Fashion’s First Lady: Dr Jill Biden’s personal style, from the campaign to the inauguration
Prim and polished, Dr Jill Biden’s personal style says a lot about how she will handle the role of First Lady.
Fashion
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She is the new First Lady known for her polished style as much as her political prowess.
Favouring American designers, Dr Jill Biden’s dress sense – spanning well-cut tailoring to peplum skirts and a penchant for recycling outfits – says a lot about how she will handle her new role in the White House, experts say.
From Michelle Obama’s power suits to Jackie O’s pillbox hats, most First Ladies have become style – as well as political – icons during their husbands’ reigns as US President.
Classic cuts and block colours will feature in the new FLOTUS’ wardrobe, building on the all-American styling seen in her previous tenure as Second Lady during the Obama Administration.
At her husband President Joe Biden’s inauguration, Dr Biden turned heads in a custom-made blue coat and dress from New York-based label, Markarian. It was regarded as a surprise style move for the First Lady, who chose the young designer – known in fashion and society circles for structured bespoke party dresses – over established labels, for the moment in American political history.
What Dr Biden will wear during her tenure as First Lady is expected to be a stark contrast to her predecessor, Melania Trump, stylists predict.
Tailoring is the backbone to Dr Biden’s perfectly put-together, occasion-worthy outfits, which tend to centre around shift-style dresses and point to her “fuss-free” personality, career and family-focused image.
At official engagements, expect see the university professor sporting American designers including Oscar De La Renta, Brandon Maxwell, Carolina Herrera and Michael Kors, as well as Narciso Rodriguez, Christian Siriano and Lela Rose, which she has worn previously.
“She is someone who knows what works for her body shape and doesn’t stray too far from silhouettes that she knows work for her,” said Vogue Australia senior editor and market director Philippa Moroney.
“It’s clear though, that she understands how her fashion choices can hold influence and create buzz,” Moroney added, noting that Jill famously wore Stuart Weitzman VOTE boots when accompanying her husband after voting in the Delaware primaries.
Jill’s wardrobe suggests she is “confident, she is a very accomplished woman who clearly has a “uniform” approach to dressing”, Moroney said.
“Some of the best dressed women in the world approach style in this way, it’s fuss free and works with her down to earth approach to style.
“American Designers will of course be favoured. It will be interesting to see if Dr Biden’s streamlined approach to fashion will mean she will wear a style off the rack or if she will wear a custom-made look.”
Throughout her time in the White House, Mrs Trump’s wardrobe comprised of mostly expensive, luxury designers including Dolce & Gabanna, Gucci and Ralph Lauren, favouring sharp lines and bold prints (including that multi-coloured departing outfit).
Melania’s outfits “were overly, and often inappropriately, themed to the events she was attending which also meant she was widely criticised”, Moroney said.
These included a Zara jacket with the words “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” written in graffiti-style print on the back and a Pith helmet worn on her solo trip to Africa.
“Dr Biden’s fashion choices will be miles apart from Melania,” Moroney predicts.
“She will stay true to her classic fuss free style and much like Michelle Obama, use her fashion choices to support American designers.”
Originally published as Fashion’s First Lady: Dr Jill Biden’s personal style, from the campaign to the inauguration
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