Friday, January 20, 2017

Inauguration Dress


Here are a few pictures of what appeared to be a wool dress with a bolero jacket, in pale blue.



A side view of the jacket and gloves, and what is called "messy up-do" on the hair style blogs, which withstood the rain and cruel weather.
Lovely long gloves and matching shoes were both worn in a slightly lighter shade of blue than the dress and jacket.
A closer look at the jacket:

Below: Reviewing the troops that were in Colonial uniform.

Below: without the jacket: dress has long sleeves and darts which stitched from the high neckline.
The above photo was from the Inauguration Afternoon Tea which was preceded by a prayer with these words from First Timothy; instructions for Christians to pray for all those in government:

1Ti 2:1  I exhort therefore, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, thanksgivings, be made for all men;
1Ti 2:2  for kings and all that are in high place; that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and gravity.

Prayer is more effective than trying to fix everything yourself, especially when it concerns rulers and magistrstes. There is a tendency to be anxious about politics, but Christ gave us the perfect solution in those two verses from First Timothy.


Stan and I watched the Inauguration in the morning and appreciated the respect it gave to his fellow-man and God. A transcript will be included here.

I hope to share a picture of what I wore and had for tea, later.

An opportunity to have a closer look the dress (I like fabric, sewing, patterns) in this photo of Melania pausing for the prayer at the Inauguration lunch.

I will post Michelle Obama in her dress, as well, as it was very modest and I appreciate that it was longer.

Here is a transcript of the speech:
Donald J. Trump was sworn in this morning as the 45th president of the United States.  the full transcript from the speech, which Trump claims to have written himself:
"Chief Justice Roberts, President Carter, President Clinton, President bush, President Obama, fellow Americans, and people of the world, thank you. We the citizens of America are now joined in a great national effort to rebuild our country and restore its promise for all of our people. Together we will determine the course of America, and the world, for many, many years to come. We will face challenges. We will confront hardships, but we will get the job done. Every four years, we gather on these steps to carry out the orderly and peaceful transfer of power, and we are grateful to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for their gracious aid throughout this transition. They have been magnificent. Thank you.
"Today's ceremony, however, has very special meaning, because today we are not merely transferring power from one administration to another, or from one party to another, but we are transferring power from Washington, D.C., and giving it back to you, the people. For too long, a small group in our nation's capitol has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost. Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth. Politicians prospered, but the jobs left, and the factories closed. The establishment protected itself, but not the citizens of our country. Their victories have not been your victories. Their triumphs have not been your triumphs, and while they celebrated in our nation's capitol, there was little to celebrate for struggling families all across our land.
"That all changed starting right here and right now, because this moment is your moment. It belongs to you. It belongs to everyone gathered here today, and everyone watching, all across America. This is your day. This is your celebration, and this, the United States of America, is your country.
"What truly matters is not which party controls our government, but whether our government is controlled by the people. January 20th, 2017 will be remembered as the day the people became the rulers of this nation again. The forgotten men and women of our country will be forgotten no longer. Everyone is listening to you now. You came by the tens of millions to become part of a historic movement, the likes of which the world has never seen before.
"At the center of this movement is a crucial conviction, that a nation exists to serve its citizens. Americans want great schools for their children, safe neighborhoods for their families, and good jobs for themselves. These are just and reasonable demands of righteous people and a righteous public, but for too many of our citizens a different reality exists. Mothers and children trapped in poverty in our inner cities, rusted out factories scattered like tombstones across the landscape of our nation, an education system flush with cash, but which leaves our young and beautiful students deprived of all knowledge, and the crime, and the gangs, and the drugs that have stolen too many lives and robbed our country of so much unrealized potential. This American carnage stops right here and stops right now.
"We are one nation, and their pain is our pain. Their dreams are our dreams, and their success will be our success. We share one heart, one home, and one glorious destiny. The oath of office I take today is an oath of allegiance to all Americans. For many decades, we've enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry, subsidized the armies of other countries, while allowing for the very sad depletion of our military. We've defended other nations' borders while refusing to defend our own. And spent trillions and trillions of dollars overseas while America's infrastructure has fallen into disrepair and decay. We've made other countries rich while the wealth, strength and confidence of our country has dissipated over the horizon. One by one, the factories shuddered and left our shores, with not even a thought about the millions and millions of American workers that were left behind. The wealth of our middle class has been ripped from their homes and then redistributed all across the world, but that is the past, and now we are looking only to the future.
"We are assembled here today issuing a new decree to be heard in every city, in every foreign capital, and in every hall of power, from this day forward, a new vision will govern our land, from this day forward, it's going to be only America first. America first. Every decision on trade, ontaxes, on immigration, on foreign affairs will be made to benefit American workers and American families. We must protect our borders from the ravages of other countries making our products, stealing our companies, and destroying our jobs. Protection will lead to great prosperity and strength. I will fight for you with every breath in my body, and I will never, ever let you down. America will start winning again, winning like never before.We will bring back our jobs. We will bring back our borders.
"We will bring back our wealth, and we will bring back our dreams. We will build new roads and highways and bridges and airports and tunnels, and railways, all across our wonderful nation. We will get our people off of welfare and back to work, rebuilding our country with American hands and American labor. We will follow two simple rules -- buy American, and hire American.
"We will seek friendship and goodwill with the nations of the world, but we do so with the understanding that it is the right of all nations to put their own interests first. We do not seek to impose our way of life on anyone, but rather to let it shine as an example, we will shine for everyone to follow. We will reinforce old alliances and form new ones, and unite  the civilized world against radical islamic terrorism, which we will eradicate completely from the face of the Earth. At the bedrock of our politics will be a total allegiance to the United States of America, and through our loyalty to our country, we will rediscover our loyalty to each other. When you open your heart to patriotism, there is no room for prejudice.
The Bible  tells us, how good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity. We must speak our minds openly, debate our disagreements honestly, but always pursue solidarity. When America is united, America is totally unstoppable. There should be no fear. We are protected, and we will always be protected. We will be protected by the great men and women of our military and law enforcement. And most importantly, we will be protected by God.
Finally, we must think big and dream even bigger. In America, we understand that a nation is only living as long as it is striving. We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action, constantly complaining but never doing anything about it.The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action. Do not allow anyone to tell you that it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America.
"We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again. We stand at the birth of a new millennium, ready to unlock the mysteries of space, to free the Earth from the miseries of disease, and to harness the ies industries and technologies of tomorrow. New national pride will stir our souls, lift our sights, and heal our divisions. It's time to remember that old wisdom our soldiers will never forget, that whether we are black, or brown, or white, we all bleed the same red blood of patriots. We all enjoy the same glorious freedoms, and we all salute the same great American flag.
"And whether a child is born in the urban sprawl of Detroit or the windswept plains of Nebraska, they look up at the same night sky, they fill their heart with the same dreams, and they are infused with the breath of life by the same almighty creator. So to all Americans, in every city near and far, small and large, from mountain to mountain, from ocean to ocean, hear these words. You will never be ignored again. Your voice, your hopes, and your dreams will define our American destiny, and your courage and goodness and love will forever guide us along the way.
"Together, we will make America strong again. We will make America wealthy again. We will make America proud when it. We will make America safe again, and yes, together we will make America great again. Thank you. God bless you. And God bless America. Thank you."


I also want to show the dress and matching coat ensemble Michelle wore at the inauguration. The length was nice.







I tried to see what the back of the bolero jacket looked like and this was the only photo I could find. You can see the over-stitched seam on the collar, and almost see the hem of the jacket.
It is good that our forefathers created a system where an administration changes and gives other people a chance to serve. I had heard that the current president will not be taking the usual salary, but have not confirmed that. Whatever the case is, please remember that besides taking a stand fkr what is right, the most powerful thing you can do is offer prayers for these people.

As for the inaugural ballgowns, they were not remarkable or distinct, imo. It is an unhappy fact that I did not get my designs ready early enough to be considered 😉

Yes, it was a Tea, after all, that the President attended, and here you see Vice President Mike Pence with a tea cup 😊


Officials and staff respectfully bow their heads during prayer at the Inaugural Tea:

18 comments:

Hannah said...

A lovely post, thank you! I read her suit was Ralph Lauren cashmere. So classy!
I am excited to have her as a first lady. From what I've read, she is a great mother.

Housewife59 said...

I think that is a rather lovely dress. Thank you for posting these pictures

magnoliasntea said...

I was so glad to see the respect and honor given to the scriptures during the inauguration and to prayer as well. For that I'm very grateful.

The First Lady's powder blue ensemble was stunning (lacking only a bit of positive ease.) And I really want a pair of those powder blue gloves. Can't wait to see what you wore.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the detailed photos of her outfit. When you mentioned bolero jacket everything fell into place. Simple design wonderfully made.

ladypinktulip said...

I believe Malania will bring back elegance to the office of First Lady. I thought her outfit was perfect. I like the way the jacket looked. I always wonder how a lady can walk in such high heels but they were pretty too. Kelly T.

Jane said...

It was a lovely inauguration and it was so nice to hear our new president mention God in his speech. I thought Melania was stunning in her blue outfit. But what I enjoyed most about her yesterday, was watching her interaction with her young son. What a sweet young man. I'm sure it was difficult for him to sit through a long day of adult speeches and strangers, but he handled himself very well.

Jane

Lynn said...

Melania was a lovely breath of fresh air!

Lynn said...

I think I want to wear what was called by the press, 'powder blue' from now on!!!! ( smile!)

Dawn said...

I just about swooned when I saw our new First Lady in that powder blue ensemble. The gloves thrilled me more than they should have. :-)

I thought Mrs. Obama looked very nice but the dress itself was missing something. Perhaps she should've worn a brooch or a necklace with it.

Barron is so tall for his age!

I just thought of something. Is Melania the only First Lady to have been an immigrant?

Lydia said...


it may be that the earlier first Ladies were from Europe but I do not know.

As for Michelle's dress, it was a lot more modest than Melania's except you know I like longer sleeves. I do not think the design trend of placing that belt around the waist is good at all. Anytime you tie anything around the middle, it makes your waistline look thicker, unless you are very thin. When I sew, I make long, uninterrupted lean lines to take attention from my thick waist. I do this by also putting tucks and gathers at the shoulders, some interesting trim at the neckline, and create an unusual hem. A dress with a seam at the waist line is nice if you have a distinct waist, but in general is not a slimming idea. If I ever get very thin I will try it and see.

A note to someone who calls herself "laura" with a lower case L:

No one here is "deceived" about the President and his wife. We have no choice but to pray for them and trust God will use them for good. There is no use of dwelling on the past even in our own lives. It just cripples us when we do. We have to just repent and move ahead and do better with God's help. They know they are accountable to the people, and the voters can get rid of them as well as elect them, so they will be watching what they do.

And "laura" you have a blog, so please post your opinions over there. I will not be posting your comments here but on your own blog you can do as you like.

As everyone knows, I do not believe most of our politicians are church going Christians but I believe God can use them and guide them to accomplish his purpose. He also answers our prayers concerning these people even if they are not really converted. He is always nudging their consciences and they may one day come to a full knowledge of His will and obey it. It was impossible to elect Christ, since he was not running for earthly office.

So, we make do with human beings just like the rest of us. My interest in this post was the clothing construction because I am a seamstress and clothing designer and I like to promote good design, modesty, etc. and am just doing my part, as it does no good to complain. It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness.

You are welcome to email me at ladylydiaspeaks@comcast.net. As for party affiliation, neither party is any good or any guarantee of anything. But we must not live in unhappiness or bitterness over what is. It is like insisting the moon be the sun or that summer be winter. We are promoting life at home because the woman can occupy it and have freedom to guide it and guard it and raise up people with a higher code of living, which you obviously desire. At home we dont have to vote for anybody and we can choose to do as we like as creatively as we want.

Lydia said...

MMagnoliasntea: I agree the dress was too small, and I will take a pair if those powder blue gloves too! She also had powder blue shoes. All presidents and their wives have rather royal manners, dont they! I like that most of the First Ladies have been conservative with cosmetics and have a natural look.

Songsparrowgarden said...

I'm ahocked actually. I thought Melania's outfits were beautiful and tasteful. Small perhaps . . but she's tall and thin. I'm tall and thin too, from time to time I'll overhear comments about my clothes, or that I'm too thin (though I'm in my 60's) but I'm not going to wear something that's big on me as that wouldn't feel good. I'm proud that at this age I still have my figure; we're not supposed to be the size of refrigerators. Working full time I don't have time to make everything as I did when I was younger. In contrast I thought M. Obama's dress looked like a shroud, a mourning dress, which I suppose was appropriate. I thought she looked dreadful.
Melania's gloves and shoes in a pastel blue were beautiful against the haze of a gray January rainy cold day. And it probably kept her warm. She looked much nicer than I thought she would. Maybe tasteful soft pretty colors and ladies dress gloves will make a comeback. . . though doubtful.

Lydia said...

"Laura"'s comment cannot be printed, as it was not pure and lovely. Her email address was was at gttc.edu.com, ja college in North Carolina. I have had several rude and unclean comments frim her since the campaign fir the new election. I think in this post I have been fair and shown both parties in a good light. I liked that Michelle Obama was so gracious to Melania.

Lydia said...

I would also say to the rude comment of laura at gttc, the college, that no matter what their religious conversion (whether they are truly converted or not) they were both RESPECTFUL during prayer and scripture reading. As Americans of all faiths and even athiests USED to bow in respect during prayer, the President and wife bowing their heads during prayer was kind of a restoring of such respect. Historically, no one was allowed to be president unless they stated they were Christian and believed the Bible. after 45 presidents that is no longer the case so many of us are seeing it as progress that thy even bowed their heads in prayer. Whether they are godly in their lives remains to be seen, but we are prayer ng for him and maybe he has matured and will not live foolishly in his private life. Remember your prayers make a big, big impact and are more effective than activism in many situations.

Jenny said...

This is regarding the dresses worn to the inauguration ceremonies. I thought Mrs. Obama's dress was lovely. Both the style and color suited her. I also thought that Mrs. Trump's dress was lovely. The color and the style suited her. Not many ladies could wear a dress like Mrs. Trump's, but Mrs. Obama's would be flattering to most women. They both looked very nice.

I've enjoyed reading your thoughts, Lydia, as well as those of the readers of this blog.

Jenny said...

This is regarding the dresses worn to the inauguration ceremonies. I thought Mrs. Obama's dress was lovely. Both the style and color suited her. I also thought that Mrs. Trump's dress was lovely. The color and the style suited her. Not many ladies could wear a dress like Mrs. Trump's, but Mrs. Obama's would be flattering to most women. They both looked very nice.

I've enjoyed reading your thoughts, Lydia, as well as those of the readers of this blog.

Gail said...

I agree with all the nice comments about the powder blue outfit. Mrs. Obama had a nice dress, but it was missing something, as well. Nice color, though. Of the evening gowns, I liked Ivanka's the best. It seemed like a real ball gown! I read that this inauguration has broken records for the amount of prayers and prayer services given. What an encouraging sign! I feel that our president is changing for the better in his inward man and I hope that we all will continue to pray for him, his family and the new administration, that they all will seek the Lord and His will, that we may live "quiet and peaceable lives". By the way, the antics over the weekend of these women remind me of the appellation given by John Knox, "The monstrous regiment of women". They are so deluded, and they really need our prayers.

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy your blog, Lydia!

I was fortunate to be at the inaugural parade since my daughter participated in it. What an honor! It was a cold, dreary day. The dress Melania wore was a stunniing color and I could see her a long way off when she was walking in the center of the street with the family. I think it was an excellent choice for that reason alone. We were all so excited when we could see them walking to the viewing area -- and thought they would stop there but they continued to the end of the parade route. THe President made it a point to actually watch the parade when other people were trying to talk to him. I thought that was very kind of him.