Significances of the Biden-Harris Inaugural Fashion

Significances of the Biden-Harris Inaugural Fashion

By: Caitlyn Garrity / Jan. 22, 2020

The inauguration of President Joe Biden on Jan. 20th was a historic one. For one instance, Donald J. Trump was not in attendance, making him the first outgoing president to not attend the inauguration in over 150 years. But on another hand, it was the start of a new and powerful beginning.

With all of the hardships that America experienced in 2020, a lot of voters chose President Biden for change. While he has only been in office for a few days, their inaugural outfit choices symbolized the Biden-Harris administration’s agenda for the years to come.

Joe Biden: Bronx-Born Designer Suit

President Biden showed up to his inaugural ceremony head-to-toe in Ralph Lauren. Lauren has been with the United States government for a long time whether it was styling politicians, restoring the national banner or serving in the United States Army. By wearing Ralph Lauren pieces, President Biden is symbolizing the true American dream.

Jill Biden: All-Blue Markarian

In accordance with other attendees of the inauguration, First Lady Jill Biden presented herself in an all-blue tweed coat made by New York designer Alexandra O’Neill of Markarian. This turquoise and jewel-toned ensemble was not only gorgeous but reflected her own beliefs and attitudes. Blue symbolizes trust and respect, with signs of confidence and stability. The outfit featured touches of Swarovski pearls in a delicate formation around Dr. Biden’s neck. She even continued the symbolism through the next day where she wore a Jonathan Cohen Unity coat in deep violet. The combination of the turquoise and violet was a sign of unity, a key idea in the Biden-Harris administration.

Vice President Kamala Harris: Purple for the People

The Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, was easily seen on inauguration day. She sported a bright, purple monochrome outfit and not only did it stand out, but it represented the importance of her new position. Vice President Harris is the first female and first Black and South Asian vice president of the United States. To reflect how powerful her victory and stance are, she selected an outfit by Christopher John Roberts.

Roberts is a black, young man who is apart of the LBGTQ community and he told Harper’s Bazaar his reasoning behind the bold color. He told them, “I don’t think that the way that you dress should make you sacrifice your personality or your point of view, or necessarily say anything about your intelligence.” The outfit was critiqued by a few for lack of “sophistication” when it came to the color choice. However, the color choice was purposeful as it was a mix of blue and violet, further symbolizing the idea of unity as we saw with the outfits of Dr. Jill Biden.

Michelle Obama: Powerful in Plum

It would be a crime not to talk about Michelle Obama’s inaugural outfit. She showed up to the event in a striking monochrome plum overcoat look by Sergio Hudson. She wore a turtleneck, high-waisted pants and a gold belt around her waist. Obama chose this look by Hudson, a black designer, who she has used many times before. Hudson has styled other strong women like Beyoncé and Rihanna. Although the Obama family is no longer in the political scene, her matching monochrome outfit reflected a sense of agreement and support for the incoming administration.

 

Promising Future of President Biden

Aside from their outfits, the new administration is already working. President Biden has signed 17 executive actions and two of them are executive orders.  He is launching his COVID-19 plan and the “100 Days of Masking Challenge” campaign to hopefully put an end to this year-long pandemic. Along with the challenge, the President is planning on administrating over 100 million vaccines in 100 days and he has been approved for his $1.9 trillion stimulus package with hopes to rebuild the economy.

The inauguration day was a peaceful and hopeful day but inside the Oval Office, things for the Biden-Harris administration do not seem to be slowing down for anything.