful and This Land is Your Land.
VIDEOS:
Here is Amanda Gorman reading her poem.
Lady Gaga singing the National Anthem.
And Jennifer Lopez performing her medley.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The post has been updated to correct an inaccurate description of the 1972 photo of Maya and Kamala with their mother. Originally I wrote that it was the Vice President’s parents, which is not the case. As noted in the post, the photo shows the young Harris girls with their mother Shyamala Gopalan and Ms. Gopalan’s parents.
Wonderful! Thank you for this in depth review!