Venus Criticized For Ugly Outfit

By Tamara Abraham

When Michelle Obama arrived at an inaugural ball in 2009 in that white one-shoulder gown, it cemented her position as a major fashion influence.

But she is not the first - and by no means the last - first lady to have made a style statement in her debut appearance as the President's wife.

A new exhibition at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, which opens tomorrow, will see the display of the most famous dresses worn by U.S. Presidents' wives - and a whole section has been dedicated to their first outfits in the role of first lady.

Michelle Obama wore a white one-shoulder gown by young designer Jason Wu for a ball in 2009 to celebrate her husband's inauguration. It is now part of a new display of first ladies' debut dresses at the Smithsonian

In addition to Mrs Obama's Jason Wu dress, gowns worn by Mamie Eisenhower, Betty Ford, Barbara Bush and Nancy Regan, as well as the more recent Hillary Clinton, form part of the exhibit.

All gowns are for very formal occasions, given that most were for state dinners or inaugural balls. And though they differ wildly in style, each a fascinating representation of the fashion at the time, there are also some startling similarities.

From then on, we saw a riot of colour, from Laura Bush's red crystal-embroidered Chantilly lace by fellow Texan Michael Faircloth in 2001, to Hillary Clinton in 1993, who wore a violet beaded lace gown, designed by Sarah Phillips and made by Barbara Matera, a theatrical costume maker.

But Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon and RosaLynn Carter all wore gowns in shades of lemon and gold, while Mamie Eisenhower, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan and Jackie Kennedy went for paler-than-pale hues.

Jacqueline Kennedy inaugural gown might well be one of the most memorable. She was careful to use American couturiers and her dress for the 1961 ball was made by Ethel Frankau of Bergdorf Custom Salon