A Monochrome Moment: The Best Looks From the Inauguration
American designers stole the show.
by MYKENNA MANIECE ★ JANUARY 22, 2020
On Wednesday January 20, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were officially sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States—and they did so in style.
As we watched this historical moment unfold before our eyes, it was impossible to ignore the eye-catching jewel tones worn by our favorite trifecta of powerful women. A beautiful burgundy for Michelle Obama, sparkling turquoise for Dr. Jill Biden, and vibrant purple for Harris. Each of their monochromatic looks embodied a sense of style and grace, and showed a focus on highlighting the talents of American designers.
Let’s take a closer look at each one.
Michelle Obama
Credit: TeenVogue (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
The former FLOTUS did not come to play at this year’s inauguration. The coat, the pants, the sweater, the belt!! Her entire look was created by Sergio Hudson, a Black American designer originally from South Carolina. Hudson told Harper’s Bazaar “People are looking for a moment of beauty and hope right now… and, well, I guess we gave it to them!” Thanks to her stylist Meredith Koop, we also know Obama wore Stuart Weitzman boots and a Christy Rilling face mask. Of course, the internet was quick to voice their approval with one Twitter user writing, “man listen. this drip is DIFFERENT. michelle obama got #womenswear in a HEADLOCK.” Brilliant.
Dr. Jill Biden
Credit: Vogue (Getty Images)
Markarian’s Alexandra O’Neill designed Dr. Biden’s mask, dress, and tweed coat for the event. Founded in 2017, Markarian represents “timeless design and modern grace” and has been worn by celebs like Lizzo, Kerry Washington, and Constance Wu. We suspect that Dr. Biden will continue to highlight young up-and-coming designers throughout her time as First Lady. “I am so humbled to be even a small part of American history,” O’Neill told Vogue.
Kamala Harris
Credit: Vogue (Getty Images)
Stepping away from her famous Converse sneakers, Harris delivered in this stunning coat and dress combination designed by the 2020 CFDA American Emerging Designer of the Year, Christopher John Rogers. Rogers is a 27-year-old Black queer designer from Louisiana who has gained recognition among the fashion community for his bold, colorful looks and has dressed big names like Rhianna and Beyonce. Speaking of color, purple has long been considered a symbol of unity and bipartisanship—a sentiment that was reinforced throughout the ceremony. Look for Harris to continue highlighting the work of Black designers throughout her time in office.
While each of these looks certainly left an impression, we also can’t forget to recognize the next generation! President Biden’s granddaughters—Naomi, Finnegan, Maisy, and Natalie—also killed the monochromatic theme with fresh formalwear of their own.
27-year-old Naomi wore an all-white ensemble by Adam Lippes, 22-year-old Finnegan opted for a camel coat by Brandon Maxwell, 20-year-old Maisy sported navy trousers and Jordans, and 16-year-old Natalie chose a bubblegum pink coat by Lafayette 148 New York.
Credit: Instagram (@lafayette148ny)
Credit: Harper’s Bazaar (Alex Wong Getty Images)
Also in attendance were Harris’ step-daughter Ella Emhoff and her niece Meena Harris.
Though Emhoff strayed from the day’s monochrome theme, her plaid and embellished Miu Miu coat made her an instant favorite among fashion lovers. The statement piece was paired with a burgundy prairie dress by Batsheva and black high-heeled boots the 22-year-old Parsons student already owned.
Credit: The Hollywood Reporter (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Credit: Instagram (@batshevadress)
Meanwhile, Meena Harris’ family gained attention for their adorable leopard coats and yes, those Dior Air Jordans that appeared behind Senator Amy Klobuchar.
Credit: Instagram (@meena)
“Of all the things I expected to happen at inauguration, Nik being appointed “Secretary of Drip” was not one of them, but I really love this photo of my family,” Meena captioned the post above. She also revealed a sweet detail about her daughters’ coats on Instagram, writing that they were inspired by one her aunt owned as a child.
To complete this fashion roundup, we look to breakout star Amanda Gorman, who at just 22 years old delivered one of the ceremony’s most powerful and inspiring moments with her poem, “The Hill We Climb.” Her outfit, a sunny yellow Prada suit and accessories gifted by none other than Oprah Winfrey, seemed to perfectly symbolize hope as we look to the future of our nation.
Credit: Instagram (@amandascgorman)
This year’s inauguration had no shortage of high-fashion moments—we didn’t even discuss Bernie’s mittens!! Each attendee brought their own style and individuality to the table while representing a diverse array of designers from across the country and globe. I’m sure we all can agree that this is the beginning of a bright new era.
Sources:
https://www.teenvogue.com/story/michelle-obama-inauguration-outfit
https://www.vogue.com/article/markarian-designer-jill-biden-inauguration-day-look
https://markarian-nyc.com/pages/about
https://www.vogue.com/article/what-the-inauguration-said-about-american-fashion
https://www.cnn.com/style/article/inauguration-fashion-statements-harris-biden/index.html
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/behind-ella-emhoffs-memorable-inauguration-look