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The Best Wardrobe Pieces From Inauguration Day

Though the First Lady’s ballgown didn’t wow us, plenty of others did.

The inaugural festivities provide Washington one of its biggest opportunities to show
off its sense of style, with countless black-tie soirees, cocktail celebrations, and
sacred ceremonies calling for high society to don only their very best looks. There
were some clear winners this year—like the Thom Browne coat Michelle Obama wore during
the inauguration ceremony (see below)—and some that didn’t do so well (see our take
on the First Lady’s inaugural ballgown). Here are the clothes and accessories
that stood out to us.

Michelle Obama’s Coat-Dress


The fashion world was shocked to hear of classy
Michelle Obama wearing out-there Thom
Browne, but the result defined perfection. Browne, whose
collections comprise wacky,
repurposed menswear, custom-made the piece with a jacquard
print inspired by a men’s
necktie. The First Lady paired it with a J.Crew belt. Honorable
mention: the black
sequin Michael Kors dress—and arm party—she

wore to an inaugural celebration at the National Building
Museum a day earlier.

Beyoncé’s Entire Outfit
The floor-length Emilio Pucci gown, the Lorraine
Schwartz gems, the bombshell curls—it
all came together flawlessly (even if she did lip-sync the
National Anthem
).

Eva Longoria’s Leather Coat
Given Longoria’s always-elegant appearance and increasing influence in Washington,
we’re surprised she didn’t get more attention yesterday. Her long, pinkish leather
coat is straight out of Bally’s resort 2013 collection.

Sasha Obama’s Monochrome
Her gloves and scarf were almost the exact periwinkle shade of her girly, skater-hem
Kate Spade coat, which when unbuttoned revealed an equally adorable striped dress
of the same brand. The outfit was classy yet age-appropriate, and earns bonus points
for the affordable American brand.

Katy Perry’s Orange-and-Black Stripes
Though the colors sound risky, the striped woven coat
from Rodarte’s Fall 2012 collection
worked surprisingly well for the pop star, who returned to
black hair for the occasion.
Also of note: Katy’s hat, a mini version of Aretha Franklin’s

from the 2009 ceremony.

Jill Biden’s Big Bow
The silk-and-wool Lela Rose coat was stunning against Jill Biden’s blonde hair and
white lace dress of the same label, but what really made it a standout is the feminine
statement bow just below the collar. Honorable mention: her royal blue Vera Wang ballgown.

Michelle Obama’s Bangs
Obviously. This twitpic is the photo that first broke the news
of the First Lady’s new ’do. The President said it best at the inaugural ball: “To
address the most significant event of the weekend, I love her bangs. She looks good.”

Jay-Z’s Suit
The rapper’s perfectly tailored suit is by none other than Tom Ford, who, in addition
to his many celebrity clients, designed the fierce gray suit worn by Daniel Craig
in
Skyfall. Honorable mention: Jay-Z’s fur Dior coat, which matched Beyoncé’s.

Joe Biden’s Gold Buttons
We can’t be the only ones who noticed this. Who knew the VP had it in him?

Alicia Keys’s Makeup


The R&B singer’s glowing cheeks and shimmering
brown eyelids seriously stood out during
her performance, even from a TV screen. Her makeup artist
Rebecca Restrepo
—who has
also painted the faces of Kelly Ripa, Claire Danes, and even
Barack Obama—says

she used Nars, Elizabeth Arden, and Hourglass products.