Nancy Reagan Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==== Fashion ==== Reagan's interest in fashion was another one of her trademarks. While her husband was still [[President-elect of the United States|president-elect]], press reports speculated about Reagan's social life and interest in fashion.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2GFQAAAAIBAJ&pg=6976,3582744|title=Nancy Reagan To Run The White House In Grand Style, Social Pundits Say|date=November 13, 1980|agency=Associated Press|newspaper=St. Petersburg Independent|page=5A}}</ref><ref name="stylenyt">{{cite news|url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1980/11/09/111811929.pdf|title=Word From Friends: A New White House Style Is on the Way|date=November 9, 1980|author=Nemy, Enid|newspaper=The New York Times|page=80}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=XlANAAAAIBAJ&dq=nancy%20reagan%20fashion&pg=5805%2C4581550|title=Fashion Designers Look Ahead to '81|date=December 23, 1980|author=Proven, Grace|newspaper=The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette|page=18}}{{Dead link|date=December 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In many press accounts, Reagan's sense of style was favorably compared to that of a previous first lady, [[Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis|Jacqueline Kennedy]].<ref name="burns-148">Burns, Lisa (2008), p. 148.</ref> Friends and those close to her remarked that, while fashionable like Kennedy, she would be different from other first ladies; close friend Harriet Deutsch was quoted as saying, "Nancy has her own imprint."<ref name="stylenyt" /> White House photographer [[Mary Anne Fackelman-Miner]], who was assigned to Reagan, said of her, "She always photographed so easily and was at ease in front of the cameras."<ref name="tate">{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ldKMDwAAQBAJ |title=Lady in Red: An Intimate Portrait of Nancy Reagan |last=Tate |first=Sheila |year=2019 |publisher=Crown Publishing Group |isbn=9781524762209 |page=213 |language=en}}</ref> Reagan's wardrobe consisted of dresses, gowns, and suits made by luxury designers, including [[James Galanos]], [[Bill Blass]], and [[Oscar de la Renta]]. Her white, hand-beaded, one shoulder Galanos 1981 inaugural gown was estimated to cost $10,000,<ref name="Nancy's Closet" /> while the overall price of her inaugural wardrobe was said to cost $25,000.<ref name="spbt">{{cite news|author=Bennetts, Leslie|title=Nancy Reagan's inaugural wardrobe gives notice of new White House opulence|date=January 25, 1981|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times}}</ref> She favored the color red, calling it "a picker-upper", and wore it accordingly.<ref name="Nancy's Closet" /> Her wardrobe included red so often that the fire-engine shade became known as "Reagan red".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2016/03/nancy-reagan-white-house-style |title=ow Nancy Reagan Returned Unapologetic Glamour to the White House |access-date=August 13, 2019 |magazine=Vanity Fair |date=March 7, 2016 |author=Keogh, Pamela}}</ref> She employed two private hairdressers, who would style her hair on a regular basis in the White House.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A0DE0D81338F930A1575BC0A960948260|title=Washington Talk: Briefing; A Do Ado|author1=King, Wayne |author2=Warren Weaver, Jr. |name-list-style=amp |date=August 23, 1986|access-date=June 18, 2008 | work=The New York Times}}</ref> [[File:Nancy Reagan in the Red Room during a photo session with Vogue Magazine.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Reagan models for ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'' in the [[Red Room (White House)|Red Room]], 1981]] Fashion designers were pleased with the emphasis Reagan placed on clothing.<ref name="spbt" /> [[Adolfo (designer)|Adolfo]] said the first lady embodied an "elegant, affluent, well-bred, chic American look",<ref name="spbt" /> while Bill Blass commented, "I don't think there's been anyone in the White House since Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who has her flair."<ref name="spbt" /> William Fine, president of cosmetic company Frances Denney, noted that she "stays in style, but she doesn't become trendy."<ref name="spbt" /> Though her elegant fashions and wardrobe were hailed as a "glamorous paragon of chic",<ref name="spbt" /> they were also controversial subjects. In 1982, she revealed that she had accepted thousands of dollars in clothing, jewelry, and other gifts, but defended her actions by stating that she had borrowed the clothes and that they would either be returned or donated to museums,<ref name="Nancy's Closet" /><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/16/us/for-mrs-reagan-gifts-mean-high-fashion-at-no-cost.html | title=For Mrs. Reagan, Gifts Mean High Fashion At No Cost | publisher=Associated Press for [[The New York Times]] | date=January 16, 1982 | format=fee required | access-date=February 1, 2008}}</ref> and that she was promoting the American fashion industry.<ref name="nyt021782" /> Facing criticism, she soon said she would no longer accept such loans.<ref name="nyt021782">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/02/17/us/nancy-reagan-gives-up-dress-designer-loans.html | title=Nancy Reagan Gives Up Dress Designer Loans | first=Hedrick |last=Smith | work=The New York Times | date=February 17, 1982 | format=fee required | access-date=February 1, 2008 |author-link=Hedrick Smith}}</ref> While often buying her clothes, she continued to borrow and sometimes keep designer clothes throughout her time as first lady, which came to light in 1988.<ref name="time102488">{{cite magazine | url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,968774-1,00.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022184824/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,968774-1,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 22, 2012 | title=Why Mrs. Reagan Still Looks Like a Million | first=Ed |last=Magnuson | magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date=October 24, 1988 | access-date=February 1, 2008}}</ref> None of this had been included on financial disclosure forms;<ref name="time102488" /> the non-reporting of loans under $10,000 in liability was in violation of a voluntary agreement the White House had made in 1982, while not reporting more valuable loans or clothes not returned was a possible violation of the [[Ethics in Government Act]].<ref name="time102488" /><ref name="wapo120589">{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1226713.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104103013/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1226713.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 4, 2012 | title=IRS Looking into Gifts to Reagans; Borrowed Designer Dresses Subject of Tax Inquiry | author=Kurtz, Howard | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=December 5, 1989 | access-date=February 2, 2008 | format=fee required}}</ref><ref name="nyt101888" /> Reagan expressed through her press secretary "regrets that she failed to heed counsel's advice" on disclosing them.<ref name="nyt101888">{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE4DA1E3AF93BA25753C1A96E948260 | title= First Lady Expresses 'Regrets' on Wardrobe | first=Steven V. |last=Roberts | work=The New York Times | date=October 18, 1988 | access-date=February 1, 2008 |author-link=Steven V. Roberts}}</ref> Despite the controversy, many designers who allowed her to borrow clothing, noted that the arrangement was good for their businesses,<ref name="time102488" /> as well as for the American fashion industry overall.<ref name="bg101988">{{cite news | url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8084313.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104103019/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8084313.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=November 4, 2012 | title=Nancy Reagan's Dress Blues: Borrowing Clothes From Top Designers May Be Chic, But Is It Proper? | first=John |last=Robinson | work=[[Boston Globe]] | date=October 19, 1988 | access-date=February 7, 2008 | format=fee required}}</ref> In 1989, Reagan was honored at the annual gala awards dinner of the [[Council of Fashion Designers of America]], during which she received the council's lifetime achievement award.<ref name="honorednyt">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/01/10/style/fashion-amid-the-rustle-of-finery-fashion-celebrates-its-own.html|title=Fashion; Amid the Rustle of Finery, Fashion Celebrates Its Own|author=Hochswender, Woody|date=January 10, 1989|access-date=July 22, 2009|work=The New York Times}}</ref> [[Barbara Walters]] said of her, "She has served every day for eight long years the word 'style.'"<ref name="honorednyt" /> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. 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