The race for US presidential elections has begun. Winner gets the tag of being the most powerful man on this Earth, i.e. the US President! Who will the lucky person be, is unknown. Equal chances exist for Mitt Romney and Barrack Obama to win. The global textile and fashion industry will be affected to a certain extent owing to this election. Textile policies will be changed or modified as per the beliefs of the President.

Whoever the President is, the next first lady will surely bring in a lot of changes in the world of fashion. She will be revered as the 'style icon'. Her style will be imitated by women all over the world. Just like the previous first ladies of America, her clothing and accessories will catch media attention. Michelle Obama or Ann Romney, whoever the first lady of America is, will come into the limelight for her dressing sense.

First ladies of America have a history of being 'style icons'. Jacqueline Kennedy, the thirty-fifth first lady of America, was a fashion symbol for the country. She was popular for her bright colored evening gowns. Together with her favorite designer Oleg Cassini, she created a history in the world of fashion. Her most renowned of all dresses is the one she wore on the night Mr. Kennedy was assassinated (November 22, 1963). Her pink Chanel dress with a pillbox hat is still remembered.

Another fashion symbol among the first ladies of America was Mary Todd Lincoln. The wife of the sixteenth President of USA (Abraham Lincoln) had an exotic taste for clothing. But her dressing sense could be termed 'overdressed'. She wore expensive clothes that attracted positive as well as negative attention. She spent extravagantly on her clothing and accessories at a time when the country was in need of money. This is the only reason her style was never really appreciated.

Harriet Lane, the only first lady who did not marry a President, was also a fashionista. She gave a new fashion trend to American women deep necked gowns! She was few of the American first ladies who were imitated for her deep neckline on her inaugural gown and not criticized. She lowered it further by two and a half inches and exposed her cleavage as a style statement.

First ladies have had an influence over the fashion trends in US since very early times. American women have copied the likes of their first ladies and rejected their dislikes. Bustle gowns completely lost its place in USA; simply because a rumor spread in the country that Frances Cleveland, the twenty-seventh first lady of USA, did not like to wear bustle gowns and she was not going to wear them anymore.

Pink was a color that was mostly reserved for baby girls. But the thirty-sixth first lady of America, Mamie Geneva Eisenhower, was often spotted in the color pink at an age of 56. No doubt there were critics for her choice of the color pink on clothing, but it had an equal number of followers, as well. She popularized the color throughout America. She had matching accessories to go along. Though that kind of color combination is not adopted by many nowadays, but it suited her complexion then!

Nancy Reagan, the forty second first lady of America, similarly popularized the color red! She often wore red colored clothing as it was attractive and classy. The term 'Reagan Red' became popular for red colored clothes, out of her love for this colored clothing. The possibly future first lady, Ann Romney was also spotted in 'Reagan Red' Oscar de la Renta dress worth $1990, recently.


First ladies were dressed exotically all the time. They were never seen in casual wear in front of the camera. But if a first lady wishes to be photographed in casual wear, she has all the right to! And, she will only be appreciated and not criticized. Catherine "Pat" Nixon proved this theory correct. She took the liberty of being photographed in pants for the first time in the history of USA. Her courage was only appreciated and followed.


The current first lady of USA, Michelle Obama, is also no less a style icon! She fearlessly wears bright colored clothes, despite her complexion. Her sleeveless outfits over her muscled arms are eye catchy. But she is best known for her outfits from retail stores and small time designers. She is often spotted in clothes from GAP and J Crew. In fact, the scenario is such that now when Obama and Romney fight it out to be the president, Michelle and Ann are fighting it out to be the first lady.


And whoever the first lady be, American box for fashion will be stuffed with more material. Each one of them will bring with themselves fashion at its best. There will be more for USA to boast before the world in terms of fashion and style. France holds the most important position among countries in the world of fashion. But the first ladies of USA can certainly challenge this position on behalf of the country!


References:


1.      Diyweddingplanner.hubpages.com

2.      Lisawallerrogers.wordpress.com

3.      Carolinechicago.hubpages.com

4.      Wikipedia.org

5.      Dailymail.co.uk

6.      Firstladies.org