Are Presidential Couples Always Looking Good? Let’s See What Experts Have to Say!
From wardrobe malfunctions to fashion faux pas, we must admit that first couples have been through A LOT over the years.
Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump have all made fashion mistakes and have multiple times chosen inappropriate outfits. Oh, first ladies also did it! They wore looks that were considered culturally insensitive and were severely criticized. Let’s discover together the most memorable fashion fails and see how the first couples managed them.
Here Are The Most Memorable Fashion Fails Made by First Couples:
1. Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter
Rewearing dresses at different official events used to be unacceptable. Back in 1977, Rosalynn Carter made a fashion mistake when she reworn an off-the-rack blue chiffon and gold-embroidered dress and matching coat to her husband President Jimmy Carter’s inaugural ball. The media immediately realized that the First Lady had worn the same dress when her husband was elected governor of Georgia, in 1971 and she was hardly criticized. Even though, nowadays, more and more public figures are wearing their outfits multiple times, back in time, this wasn’t seen as being normal and ethical.
The only one who baked Rosalynn Carter for her choice is Lisa Kathleen Graddy who said that the dress and entire presence enhanced the incoming Carter Presidency’s notions of modesty and frugality.
2. Bill and Hillary Clinton
Bill Clinton always wore micro gym shorts in the ’90s and used to raise eyebrows. The president stuck to the ’70s fashion and bared his legs in public multiple times while running. Let’s admit it, the shorts were really short, but I guess… as long as he liked them we shouldn’t talk about it. But can we keep our mouths shut? Hahaha, clearly, NOT.
After some photos from 1992 with Clinton and his running-mate were released, HuffPost wrote in 2011: “Sorry, gents, but we’re REALLY glad those teensy shorts have highlighted it out of style”.
Not only Bill Clinton made fashion mistakes. On a trip to Japan, back in 1996, Hillary Clinton chose to wear only black, which didn’t help her give a good impression. Even though black color is very elegant and considered a staple in women’s wardrobe in the U.S., everything is different in Japan. Culturally, black represents mourning and misfortune, especially when it’s worn alone or with white. So, Hillary’s reputation suffered a little.
3. Laura and George W. Bush
For a televised news conference in April 2004, George W. Bush wore a blue tie with white polka dots. In real life, the fashion choice wasn’t harmful at all, but on TV screens, the print created a fiery illusion and ruined the president’s entire look.
This fashion mishap could been easily avoided, here is what Nancy Mathis, the head of First Take Communications said: “If it’s something that distracts the viewer, it detracts from the message. The bottom line is if you want to look solid, wear solid.”
That’s not everything George Bush did and got criticized! Once he decided that crocs and socks are the best combo for a president to go biking. It is considered an important moment in fashion since it is the only time a president was seen wearing Crocs. Comments were saying that he looked like a grandpa on his way to the beach.
No one says that presidents can’t wear normal clothing items, but each time they do it in public they are hardly criticized. Their status and function are seen as being more important than feeling good and comfy.
What do you think? Can political figures find the balance? Or their private lives are the price they have to pay to succeed? Write us in the comment section found below.
Now that we are over with George W. Bush, let’s see what his wife’s most memorable fashion fail is.
Laura Bush decided to wear an $8,500 Oscar de la Renta off-the-rack gown on December 3, 2006, for the Kennedy Center Honors, for the reception at the White House, and then over to the performance. That night, George Bush greeted 3 other women wearing the same dress. This is one of the reasons first ladies most of the time wear specially customized looks and avoid anything off the rack. To avoid more speculations Laura Bush changed her dress before arriving at the Honors.
4. Michelle and Barack Obama
Do you remember Obama’s mom jeans? Everyone was talking about it. In 2009, Obama threw the first pitch at the Major League Baseball All-Star Game in St. Louis, Missouri. Nobody looked at how well he threw the ball since the baggy jeans he wore stole the spotlight immediately.
Years later, he was still trying to defend himself saying in an interview that he was just trying to do his job on the field and also be comfy enough. In 2019, he said that he was sorry for those who waited to see him in tight jeans, but he is not 20 years old anymore, so the mom jeans made him feel amazing, despite the negative comments and reactions he received.
Now that we are done with Barack Obama, let’s see what kind of fashion fails his first lady did over the years.
In 2009, Michelle and Barack Obama met Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace and the First Lady received a lot of criticism. The designer, Oscar de la Renta said that you can’t go and meet the queen while wearing a sweater.
5. Melania and Donald Trump
President Donald Trump was known for wearing too-long ties throughout his career, especially during his time in the White House. Trump has been multiple times mocked over them.
As you might already know, the end of a tie should be between the top and bottom of a belt, but Trump’s is way too long. In Chris Christie’s memoir, we found out that Trump did it on purpose, thinking that the ties were “slenderizing” and made him look thinner.
Another Trump fashion fail is represented by his pants which often seem worn backward. One of Trump’s biggest fashion fails was at the 2021 North Carolina GOP convention, when everybody was staring at his pants. Even Jimmy Fallon couldn’t keep his mouth shut and talked about the event and Trump’s pants on his late-night talk show. He said that Mr. President seemed like wearing an airbag inside his pants. A lot of the talk show’s fans also wrote on Twitter, continuing Fallon’s jokes.
Now, let’s get to Melania, who is known for always being stylish and beautifully dressed.
The first lady wore a pith helmet, on safari, in Kenya. The problem was that the helmet was very similar to a colonialism tie which generated a lot of criticism. That time, Melania was on her first solo international trip and marked the experience with one of the biggest fashion mistakes in history.
While in Egypt, Trump responded to the criticism and told reporters he wished people would focus on what he does not what he wears.
6. Jill and Joe Biden
Joe Biden is the luckiest one, since he didn’t have major fashion fails over the years, that is why we will concentrate this time on Jill.
Most of the First Ladies had to fight with the wind while wearing beautiful, elegant dresses. Jill Biden visited the Marine Corps combat center in California, in 2021, but as soon as she got out of the helicopter, Biden’s hair and skirt began to blow around furiously.
I think the best way to end this article is with Jill Biden’s “Vote” dress. She wore it in 2024 at the DNC appearance while supporting her husband in the 2024 Presidential Campaign before he quit the race. Various blowhards on Twitter shamed the first lady’s look as “racy” and “trashy”, likening her to Maddona and Cardi B.
Do you think any of these fails didn’t deserve to be criticized? Which is your favorite First Couple and why? Let us know in the comment section.
Are you interested in reading more about First Couples and First Ladies? You should check out this article: Melania Trump’s Most Inappropriate Outfits.
