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Jill Biden Gets 'Emotional' Giving Inauguration Attire — and History-Making Face Masks — to Smithsonian

First Lady Jill Biden smiles during an event to present her Inauguration Day attire to the Smithsonian's First Ladies collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on January 25, 2023 in Washington, DC. Presenting the first lady's inauguration attire at the Smithsonian is a tradition dating back to Helen Taft in 1912.
First Lady Jill Biden smiles during an event to present her Inauguration Day attire to the Smithsonian's First Ladies collection at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History on January 25, 2023 in Washington, DC. Presenting the first lady's inauguration attire at the Smithsonian is a tradition dating back to Helen Taft in 1912.

Drew Angerer/Getty

She has at least two years left in the White House, but Dr. Jill Biden was already enshrined in American history on Wednesday when she gave her 2021 inauguration attire to the Smithsonian's popular First Ladies Collection.

The occasion included affectionate tributes to Biden's legacy that momentarily took the first lady's breath away when it was her turn at the microphone inside the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History on Washington's mall.

"You know, this day is so much more emotional than I ever imagined it to be," Biden said, collecting herself to proceed with prepared remarks.

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The installation of Biden's teal coat and dress from her husband's Jan. 20, 2021, swearing-in on the Capitol steps — plus her embroidered cocktail dress from that evening's virtual White House celebration, which took the place of traditional inaugural balls — includes the matching face masks Biden wore that day, when the COVID-19 pandemic was still at its height.

"They're just pieces of small cloth," Biden said, "but they represent the enormity of what we all faced at the time — a pandemic that has changed our world forever. ... But these masks also represent the moments of courage and kindness that helped us through the worst of it, the strength and resilience we found to rebuild and move forward."

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U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden wave while arriving at the White House during the 59th presidential inauguration parade in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021. Biden will propose a broad immigration overhaul on his first day as president, including a shortened pathway to U.S. citizenship for undocumented migrants - a complete reversal from Donald Trump's immigration restrictions and crackdowns, but one that faces major roadblocks in Congress.

Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Opening the brief ceremony, museum director Anthea Hartig recalled President Joe Biden's 2021 inauguration and its context — not only the pandemic, but the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol two weeks earlier that led to riot fencing and high-alert security for the Jan. 20 swearing in on the Capitol steps.

"A weary nation needed healing," Hartig said. "The elegance and the understated beauty of Dr. Biden's first-inaugural dresses and coats — and for the first time in our history, coordinating, matching masks — these together captured the uniqueness of that day perfectly."

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In a nod to the fact that the inaugural evening wear already in the exhibit from previous first ladies are all floor-length ball gowns, Hartig added:

"Dr. Biden, your grace and your confidence reassured and uplifted us in a way that I think a ballgown probably couldn't have done."

More than a knee-length evening dress, Biden quipped that she hoped to see another newcomer to the collection: "I look forward to adding some men's wear to this gallery in the future as well."

The Smithsonian exhibit announcement describes Biden's daytime ensemble, designed by Alexandra O'Neill of Markarian, as "an ocean blue wool tapered tweed dress, hand embellished with pearls and crystals in a delicate floral pattern, with its matching overcoat accented by a dark blue velvet collar and cuffs."

As for the evening look, by Gabriela Hearst, the museum calls it "an ivory silk wool cady dress and an ivory double-breasted cashmere coat, with embroidery reflecting the federal flowers from every state and territory of the U.S. as a symbol of unity."

That floral touch was intentional, said Biden: "My focus on Inauguration Day was being a first lady for all Americans, doing my part to bring our country back together."

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The first lady credited Hearst for pushing her to take fashion risks. "Time and time again, I think that there's no way I'm going to like her suggestion, but she's right and I love it."

With her voice cracking with emotion and her palms pressed together as if in prayer, Biden closed her remarks: "It's been an honor to serve as your first lady."