18 of Jill Biden’s best style moments ever: the US first lady wore Oscar de la Renta for her 2023 Grammys surprise, Vivienne Tam when she met Xi Jinping and Vera Wang at her second inaugural ball
As far as US first ladies go, fashion choices can also be strong statements.
STYLE has rounded up her 18 most fashionable moments so far …
1. Chartreuse skirt suit at election-night party in Chicago, 2008
At a 2008 election-night party, Biden stood out in a chartreuse skirt suit with a high collar and nude heels.
2. Grey coat, white dress and heeled boots at Barack Obama’s inaugural parade, 2013
During the second inauguration of then-president Obama, Biden wore a Lela Rose dress with a grey coat and matching boots. Her solid-coloured coat was accented with a large bow in the front.
3. Silky blue Vera Wang gown at her second inaugural ball, 2013
At her second inaugural ball, Biden wore a silky blue Vera Wang gown. She paired her belted, draped dress with black pumps.
4. Mix and match during a visit to Fort Campbell US Army Base, 2014
During a visit to Fort Campbell US Army Base in 2014, Biden offset her blue outfit with yellow heels. She paired her striped midi dress with a matching cardigan that was designed with a bejewelled neckline.
5. Black-and-white knitted jacquard dress and bright heels for a state visit, 2015
During a visit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2015, Biden wore a black-and-white knitted jacquard dress by Vivienne Tam – a Hong Kong-born, New York City-based designer.
In an earlier story posted in 2021, the designer said that Biden gave Tam creative freedom to dress her for the event. “At the end, she said, ‘Just choose the pieces that best represent the brand and Vivienne Tam.’ She really placed her trust in me, asking me to decide – and that was a fantastic feeling and experience to have,” Tam said.
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6. All-black outfit at the Oscars with her daughter Ashley, 2016
Biden’s red-carpet look was a draped one-shoulder dress with a bow on the shoulder.
7. Leather dress on an episode of NBC’s The Voice, 2016
For an appearance on a 2016 episode of NBC’s The Voice, Biden sported a leather dress. She paired the shift dress with electric-blue sandals.
8. Sleeveless white dress at the Democratic National Convention, 2016
The former second lady wore a white dress with subtle stripes and matching pumps.
9. Red dress with floral cut-outs at the USO Gala, 2016
Biden wore drop earrings with the bright-red gown.
10. Gabriela Hearst forest-green dress at a presidential debate, 2020
The dress, called the Kelley, is made from recycled materials, which is a core part of Hearst’s brand philosophy. Biden has worn the dress at least two other times.
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She previously wore it in 2017 to the annual Save the Children Illumination Gala, and again in February 2020 during an MSNBC appearance.
11. Floral dress to a drive-in campaign event in Florida, 2020
Biden wore a “Vote” face mask that picked up on the purple in her dress, and she accessorised with a pair of metallic silver heels.
12. Oscar de la Renta floral dress when Joe Biden addressed the nation, 2020
Biden made a statement in a US$5,690 Oscar de la Renta dress that sold out in a matter of hours after she wore it, Insider reported.
13. Purple “Unity” outfit at a Covid-19 memorial service, 2021
Biden wore a purple wrap coat and dress from Jonathan Cohen’s autumn 2021 collection to the memorial hosted the evening before Inauguration Day. According to Vogue, the coat and mask were made from fabric scraps at Cohen’s studio.
As Insider reported, the name of the ensemble – the “Unity” coat and dress – may have been a sign of support for her husband’s message of unity for the US. The colour purple can also be seen as a sign of bipartisanship, as it combines Democrat blue and Republican red.
14. Custom ocean-blue coat and dress from Markarian at the inauguration, 2021
Her silk mask matched her look, which was designed with Swarovski crystals and pearls.
Alexandra O’Neill, the designer of small luxury brand Markarian, who’s behind Biden’s look, said that the colour worn by the first lady was chosen to “signify trust, confidence and stability”.
15. Powder-blue suit during an engagement with Queen Elizabeth, 2021
The first lady accessorised her timeless look with light pink heels and a sparkly brooch.
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16. Navy off-the-shoulder gown for a state dinner, 2022
The dress, designed by Oscar de la Renta, featured long sleeves and a nude layer underneath a floral lace pattern. The state dinner’s theme was red, white and blue to symbolise the American and French flags, making her choice of attire perfectly fitting.
17. Oscar de la Renta floral dress for an outing in Madrid, 2022
The playful print of the dress was accented by a matching belt around her waist.
18. Metallic gold gown at the Grammys, 2023
The first lady presented the award for best song for social change, “Baraye” by Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour, as well as the award for song of the year, “Just Like That” by Bonnie Raitt.
- US first lady Jill Biden’s sense of style is often sophisticated and elegant – but she did wear a daring leather dress with Michelle Obama on NBC’s The Voice once
- When her hubby, then-president elect Joe Biden, addressed the nation in November 2020, the US$5,690 Oscar de la Renta dress that she wore to the event sold out in a matter of hours