First Ladies' Inaugural Ball Gowns Past
The politics of fashion: taking the stage at the Inaugural Ball.
Jan. 22, 2013 -- quicklist: 1title: Michelle Obama take 2text: For the 2013 inaugural ball, Michelle Obama was vibrant in another Jason Wu ruby-colored chiffon and velvet gown.
Michelle Obama's choice of gown was a delight to her ardent fashion supporters and fans this inauguration. The first lady is known for her chic and classy fashion sense, and has been spotted draped in pieces by Michael Kors, Tracy Reese, Thakoon, Narciso Rodriguez, Isabel Toledo, Naeem Khan, Vera Wang, Marchesa and others. Obama could have chosen any of these designers for the honor of designing her most-prized gown, but why take any chances? Obama chose the talented man who designed her first inaugural ball gown, none other than New York-based designer, Jason Wu.
She also wore a handmade diamond embellished ring by jewelry designer Kimberly McDonald and shoes designed by Jimmy Choo. At the end of the Inaugural festivities, the outfit and accompanying accessories went to the National Archives.
A vision in her red dress, the first lady danced with the President to Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," performed by Jennifer Hudson.
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quicklist:2title: Michelle Obama take 1text: Michelle Obama sparkled in choice for first inauguration ball.
During the Inaugural Ball in Washington Jan. 20, 2009, Obama wore a white, one-shouldered, silk-chiffon-and-Swarovski-crystal gown designed by Wu.
She has been spotted wearing other pieces from the New Yorker's collection before.
Wu, who was born in Taiwan, raised in Canada and resides in New York, began his career by studying at Parsons The New School for Design. He later interned for New York fashion designer Narciso Rodriguez, who is best known for designing the wedding dress that Carolyn Bessette wore when she married John F. Kennedy Jr. Rodriguez has also dressed the first lady.
Rodriguez's protégé, Wu, launched his line in 2006. Wu's stardom began to rise in 2008 when he received Fashion Group International's Rising Star award for his first collection.
Other star-studded clients known to have worn the up-and-coming designer's fashions are Leighton Meester, January Jones, Tinsley Mortimer, Ivanka Trump, Kerry Washington.
Get more pure politics at ABCNews.com/Politics
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quicklist:3title: Laura Bushtext: In 2001, first lady Laura Bush donned a crystal-embellished, ruby-red gown from Texas designer Michael Faircloth to her husband's first Inaugural Ball.
A year after her husband became the 43rd president of the United States, Laura Bush formally presented that ruby gown to the Smithsonian Institution's First Ladies Collection at the National Museum of American History in Washington.
Along with the dress, Laura Bush also donated a matching coat, shoes and bag for the collection.Not to be outdone by her first gown, four years later, in 2005, Bush wore a pale-aqua laced gown by famed designer Oscar de la Renta to the second inauguration of her husband, George W. Bush.
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quicklist:4title: Hillary Clintontext: First lady Hillary Clinton stuck to her roots for husband Bill Clinton's first Inaugural Ball in 1993. She supported a hometown Arkansan designer, Sarah Phillips, by donning a shimmering, long-sleeved, purple-lace gown by the designer from Little Rock.
Similarly to her successor, Hillary Clinton wore a piece by Oscar de la Renta for her husband's second Inaugural Ball. Her second dress was a high-necked, gold gown that added a bit of glam to the first lady's otherwise conservative style.
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quicklist: 5title: Barbara Bushtext: In 1989, first lady Barbara Bush wore a velvet-and-satin gown by Canadian designer Arnold Scaasi. Scaasi has also designed for the likes of first ladies Mamie Eisenhower, Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush.
The beauty of the draped dress made Barbara hesitant to donate it to the Smithsonian Institution, telling Time, "I love this dress … and I really hate to give it up."
She first accessorized her ensemble with a triple-stranded, choker pearl necklace and earrings.
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quicklist:6title:Nancy Reagantext:With her hair back and her gloves on, Nancy Reagan elegantly sported a $22,500 hand-beaded gown designed by James Galanos to the first Inaugural Ball of her husband, Ronald Reagan. The single-shouldered, intricately detailed dress now sits among the Smithsonian collection of donated dresses worn by first ladies.
Reagan was a repeat offender four years later when she wore a two-piece Galanos design to her husband's second Inaugural Ball in 1985.
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