Beschreibung:

1. MARTHA DANDRIDGE WASHINGTON: Full-length 2-piece gown of cream brocade with a square neckline, accented with brown lace trim throughout, with 3/4-length lace-trimmed sleeves, and an opening at the front of the skirt revealing an iridescent brown quilted underskirt. Martha Dandridge Washington became the first "First Lady" before that title was even conceived. Martha was thrown into the fray of American politics when President George Washington began his term in 1789. Her inaugural gown of silk taffeta was hand-painted with designs found in nature, a one-of-a-kind ensemble which thus paved the way for future First Ladies. 2. MARY TODD LINCOLN: Full-length purple velvet two-piece ensemble consisting of a bodice with a wide V-neck collar festooned with layers of ribbons, with layered 3/4-length sleeves of ribbon and lace, and a vertical wide-striped white cord trim on the bodice and matching skirt, with a small train. Mary Todd Lincoln's inaugural gown may have been the only one equipped with multiple pieces for both day and evening wear. Abraham Lincoln's years as President from 1961-65 were difficult for Mary, as she suffered from what historians now believe was bipolar disorder, endured a head injury in a carriage accident, and was tormented by the premature deaths of 3 of her 4 sons. 3. FRANCES CLARA CLEVELAND PRESTON: Full-length 2-piece off-white gown with a V-neck, 3/4-length sleeves, a small front swag, with floral applique trim throughout, and a small train, bearing an interior label inscribed, "Paris Creations." Frances was the ripe old age of 21 when she took on the enormous challenge of being the youngest First Lady, a distinction she holds to this day. The gown offered here is actually a replica of Frances' wedding gown worn when she married President Grover Cleveland at the White House in 1886, the only time a President and First Lady were wed in a White House ceremony. 4. EDITH KERMIT CAROW ROOSEVELT: Full-length smoky blue 2-piece gown with a fabric design of pinwheels and birds, a square neckline, and draped lace sleeves of cream and gold, bearing an interior label inscribed "Paris Creations." Edith Kermit Carow Roosevelt, whose reign as First Lady and wife of President Theodore Roosevelt lasted from 1901-09, cared so little for her exclusive couture that she often cut up her dresses and reused the fabric. Such was the case with her inaugural gown, half of which was donated to the Smithsonian Institution and the other half crafted by restoration experts. 5. GRACE GOODHUE COOLIDGE: Burgundy velvet ankle-length sleeveless gown with a drop waist accentuated with a rhinestone belt, a tiered skirt of large ruffles, and a long train emanating from the shoulder. Grace Goodhue Coolidge began her career as First Lady in 1923, and her Flapper-style inaugural gown reflected her individuality and embrace of the modern woman. President Calvin Coolidge apparently enjoyed helping his wife choose her wardrobe and likely contributed to her choice of inaugural fashion. 6. ANNA ELEANOR ROOSEVELT: Salmon-colored full-length short-sleeved gown with a matching beaded design at the neckline and on the petal sleeves, with a tassle-style pendant of matching beads at the upper center of the bodice, with the skirt culminating in a long train, bearing an interior label inscribed, "Paris Creations." As the wife of 4-term President Franklin Roosevelt from 1933-45, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt's heavy schedule as an activist left little time for fashion concerns. Nevertheless, she dazzled her adoring public in inaugural gowns which reflected the style of the day but were classic in their simplicity, much like the lady herself. 7. JACQUELINE BOUVIER KENNEDY: Three-piece ensemble consisting of a sleeveless 2-piece gown with a floral design of silver metallic thread on the bodice and a solid-colored skirt, together with a full-length matching cape with a frog closure at the top and side armholes, bearing an interior label inscribed, "Paris Cre