If you look at photos from presidential inaugurations throughout the years, it’s hard not to notice the coats and hats. Partly, of course, because the outerwear is what you see at an outdoor swearing-in ceremony. But it’s also because the choices can sometimes be bold, setting a fashion tone for the administration or sending a message to those watching. Here, a few looks that made lasting impressions.
1953
Mamie Eisenhower
Eisenhower wore a pink rhinestone dress to a ball following husband Ike’s first inauguration. In a Time article years later, a member of the Maine Trappers Association recounted how he arranged for the organization to give her a beaver coat after he heard that his jeweler friend had subsequently sold out of rhinestones.
1961
Jackie Kennedy and John F. Kennedy
The influence that Jackie’s style carried was powerful. When she dented her hat while clutching it in the wind that morning, she reportedly set off a wave of designers creating pillbox hats with similar silhouettes. Fun fact: Though a photo published by Life magazine makes the coat appear blue, the true hue was beige–at the time, processing color photos was complex and imperfect.
At JFK’s swearing-in, she wore an Oleg Cassini coat and a pillbox hat—her signature—by Halston.
For decades, top hats were a traditional accessory for Presidents on Inauguration Day—JFK was the last to wear one.
1981
Nancy Reagan
At her husband’s first ceremony, she wore an ensemble by friend and favorite Adolfo, in what became her signature hue: “Reagan red.”
1997
Hillary Clinton
Not focused on style early on, Hillary met Oscar de la Renta soon after becoming First Lady. He later often dressed her—including in this pink coat for Bill’s second inaugural.
2001
Laura Bush
Then–Washington Post fashion critic Robin Givhan called this coat by a Texas designer “tasteful but safe, the Inauguration Day equivalent of a little black dress.”
2009
Michelle Obama
Obama has broken the internet with her fashion choices, first in 2009 (above) with her gloves from J. Crew–a chic but approachable brand she favors–and again in 2021 at Joe Biden’s inauguration in a monochromatic outfit of burgundy pants, turtleneck, overcoat, and belt by Sergio Hudson. Between her ensemble and the dress Kamala Harris wore that was also Hudson’s, the LA designer told Vogue his website crashed.
2017
Melania Trump
The First Lady’s blue dress, collared jacket, and gloves by Ralph Lauren drew comparisons to Jackie Kennedy’s inaugural look.
2017
Kellyanne Conway
The Trump adviser called this red-white-and-blue Gucci coat (with matching gloves, hat, and bag) “Trump revolutionary wear.”
2021
Joe Biden
His attire conveyed patriotism and unity: a navy ensemble by American Ralph Lauren, whose designs have been worn by political figures of both parties over the years.
2021
Amanda Gorman
The color of this coat, Gorman told Vogue, was a nod to Jill Biden, who had complimented her on a yellow dress she’d seen Gorman wear. The poet’s accessories included gifts from Oprah Winfrey: Nikos Koulis earrings and an aviary ring by Of Rare Origin–an homage to Maya Angelou, who’d also worn gifts from Oprah as the inaugural poet at Clinton’s 1993 ceremony.
2021
Bernie Sanders
He became a meme at Biden’s ceremony in a coat by Burlington-based Burton and mittens knit by a Vermont teacher.
This article appears in the January 2025 issue of Washingtonian.
Amy leads Washingtonian Weddings and writes Style Setters for Washingtonian. Prior to joining Washingtonian in March 2016, she was the editor of Capitol File magazine in DC and before that, editor of What’s Up? Weddings in Annapolis.
