From cherry red headbands to crystal shoulder embellishments, the Jan. 20 inauguration of President Joe Biden was filled with standout fashion looks.
Monochromatic: Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama and the Biden Women
Monochromatic dresses and pantsuits seemed to be the theme of the day for many women, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who stunned in a purple ensemble and her signature pearls, designed by designers Christopher John Rogers and Wilfredo Rosado, respectively.
Not only was the outfit fashionable, it was also symbolic. The purple gave a nod to the 20th century suffrage movement in the United States. Suffragettes often wore green, purple and white, with purple representing royalty, freedom and dignity. The pearls are a nod to Harris’ college sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, the oldest historically Black intercollegiate sorority in the U.S.
Former First Lady Michelle Obama also went monochromatic with a burgundy pantsuit and belt embellished with a gold buckle. Obama’s outfit was designed by Sergio Hudson, with her big, silky curls done by Yene Damtew, owner of Aesthetics Salon.
First Lady Jill Biden’s monochromatic blue dress and overcoat were designed by Markarian and embellished with Swarovski crystals, which she complemented with a matching mask and gloves.
As for the Biden granddaughters, Naomi, Finnegan, Maisy and Natalie, all four wore monochromatic looks to the swearing-in ceremony, with Naomi in white, Finnegan in camel, Maisy in black and navy, and Natalie stunning in pink. Naomi’s outfit was by Adam Lippes, Finnegan’s included a Brandon Maxwell coat, Maisy’s was complete with Air Jordan 1 sneakers and Natalie’s featured a custom Lafayette 148 coat.
Fun and Flare: Ella Emhoff, Amanda Gorman and Lady Gaga
Ella Emhoff, Harris’ stepdaughter, stole the show with her plaid Miu Miu overcoat, complete with crystal shoulder embellishments and a white collar. The coat was calf-length and included a cinched waist. She complemented the coat with circular glasses, a black face mask, a purse, leather gloves and a Loeffler Randall headband.
Amanda Gorman, who delivered the poem at the inauguration, stunned audiences not only with her talent, but also with her sense of fashion. If the yellow, double breasted Prada coat wasn’t enough, she brought it home with a cherry red Prada headband, positioned like a crown upon her head. In a Vogue interview, Gorman said that she wore yellow as a nod to Jill Biden, who saw a video of Gorman performing at the Library of Congress while wearing a vibrant yellow dress. The first National Youth Poet Laureate also wore jewelry gifted to her by Oprah, including Nikos Koulis gold hoop earrings with a hanging diamond. Her caged bird ring by Of Rare Origin commemorated Maya Angelou’s “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”
Lady Gaga performed the national anthem wearing a usual Gaga outfit: bold and beautiful. She wore a Schiaparelli Haute Couture gown with a red silk faille skirt, complete with a large golden dove brooch pinned on the navy fitted jacket. Her hair was styled in a braided updo.
Meme-inspiring: Bernie Sanders
Of course, one of the most unforgettable moments of the day came from a photograph-turned-meme of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) sitting in his folding chair waiting for the event to begin. Sanders opted for a casual outfit that day, including a Burton Snowboards jacket and his, now-famous, wool mittens, which Vermont elementary school teacher Jen Ellis made and later gifted to Sanders.
