The media-frenzied primaries for the next presidential election are well underway. So what better way to celebrate Presidents’ Day than with some surprising facts about our current and past leaders and First Ladies? Throughout each term (or two), those inside the walls of the White House leave their marks on history. While some legacies are noble and others quirky, our favorites are just plain stylish.
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First Ladies
The Youngest: Frances Cleveland
President Grover Cleveland was a bachelor until he met the 21-year-old Frances, a statuesque beauty and recent college grad. They were the first couple to get married in the White House, and she remains the youngest First Lady ever. Affectionately known to the public as “Frank,” she became America’s sweetheart. Women around the country copied her haircut, cropped short and close to the nape of the neck.
The Repeat Offender: Jackie Kennedy
Perhaps our most sartorially savvy First Lady, Mrs. Kennedy wore a Chanel reproduction pink suit on multiple (at least eight) state occasions. The suit was a reproduction to hide the French label, since Mrs. Kennedy was criticized for not supporting American designers. This is the outfit she wore the day her husband was assassinated and again when Johnson was sworn in. It’s now preserved at the Smithsonian.
The Pants Pioneer: Pat Nixon
Richard Nixon’s wife was the first First Lady to wear pants in public (shocking, we know). But this little-known fact thankfully didn’t cause as much controversy as her husband’s own scandal.
The One-Shoulder Bearer: Nancy Reagan
Mrs. Reagan brought her Hollywood style to Washington, D.C. Famously known for favoring punchy red tweeds, she turned to white for evening wear. For her husband’s inauguration, she chose a white one-shoulder gown, beating Michelle Obama to the trend years earlier.
The Most Imitated: Michelle Obama
At the 2009 inauguration, Michelle held the Lincoln Bible with J.Crew–gloved hands (the rest of the family also wore the brand). As a result, shares in the retailer rose by 10% and its e-commerce site crashed. Our current, fabulous First Lady went on to cause sellouts – most recently, her $2,095 marigold sheath by Narciso Rodriguez.
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Presidents
The Beard Advocates: Ulysses S. Grant to William Taft
All of the presidents from Ulysses S. Grant to William Taft had beards – they were obviously trending at the time. The last president with facial hair was Taft (you know, the one who got stuck in the bathtub) in 1913, with Grover Cleveland breaking the custom afterward, although he did wear a mustache.
The Model: Gerald Ford
While President Reagan was an actor before his day job relocated him to the Oval Office, only one president was a former model. Gerald Ford appeared with his then-girlfriend and model Phyllis Brown in a 1940 spread for Look magazine. He was even on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine in 1942!
The Tailor Loyalists: Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama
Oscar de la Renta was the First Ladies’ go-to couturier for five decades, but have you ever heard of Mr. Martin Greenfield? He served as tailor to three presidents (including our current commander in chief). His first presidential client was Dwight D. Eisenhower, whom he saw for the first time after the liberation of Auschwitz, where Greenfield was held prisoner during World War II. His story is just as remarkable as any leading man’s.
By Elizabeth Burns, Fashion Editor
