When you think of fashionable first ladies, the names Michelle Obama and Jacqueline Kennedy probably come to mind, but they weren’t the only ones with an eye for style.
Long before Jackie O. popularized the pillbox hat, Mamie Eisenhower had a shade of pink named for her. And before Michelle Obama caused a stir by showing off her bare arms, Francis Folsom Cleveland ruffled the feathers of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in the late 1880s with her shoulder-bearing dresses.
This Independence Day, we’re paying homage to 11 former first ladies who are also style icons. Check out our picks below:
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Mary Todd Lincoln, first lady from 1861-1865
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Mary Todd Lincoln dressed in a ball gown for her husband's inauguration on May 4, 1861.
Mary Todd Lincoln
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Lincoln often wore opulent gowns that reportedly cost around $2,000 each and sparked plenty of controversy. They were all custom-made to fit her perfectly, according to Time.
Francis Folsom Cleveland, first lady from 1885-1889, 1893-1897
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Frances Folsom Cleaveland was a trendsetter in her day. Her wedding dress was the subject of public interest, and she even caused a stir with the Women’s Christian Temperance Union because of her gowns that showed off her bare neck, shoulders and arms.
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Frances Folsom Cleveland
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The first lady's fashion choices had an influence on members of the public -- so much so that she was once falsely credited for the bustle falling out of fashion, according to The National First Ladies Library.
Grace Coolidge, first lady from 1923-1929
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Time called Grace Coolidge "the ideal fashion plate for the Jazz Age’s straight-waisted flapper dresses."
It was well known that the first lady liked to shop, according to The National Museum of American History, and it's been said that the president even enjoyed choosing dresses for his wife.
Here, the couple is pictured on the White House lawn in 1927.
It was well known that the first lady liked to shop, according to The National Museum of American History, and it's been said that the president even enjoyed choosing dresses for his wife.
Here, the couple is pictured on the White House lawn in 1927.
Grace Coolidge
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Many people admired the former first lady's flapper stye, and according to The New York Times, couturier Charles Worth awarded her a gold locket on behalf of the French garment industry.
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Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady from 1933-1945
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Eleanor Roosevelt was said to prefer simple outfits that she could accessorize, according to The National Museum of American History.
Eleanor Roosevelt
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The National Museum of American History also noted that the former FLOTUS was well aware of the fact that people liked the convenience of ready-to-wear clothing, but expressed caution about purchasing garments made in sweatshops. (She was a conscious consumer before "conscious consumerism" was even a thing.)
Here, she's photographed in the silver gown she wore for her husband's Inaugural Ball.
Here, she's photographed in the silver gown she wore for her husband's Inaugural Ball.
Mamie Eisenhower, first lady from 1953-1961
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Before there was millennial pink, there was Mamie pink: a light pink shade named after the first lady who just really loved the color.
Eisenhower, like Cleveland, was quite the trendsetter, according to Time. Her fashion choices even landed her on "best dressed" lists of the time.
Eisenhower, like Cleveland, was quite the trendsetter, according to Time. Her fashion choices even landed her on "best dressed" lists of the time.
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Mamie Eisenhower
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Eisenhower is also said to have loved clothes, and while she showed support for well-known designers, she wasn't against purchasing dresses from discount stores.
She's seen here with her son, John Eisenhower, after he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point on D-Day in 1944.
She's seen here with her son, John Eisenhower, after he graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point on D-Day in 1944.
Lady Bird Johnson, first lady from 1963-1969
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Lady Bird Johnson (shown here with husband Lyndon) is perhaps one of the most underrated first ladies, specifically when it came to her style. (It didn't help that she succeeded Jacqueline Kennedy, who many would still consider the most stylish FLOTUS.)
As Robin Givhan wrote in The Washington Post following Johnson's death in 2007: "Lady Bird Johnson was not a favorite within the fashion industry, but she should have been. Not because of her style but for her philosophy."
As Robin Givhan wrote in The Washington Post following Johnson's death in 2007: "Lady Bird Johnson was not a favorite within the fashion industry, but she should have been. Not because of her style but for her philosophy."
Lady Bird Johnson
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"Johnson acknowledged that beauty comes in many forms and that everyone should have access to it," Givhan wrote. "The fashion industry could not have asked for a better endorsement than that."
Here, Johnson is seen wearing a modest ensemble with a string of pearls in 1963.
Here, Johnson is seen wearing a modest ensemble with a string of pearls in 1963.
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Pat Nixon, first lady from 1969-1974
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Here, Nixon is dressed in her first inauguration gown, a yellow silk-satin number with a matching beaded jacket by Harvey Berin. The yellow dress is one of the most iconic inaugural gowns throughout history.
Pat Nixon
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Nixon was another first lady who mixed high and low fashions. For instance, she loved Adele Simpson, the designer responsible for Nixon's inaugural gowns, but she also wore things off the rack. Oh, and she apparently loved pockets in her dresses.
Here, she's photographed with President Richard Nixon in Washington, D.C., in 1973.
Here, she's photographed with President Richard Nixon in Washington, D.C., in 1973.
Rosalynn Carter, first lady from 1977-1981
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According to Time, Rosalynn Carter used clothing to make political statements rather than fashion statements. For example, the gown she wore for her husband's presidential inauguration was one she purchased off the rack and wore previously for her husband's inauguration as governor of Georgia.
"She, more than most [first ladies], made a very pointed gesture with her dress. She was saying, 'I don't care about this, it's not important to me while the country is in a recession," fashion journalist Kate Betts told Fashionista of Carter's sartorial choice.
"She, more than most [first ladies], made a very pointed gesture with her dress. She was saying, 'I don't care about this, it's not important to me while the country is in a recession," fashion journalist Kate Betts told Fashionista of Carter's sartorial choice.
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Rosalynn Carter
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Carter typically opted for simple, conservative ensembles that were American-made, according to The Washington Post.
Nancy Reagan, first lady from 1981-1989
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Nancy Reagan was "known for bringing a sense of style to the White House that the U.S. hadn't seen since Jackie Kennedy," according to "Today."
She was so well-known for her fashion sense and affinity for fancy clothing that she made headlines when she poked fun at herself by dressing up in a mismatched outfit and singing a version of "Second Hand Clothes" (to the tune of the song "Second Hand Rose") at a political event in 1982.
"The sophisticated audience of journalists, politicians and their friends responded to her performance as though she had undergone a major change," Washington Post reporter Donnie Radcliffe wrote at the time. "A number of these image-makers left the ballroom saying that Nancy Reagan's song-and-dance number had transformed her image."
She was so well-known for her fashion sense and affinity for fancy clothing that she made headlines when she poked fun at herself by dressing up in a mismatched outfit and singing a version of "Second Hand Clothes" (to the tune of the song "Second Hand Rose") at a political event in 1982.
"The sophisticated audience of journalists, politicians and their friends responded to her performance as though she had undergone a major change," Washington Post reporter Donnie Radcliffe wrote at the time. "A number of these image-makers left the ballroom saying that Nancy Reagan's song-and-dance number had transformed her image."
Nancy Reagan
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Reagan was a Hollywood actress before she became first lady. It makes sense, then, that she was a little more adventurous with her style, often choosing bright colors (she seemed to love red) and trendy silhouettes of the '80s, like exaggerated shoulders.
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Hillary Clinton, first lady from 1993-2001
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Hillary Clinton may be known for her power suits and headbands, but the former first lady and 2016 presidential nominee definitely had some ultra-glam moments, like at Bill Clinton's 1993 inaugural ball. Clinton wore an embellished, deep violet gown designed by Sarah Phillips and made by Barbara Matera Ltd.
Hillary Clinton
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Throughout her time as first lady, Clinton opted for fairly feminine looks, like this light pink skirt suit paired with gold chain belts and a chunky pearl necklace. As Vogue noted, soft tailoring and gold jewelry were two of her style signatures.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article misstated the dates of Mary Todd Lincoln’s time as first lady. She held the title from 1861 to 1865. Language has also been amended to clarify that Nancy Reagan sang the satirical song “Second Hand Clothes” to the tune of another song, “Second Hand Rose.”
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