Two New Books Look at First Ladies. How Do They Compare?

Remember the First Ladies

Humor and Tomfoolery

Criticized for her pricey wardrobe, Nancy Reagan arrived at a dinner in a feather hat, a boa, and yellow boots. The getup came with a surprise performance of “Second Hand Rose,” reframed as “Secondhand Clothes.”

First Lady Frenemies

Annoyed with Mary Todd Lincoln’s angsty behavior during a troop inspection, future First Lady Julia Grant declined an invite to join her at Ford’s Theatre. A good move, as it happened: It was the night of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.

Just Say No

Many a First Lady has been hesitant about her husband’s ascension, but two stand out: Margaret Taylor allegedly prayed for her husband to lose, while Bess Truman shed tears (not the happy kind) when she learned she’d been upgraded from the Second Lady gig.

Notable Decor

First ladies are often a source of style inspiration, and Mamie Eisenhower set a national trend when she decorated her White House bedroom in pink. The fad led the hue to be labeled “Mamie Pink” and “First Lady Pink.”

Barbed Comebacks

When Barbara Bush got flak for her white hair–a notable shift from glamorous predecessor Nancy Reagan–she joked that “a lot of fat, white-haired wrinkled ladies are tickled pink.”

American Woman

Humor and Tomfoolery

Jill Biden posed as a flight attendant while traveling on April Fools’ Day, passing out ice-cream bars to the press pool. She even donned a black wig and a name tag that read “Jasmine.”

First Lady Frenemies

Instead of hosting her successor for the traditional tea, Melania Trump left behind a typed letter and a bouquet of flowers. Jill Biden was unmoved by the note, reportedly saying, with a sarcastic tone, that “it was nice.”

Just Say No

Jill Biden found a creative way to ex­press her dissent when her husband was considering a presidential run in 2004. While he was on a call with aides, she strutted into the room in a halter top, the word “NO” emblazoned across her stomach.

Notable Decor

The country was thrown into chaos on January 6, 2021, but Melania Trump was at the time occupied with a different kind of domestic situation, overseeing a photo shoot of the White House rugs.

Barbed Comebacks

While her husband was in the White House, Hillary Clinton was approached at a museum by a woman who commented that the First Lady bore a resemblance to . . . Hillary Clinton. The response? “So I’m told.”