Inauguration Fashion
The Presidential Inauguration on January 20, 2021 was an occasion of a lot of firsts: the first woman, East Asian, and black Vice President; the first Second Gentleman; and a Jewish second family! This inspiring display of diversity came punctuated with some AMAZING outfits. Here is my breakdown of this monumental moment in American and fashion history.
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden
This outfit was my favorite of the day. Dr. Biden did not hold back, in a beautiful coat with a matching mask AND matching gloves. Blue not only is the color of the Democratic Party, but also a symbol of serenity and stability. The sparkles and faux fur trim looked both elegant and young, and really made her stand out. Dr. Biden’s look was designed by the young designer Alexandria O’Neil and her brand Markarian. Have no fear, President Joe Biden reflected his wife’s dazzling look, matching his tie to her outfit.
Vice President Kamala Harris
Vice President Kamala Harris killed it (as per usual) in this purple look. According to her stylist, Kamala's outfit symbolizes the historic role she has assumed as the first woman, black, and East Asian vice president, and could be seen as representing the change and progressive future to come. If purple is a mix of red and blue, then Kamala’s purple outfit symbolizes the unity of a nation of red and blue states and how this administration has vowed to serve the country, not a party. Her look was designed by a young black designer Christopher John Rogers and she accessorized with her signature pearls by Puerto Rican jeweler, Wilfredo Rosado.
Michelle Obama
Michelle wowed everyone with her monochrome burgundy moment. She looked sleek, confident, and modern. She too wore a young black designer and one she had been known to support before, Sergio Hudson. Looking incredibly powerful in wide leg pants and a structured coat,she accessorized with Hudson’s signature leather belt, a black mask, and black leather gloves. Her stylist commented that the color, similar to VP Harris, was also inspired by bi-partisanship and unity.
Bernie Sanders
Bernie's look was, well, iconic. Sanders paired the Burton GORE-TEX Edgecomb down jacket that he famously wears everywhere (and which can be seen in his campaign videos) with a pair of very comfortable looking mittens, made by Vermont elementary school teacher Jen Ellis out of recycled wool with liners made from recycled water bottles. Something about this look sparked social media users to meme him. The best one I saw is that Bernie looked like the inauguration was just something on his checklist that he needed to do. Bernie's team knew just how to capitalize on this situation and quickly made sweatshirts with pictures of his inauguration outfit, the sales of which raised $1.8 million for various charities in Vermont.
