This flounce is an example of Spanish blonde silk Bobbin lace made in the 19th century. Elizabeth Tyler, daughter of President John Tyler and First Lady Letitia Christian Tyler, wore a wedding veil said to be of blonde lace, a type of silk Bobbin lace, originally made in France and worn by wealthy women in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is made of raw, undyed silk threads, which is where the term “blonde lace” comes from. In later years, blonde lace dyed black also became a popular trimming for expensive gowns. Elizabeth Tyler married William Waller in an intimate White House ceremony on January 31, 1842.

This wedding ensemble from circa 1841 - 1843 was crafted in the United State of America and was made from silk taffeta and blonde lace. Elizabeth Tyler, daughter of President John Tyler and First Lady Letitia Christian Tyler, married William Waller in an intimate White House ceremony on January 31, 1842. Though no exact details of Elizabeth’s wedding gown remain, this ensemble depicts the style of the decade, with sloping shoulders, an elongated, small waist, full skirt, and an exposed neckline. The blonde lace, silk, and restrained style is reminiscent of the few words illustrating Elizabeth Tyler's gown on the day of her nuptials.

This silk wedding ensemble from 1844 originated in Europe and is an example of a silk bridal costume in the 1840s style. Elizabeth Tyler, daughter of President John Tyler and First Lady Letitia Christian Tyler, married William Waller in an intimate White House ceremony on January 31, 1842. Though no exact details of Elizabeth’s wedding gown remain, it is known that her blonde lace veil was made of silk, similar to this gown, making it reasonable that her gown had silk fabrics or trimmings. American silk production had increased by the 1840s and one estimate of American silk production in 1843 valued it at $1.4 million. In December 1839, a national silk convention was held in Baltimore. The rising agricultural and political importance of American-made silk may have led to its incorporation in Elizabeth’s wedding gown.

This circa 1804-1805 evening dress was possibly owned by Baltimore socialite Elizabeth Patterson. Patterson wed, and endured an ill-fated marriage, to Jerome Bonaparte, the brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. The wedding gown represents the popular French Empire style in American fashion systems in the early 19th century. The Grecian-inspired loose drapery, puffed sleeves, low neckline, high waistline, and light-colored, very sheer fabric with delicate cotton embroidery replicated the French Empress Josephine’s famous style. The French Empire style of this gown is believed to be similar to the wedding gown worn by Maria Monroe, daughter of President James Monroe and First Lady Elizabeth Monroe, during her wedding to Samuel Gouverneur in a White House ceremony on March 19, 1820.

In this photograph by Yoichi R. Okamoto, designer Geoffrey Beene holds up the shoulder-length veil worn by Lynda Bird Johnson at her wedding on December 9, 1967. Beene was captured in the Center Hall on the Second Floor of the White House that day ahead of the wedding ceremony. Lynda Bird Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady Lady Bird Johnson, married Marine Corps Capt. Charles S. Robb in the East Room. The veil was made of silk illusion and attached to a coronet made of the same silk satin fabric and embroidery as her gown.

This photograph was taken at the "How to Discover America in Style" fashion show at the White House on February 29, 1968. The first fashion show to take place at the White House, it was presented by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson and guests included an assembled group of the wives of the governors of the United States, fashion designers, and journalists. The fashion show took place in the State Dining Room along with a luncheon. Frankie Welch, one of the first designers to design “across the aisle,” creating gowns and scarves for Mrs. Johnson and first ladies Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, and Rosalynn Carter, was among the designers featured in the fashion show. Her "Discover America" scarf, seen here on the underside brim of a sunhat, was used throughout the show and was given as a thank you gift to attendees.

This photograph was taken at the "How to Discover America in Style" fashion show at the White House on February 29, 1968. The first fashion show to take place at the White House, it was presented by First Lady Lady Bird Johnson and guests included an assembled group of the wives of the governors of the United States, fashion designers, and journalists. The fashion show took place in the State Dining Room along with a luncheon. Frankie Welch, one of the first designers to design “across the aisle,” creating gowns and scarves for Mrs. Johnson and first ladies Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, and Rosalynn Carter, was among the designers featured in the fashion show. Her "Discover America" scarf, seen here on on flagpoles held by the models, was used throughout the show and was given as a thank you gift to attendees.

This portrait of Elizabeth Hobbs Keckly was the frontispiece, or an illustration facing the title page of a book, for her memoir Behind the Scenes, or Thirty Years a Slave and Four Years in the White House, published ca. 1868 by G.W. Carleton & Co. Her memoir detailed her life when she was enslaved, her rise to prominence as a businesswoman and seamstress, and her friendship with First Lady Mary Lincoln. Her memoir provides ample insight into the Lincoln White House, her family life, and the brutalities she experienced under slavery.

This print advertisement for H. Milgrim & Bros., Inc. was published in Shadowland magazine circa September 1919 to February 1920. The ensemble in the photograph features the "autumn silhouette" complete with a fur neck wrap and black hat. The ensemble was likely created Sally Milgrim. Milgrim got her start in fashion by joining her husband’s suit-making business as a dressmaker in the 1910s. By the 1920s, her business proved to be so successful that she began creating custom designs for entertainers like Ethel Merman, Pearl White, and Mary Pickford. Milgrim’s line expanded to include eveningwear as well as ready-to-wear gowns and accessories. A high point in Milgrim’s career was when she was approached to design Eleanor Roosevelt’s inaugural gown for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1933 inauguration.

This editorial fashion spread was created in August 1921. The dress at the bottom left is by designer Sally Milgrim. Milgrim got her start in fashion by joining her husband’s suit-making business as a dressmaker in the 1910s. By the 1920s, her business proved to be so successful that she began creating custom designs for entertainers like Ethel Merman, Pearl White, and Mary Pickford. Milgrim’s line expanded to include eveningwear as well as ready-to-wear gowns and accessories. Milgrim’s attention to detail was apparent in her creations – she often incorporated embroidery, cross-stitch, ruffles, pleats, and embedded crystals. A high point in Milgrim’s career was when she was approached to design Eleanor Roosevelt’s inaugural gown for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1933 inauguration.

This editorial photograph was featured in a July 1921 issue of Shadowland magazine. The dress in the photograph is a black and white checkered afternoon gown with ribbon trimming by Sally Milgrim. Milgrim got her start in fashion by joining her husband’s suit-making business as a dressmaker in the 1910s. By the 1920s, her business proved to be so successful that she began creating custom designs for entertainers like Ethel Merman, Pearl White, and Mary Pickford. Milgrim’s line expanded to include eveningwear as well as ready-to-wear gowns and accessories. Milgrim’s attention to detail was apparent in her creations – she often incorporated embroidery, cross-stitch, ruffles, pleats, and embedded crystals. A high point in Milgrim’s career was when she was approached to design Eleanor Roosevelt’s inaugural gown for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1933 inauguration.

This dress was created by Ann Lowe, a dressmaker, seamstress, and couturier who designed the wedding dress of future first lady Jacqueline Kennedy for her wedding to John F. Kennedy on September 12, 1953. Like many of Lowe’s other creations, this black sleeveless cocktail dress demonstrates her love for floral decorations. The bodice is made from black chiffon and the neckline is trimmed with green vines and pink roses made of satin. The green cummerbund of the bodice overlays a tightly pleated, full chiffon skirt. The dress has a zipper closure in the back that starts at the top of the bodice and ends below the waist.

This black and white photograph of designer Sally Milgrim was taken circa 1920 - 1925 aboard a ship. Milgrim got her start in fashion by joining her husband’s suit-making business as a dressmaker in the 1910s. By the 1920s, her business proved to be so successful that she began creating custom designs for entertainers like Ethel Merman, Pearl White, and Mary Pickford. Milgrim’s line expanded to include eveningwear as well as ready-to-wear gowns and accessories. Milgrim’s attention to detail was apparent in her creations – she often incorporated embroidery, cross-stitch, ruffles, pleats, and embedded crystals. A high point in Milgrim’s career was when she was approached to design Eleanor Roosevelt’s inaugural gown for Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1933 inauguration.

This dress was created by designer Karen Stark under the Harvey Berin label circa 1960. The dress is made of silk with a floral pink and black design. The back features a V neckline with bows adorning at both the bottom of the V and at the sash encircling the waist. Stark was the lead designer under the design house of Harvey Berin for nearly fifty years. Stark’s designs for Harvey Berin featured flattering, feminine silhouettes with clean lines and sturdy materials. They were also less complicated and more functional than what French designers at the time were creating. First Lady Pat Nixon selected one of Stark's designs for Harvey Berin for her 1969 inaugural ball gown.

This dress was created by Ann Lowe, a dressmaker, seamstress, and couturier who designed the wedding dress of future first lady Jacqueline Kennedy for her wedding to John F. Kennedy on September 12, 1953. This teal blue silk brocade dress and matching cropped jacket were designed by Lowe in the 1950s and was worn by Florence Colgate Rumbough Trevor, a member of high society. This dress features a V neckline, a fitted bodice, and a small train in the back. This structured silhouette and complex tailoring of this ensemble are evidence of Lowe’s outstanding artistry.

These men’s stars and stripes boudoir slippers are attributed to Elizabeth Keckley. These were likely commissioned in circa 1865 by Mrs. Gideon Welles as a gift for her husband, Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy under President Abraham Lincoln. The body of the shoes is composed of red and white crochet stripes with a navy band and scattered white stars across the vamp. They contain a flat, leather sole and are edged in a twisted blue and red cord. Keckley, who was born enslaved, frequently designed dresses for First Lady Mary Lincoln. The two developed both a business partnership during Mrs. Lincoln's time in the White House as well as a friendship during that time.

This dress was created by Ann Lowe, a dressmaker, seamstress, and couturier who designed the wedding dress of future first lady Jacqueline Kennedy for her wedding to John F. Kennedy on September 12, 1953. This dress was made in 1958 and was worn by Patricia Schieffer. It is made from cream silk faille and features embroidered floral appliqué embellishments throughout. The bodice has cap sleeves and a scoop neck front and back. An excellent example of Lowe’s gift for dress construction, this dress features boning sewn at regular intervals throughout to provide structure and support. Pannier-like structures underneath the petticoat provide fullness to the skirt.