George Washington’s 1789 inauguration suit coat is now on display at Mount Vernon. Our first President was intentional with his details: the domestically produced wool suit was meant to promote American industry, and even its color—a surprising brown that would likely become an immediate fashion moment if a bold-faced name wore it to an inauguration today—was called “Congress Brown.”
Though Washington would later sport the black velvet suit that he is best remembered for during his second inauguration, this first suit reflects his philosophy. Its construction is simple while still formal. “It’s a plainer look, so we think it was part of him trying to show himself as a civilian, as a man of the people, not as an elitist,” says Amanda Isaac, a curator at George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

Henry Knox, the nation’s first Secretary of War, had to personally help ensure the delivery of the suit’s fabric from Connecticut to Mount Vernon after Washington struggled to secure it from a merchant in Philadelphia. Once the fabric arrived at Mount Vernon, the suit was constructed in mere days by Cavan Boa, an indentured tailor at Mount Vernon. And then at the last minute, Washington realized that he needed six extra buttons to complete the cuffs. These six cuff buttons, applied after the suit was constructed, were part of the evidence curators used to determine the suit’s provenance.
Washington’s inauguration suit is so fragile it’s rarely put on view, so now’s a special time to go and see it. It will be displayed until February 3 and is included in Mount Vernon’s regular admission ticket.