Today is President’s Day: a day to honor all the men that have led our country through thick and thin in the highest office. Although we love our presidents, we can’t help but be intrigued by the woman standing at the side of the president: the first lady. Rather than just remind ourselves of Mrs. Obama’s status as a fashion icon (although we do love her), we decided to also take a look at our other favorite first lady fashionistas throughout history. Each one of these women brought their own style and fresh outlook to the White House and positively changed our country for the better. In honor of these ladies, we picked out pieces from our own Jia Collection that we would recommend for our beloved first ladies. We wanted these pieces to compliment and highlight some of our favorite features of these women to fully celebrate all they have done for us. Plus, who wouldn’t want to dress a bit more like any one of these amazing individuals?

Michelle Obama

 

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past six years, you undoubtedly know that Michelle Obama has become just as much as a style icon as any of the first ladies included on this list. As a strong proponent for established as well as emerging designers, she can make any item of clothing she wears an instant success. Besides being a style icon, the infallible Michelle Obama has been a tireless advocate for and an amazing role model for all women, as well as a leader in the effort to get America’s youths healthier. Although we love her amazing Inaugural gowns as much as anyone, our favorite part of Mrs. Obama’s wardrobe is her casual cardigan or pullover look. Even while she is running outside with children as part of her “Let’s Move” campaign, or working in the White House garden, she still looks like the polished fashionista that she is. We would love to see her add our Taylor pullover from our newest collection to her closet. Not only is this top chic and eye-catching, but it is also up to the task of complimenting the woman on the go, just like our current first lady always is each day.

Jacqueline Kennedy

 

No list of stylish first ladies would be complete without Mrs. Kennedy, a woman whose strong style sense completely altered fashion forever. Today you can still find “Jackie O” oversized sunglasses, and her look of stylish pearls and headscarves is still one of the most iconic looks over fifty years later. Regardless of her outfit, Jacqueline always exuded grace and sophistication. Our most favorite photographs feature Mrs. Kennedy in more casual outfits, especially her striped outfits in which she appears as though she just stepped off of JFK’s sailboat. Again and again, Jacqueline proves that you don’t need to be wearing a ball gown to look polished and put-together. Due to our love of her effortless grace, we could easily imagine her in our Amandine striped dress stepping off a boat or playing with her children outdoors. With its uncomplicated refinement and strong summer feel, this dress would naturally fit itself into Mrs. Kennedy’s timeless closet without a snag.

 

Betty Ford

 

Prior to becoming a first lady, Mrs. Ford worked as a model and danced for the Martha Graham Dance Company. She brought this daring and outspoken way of living into the White House through her political actions and through her bright fashion. For this fearless feminist trailblazer, we would undoubtedly pick out the Genevieve dress for its noteworthy collar and bold patterns. The ageless silhouette of this dress, along with its versatile abilities, would couple perfectly with Betty’s tireless efforts to champion women’s rights. Even after her time in the White House, she continued to work for the American people by creating the Betty Ford Center, a center for those suffering from substance abuse. Just like her, this dress is always ready to take action and get noticed for its elegance while doing so.

 

Nancy Reagan

 

Nearly every photograph you happen across of Mrs. Reagan will feature her in her favorite color: red. In fact, she wore it so often people began calling it “Reagan red.” Just like her husband, Nancy was also an actress prior to becoming a first lady and she is often credited for bringing glamour and style back to the White House. Mrs. Reagan proved again and again that she knew exactly how to dress well for each unique event she attended in her feminine yet brave style. Since we also love red here at the Jia Collection, we couldn’t help but celebrate Mrs. Reagan’s favorite color by pairing her with the Catherine dress. This dress offers the adaptability for it to be styled for almost any event, while the gorgeous cashmere material makes it perfectly sophisticated for anyone. We can see Mrs. Reagan in this dress without even using our imaginations, and we love that this dress can help anyone show off their feminine yet bold side.

 

Hillary Clinton

 

Mrs. Clinton is still very much in the spotlight as speculations about another run for the presidency continue to swirl. However, Hillary has been bringing her intelligent and polished style to the White House since the 1990s. Although she is not necessarily known for her fashion choices, Hillary proves again and again that style is more than just about the clothes that you wear. Through her amazing intellect and powerful ability to lead, she continues to capture our attention (even when not everyone loves her pantsuits). In honor of her ambitious and bright nature, we decided to celebrate her great collection of blazers and jackets with one of our favorites: the Hedy jacket. With this jacket’s unique cut and polished look, we can easily imagine Hillary rocking this piece flawlessly from meetings to events and whatever else her day holds. Not only would this jacket flatter anyone, but it also cries grace and class without being fussy or difficult to style.

No matter what your political leanings may be, it is undeniable that each of these women has worked endlessly to make our country better. Their fashion choices helped to defined who they are and often times changed how we viewed style personally. On this President’s Day, do not forget to remember those women that tirelessly worked alongside their husbands to lead our country, and the fashion that inspired them.

 

Yours truly,