fashion and style in a First Lady

fashion and U.S. First Lady as image of Head of State

Hopefully I will do a spread on fashion and First Ladies on VietvoicefromHouston when i have more time. If that's the case, then the December issue of VVFH will be dedicated to this topic, illustrated with pictures.

Meanwhile I want to post above a picture of Eleanor Roosevelt, who oversaw the drafting of the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights -- she who set the standard for American First Ladies and more, may I say, for American women. Her time was 1884-1962.

Known to be plain, Mrs. Roosevelt was, in my view, very attractive and carefree in this wonderful dress. This dress, fashionable for her time, was timeless and feminine. It did not distract us from who or what she was.

In fact, during her "tenure" I think she could wear anything she wanted, because she had amply paid her dues, proved her worth, served her country, and shown us her mind. Her confidence, her dedication to public service, and her accomplishments in her various roles became her charm. It appeared to me that she was so at ease with herself. That's physical beauty to me.

And, I am INDEED talking about her fashion. This is all about the physical attractiveness, not about politics or diplomacy, because the inner self and the physical self DO merge. The woman herself IS her beauty. One cannot separate the two.

I am deeply concerned that for the past decades we have scrutinized first ladies as though they were fashion models or beauty pageant contestants. They might have been, but that is no longer their role when their husbands take that oath. This trend of "fashionizing" First Ladies in such a materialistic way preceded Melania Trump's "First Lady" role. We spent far too much time and space discussing what First Ladies wore -- labels, prices and cuts, as though those things created the woman. The online media have pushed such a trend. I am concerned what that would do to young girls growing up, i.e. dreaming to be First Ladies so that they could wear Chanel, Jivenchy or Dolce Cabana and think that is how they will become beautiful?

In fact, I will kneel if there is a First Lady who looks fabulous, absolutely gorgeous in a dress that costs her...$50 because she designs it herself, a dress made out of "wash and wear" fabric, such that she can donate what could have been the cost of a Chanel dress to... the Red Cross! The time she saves by endorsing her "wash and wear" fashion in her daily life can be used to help implement the U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights in every corner of the world! Her $50 wash and wear fashion, if genuinely the image of her and not just a tool of politics will be worth our analysis and admiration. Wouldn't you agree with me that a First Lady who can manage to look a million dollars in such a dress will be the role model for many? She has to be such a beautiful, fascinating, and talented woman to be able to pull that off...She will be a treasure for her husband and for us as a nation.

Or, did I simply...misjudge America? America requires Chanel, Jivenchy, or Dolce Cabana for women to be beautiful?

Jacqueline Kennedy had a role for America in her time -- the JFK "new frontier" and our roles in Europe and the developing world -- plus she did much much more to win the American heart and to appear beautiful to her public than just walking around in her Jivenchy to be admired. Same with Evita of Argentina (who campaigned for her husband's release as a wonderful radio actress, and who distributed gifts to poor people from the nationalTreasury -- a provocative act that made the working class worship her like a saint). Those were different times.

Here is Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, her hair, dress, gestures and countenance. I see a very attractive and fashionable woman, don't you? Alas, she even bared her arms!