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First Lady Pat Nixon wore this stunning white and brown Karen Stark frock to a performance of the Broadway play “1776” in the East Room of the White House on February 22, 1972. The dress is made of a floor-length belted skirt made of dark brown velvet. The glittering top is covered in light pink and brown sequins in a diamond lattice pattern.
Glamour and Innovation: The Women Behind the Seams of Fashion at the White House looks behind the seams to highlight the storied careers of eight women; independent and lesser-known designers, seamstresses, and groundbreaking couturiers whose vision informed a century of fashion in the White House. This exhibit was curated by Maegan Jenkins, the inaugural Digital Exhibits Intern and MA/MS
Something Old, Something New: Eight First Daughters’ Fashionable White House Weddings highlights the glamorous weddings of eight women who took their vows at the White House over two centuries and how their bridal fashion reflects both the taste of each era and their own personal styles. This exhibit was curated by Jillian Staricka, the 2023 Digital Exhibits Intern and MA student in
From First Lady Dolley Madison's sister Lucy Payne Washington's wedding in 1812 to the nuptials of President Joseph Biden and First Lady Jill Biden's granddaughter Naomi Biden on the South Lawn in November 2022, the White House has long been the site of wedding ceremonies and receptions. In over two hundred years, there have been nineteen documented weddings and four receptions hosted
Thanksgiving is a relatively quiet and personal holiday at the White House, as it precedes a very busy season of public events in December. With the exception of the annual turkey pardon, the first family celebrates with friends and family in the same fashion as households across the country. Setting aside a day to give thanks and reflect was the
Since the White House was first occupied by President John Adams in 1800, influential people and organizations—or those who hoped to have influence—have bought property and built homes and offices along the streets surrounding the White House. For more than two centuries, this neighborhood has been the setting for political decision-making and diplomacy, social gatherings and protests, wartime expediencies and
