Dr. Jill Biden in Markarian by Alexandra O’Neill at the Presidential Inauguration

Posted on January 20, 2021

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Gotta say, we were not prepared for this at all.

 

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We made it clear in at least one podcast and a couple of social media posts that we had no intention of covering Dr. Biden’s fashion choices when she became First Lady. We never wanted our Michelle Obama coverage, which was extensive, to be taken as an ongoing feature on our site. Michelle was singular and historic in the role, which made coverage easy, and she was extremely good at using fashion to convey symbols and messages, which made coverage fun and interesting. Very few First Ladies operated on that level, historically speaking, and we hated the idea of torturing ourselves and our readers through four years of Melania’s expensive trophy wife/label queen efforts, not just because they were boring, but because we found her revolting and didn’t want to pretend otherwise. If we went back to FLOTUS style coverage the next time a Democrat filled the role, we’d be turning it into a partisan thing, which is just not something we’re interested in. We felt like we had a pretty good handle on the situation, since Dr. Biden, while a perfectly stylish and always-presentable woman, never really struck us as the type who’d use fashion in a more elevated way.

Well, shut our fucking mouths, why don’t you, Dr. Jill?

First Lady Jill Biden is wearing a custom Markarian-designed matching coat and dress set made in an ocean blue, wool tweed with a matching silk Markarian face mask. The coat, with its dark blue velvet collar and cuffs, is worn over a tapered dress with a chiffon bodice and scalloped skirt. The neckline of the dress is hand embellished with Swarovski pearls and crystals in a delicate floral pattern. The same Swarovski crystals adorn the coat and dress, subtly reflecting the light. The color blue was chosen for the pieces to signify trust, confidence, and stability. The look was carefully crafted by a small team in the heart of New York City’s Garment Center and hand finished by O’Neill in her West Village studio. Alexandra is incredibly humbled to be a small part of such a historic moment.

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It’s really lovely, with some exquisite touches, like the crystals and the velvet, elevating it to something that really makes her stand out from the crowd. She’s not just a lady in a nice coat; she’s the First Lady of the United States. We don’t think, in 8 years of seeing her in the background or to the side of our Michelle Obama posts, we ever saw her wear something so declarative and so fashionable. The beaded neckline, the sheer panel on the yoke, the trim on the pockets and the velvet buttons – all gorgeous details.

Geez, Dr. Jill. You keep this up and we’re gonna have a hard time maintaining our stance over here.

 

Style Credits:
Markarian Ocean Blue Wool Tweed Coat and Dress with Matching Silk Face Mask

 

[Photo Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images, JIM LOSCALZO/POOL/CNP/startraksphoto.com, Saul Loeb/CNP/startraksphoto.com, Erin Schaff/CNP/startraksphoto.com, Courtesy of Markarian]

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