Top 10 fashion moments at the presidential inauguration
After numerous obstacles, President Joe Biden was sworn into presidency January 20, 2021. To celebrate, the Presidential and Vice Presidential families, along with invited guests, dressed in some of the most stylish and colorful pieces throughout the day. Here are some of my personal favorite fashion moments of the 2021 Inaugural Day.
1. Dr. Jill Biden’s Embroidered Coat and Dress
To end Inauguration Day, First Lady, Dr. Jill Biden, wore a white designer dress and coat that featured embroidered flowers from all 50 states to convey harmony across the country. Her dress was designed by Gabriela Hearst, a designer in New York City, who spoke about the process of making the ensemble. She described how each flower took approximately 2 to 4 hours to embroider.
2. Poet Amanda Gorman dressed in Prada
Poet Amanda Gorman’s stylish outfit is one of my personal favorites of the day. She Matched a Yellow Prada Blazer with a Red statement headband and face mask. The 22 year old accessorized with a gold birdcage ring, a nod to Maya Angelou’s poem “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,”. She also wore stunning earrings made by a Greek designer. Both of the jewelry pieces were gifted by Oprah. After Inauguration Day, fashion search engine Lyst reports there was a 1,328% surge in search for “yellow coats” and a 560% increase in interest for “red headbands.” -- and I certainly don't blame them.
3. Monochromatic Looks
A common (though no less stunning) look we saw during the day ceremony was the monochromatic outfit. Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama, and Kamala Harris dressed in variant shades of purple to represent Bipartisanship; red for the Republican Party and blue for the Democratic Party. Aside from these purple looks, we noticed other colorful ensembles, as the First Lady wore an aquamarine dress, coat, mask, gloves, and heels combo, and Joe Biden’s granddaughters wore bright pink, tan and white. Guests also favored the monochromatic looks of Jennifer Lopez and Katy Perry, dressed head to toe in white, as well as Nancy Pelosi, who wore bright blue.
4. Lady Gaga’s Dove of Peace Pin
Lady Gaga showed up to the celebration in Schiaparelli Haute Couture. She wore an eye catching dress, consisting of a black form fitting long sleeve top and bright red pompous skirt, accessorized with a hand sized dove pin that inspired many Hunger Games Memes. The dove traditionally represents peace and can be interpreted as a new start in a religious perspective.
5. Ella Emhoff Miu Miu Dress Coat
Ella Emhoff, Kamala Harris’ stepdaughter, was dubbed a fashion icon and became an internet sensation as she wore an embellished Miu Miu Dress Coat. A similar coat from the same collection is available online for about $5,000. Her outfit shows the professionalism required for the occasion, but has a stylish accent that mirrors Ella’s personality, as she is an upcoming fashion designer who shares her quirky handmade clothing items on her instagram page.
6. Michelle Obama’s Statement Belt
Michelle Obama SERVED in her flawless and poised look by Sergio Hudson, a 36-year-old African-American designer from South Carolina. The combination of flowy pants and open coat created a look that flowed, but what really catches the eye here is the belt as the centerpiece -- which added the final touch to her monochromatic outfit.
7. Elizabeth Warren’s Planned Parenthood Scarf
In case you missed it, Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren topped her look with her signature Planned Parenthood scarf after 4 tumultuous years under Trump’s administration. Trump repeatedly cut funds for the program because of his pro-life beliefs. Senator Warren also wore the scarf to the 2017 inauguration.
8. Kamala Harris’ Great Nieces Matching Outfits
Kamala Harris’ great nieces wore matching coats specifically designed for them by Susan Trotiner-Conway, a designer for Iloveplum. The outfit was created as a replica of Kamala and Meena Harris’ outfits in an undated picture as shown above. The duo wore them as a homage to the new Vice President.
9. Maisy Biden’s Sneakers
For a Presidential Inauguration, viewers expect designer gowns and coats paired with expensive heels. Maisy Biden, Joe Biden’s granddaughter, broke the mold. During the day, the 20 year old matched her blue trimmed Nike Air Jordan high-tops with her navy pantsuit and in the evening, she attended the virtual concert with a patterned print Rodarte ankle length dress and paired it with another pair of white Nike high tops. I loved her choice of shoes because it reveals how down to earth and relatable she is.
10. Bernie Sanders’ Mittens
Of course this list can not be complete without Bernie Sanders’ most iconic mittens that were hand made by Vermont second grade teacher, Jen Ellis. Sadly, she was overwhelmed with avalanches of mitten requests and stated that she wouldn’t sell any more mittens. As you may know, Sander’s comfortable outfit sparked thousands of memes to which he responded in an interview “Well, you know, in Vermont we dress warm — we know something about the cold, and we're not that worried about fashion,”. I have no choice but to stan a humble icon.
Ranging from couture fashion to casual and cozy outfits, these were the top 10 fashion moments from the 2021 Inauguration.