Saturday
Feb052011
The Role of a Lifetime
Saturday, February 5, 2011 at 4:08 PM 
Official Portrait of Nancy Reagan in the Red Room of the White House, taken on February 7, 1981
This Sunday, February 6, at 10:00 PM, PBS will air a new documentary on Nancy Reagan, titled "The Role of a Lifetime," which profiles "a first lady whose power and influence were often underestimated." Find your local airtime here.
Reader Comments (22)
Wow, how times have changed....coordination of her clothing with the colors in the room. But I guess at that time it was ok; plus she did adore red! What a difference from First Lady Michelle Obama's portrait. Nancy you looked fabulous in the photo!
Personally, I was not a fan of the Reagan presidency, HOWEVER, Nancy Reagan was a very elegant and gracious 1st Lady. She loved her husband immensely and still does. She was very supportive of him in every way that she could be. In that way, she is still a role model for women & marriage. I applaud you, Mrs. T., for including her in your postings to us.
Look at Mrs. Reagan's ruffly, ultra-feminine blouse here.
Then look at the blouse Mrs. O is wearing here. Everything old is new again.
Not only is the blouse current, but the length and style of the skirt is a trend for Spring 2011. History does have a way of repeating itself. Very elegant photo of Mrs. Reagan.
Any information on the proposed Kennedy miniseries on the History channel?
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2011/01/the-kennedys-katie-holmes-history-channel.html
Christina - had the same thought! And I really think Nancy Reagan was so chic in her White House years. I came across more great photos here: http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/photographs/photo.html
@Mrs. S-S, I did read the Kennedy miniseries has been bought by the ReelzChannel. What that is - I'm not sure!
http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1102/the_kennedys_finds_a_home.html
I was also not a fan of Reagan politics, but I think that Nancy looks great, and that her clothing's quite back in style now. I love the new ruffley look!
I'm also sure that she was photographed in red in the red room because that was her favorite color-- people even called it Nancy Reagan Red. The only other first lady I can think of who was so strongly linked with a color was Mamie Eisenhower and pink. I've got a chair in Mamie pink that belonged to my MIL, and I'm going to pull it out of storage for use in a bedroom that is painted turquoise... but I digress. I was going to ask if there are any other First Ladies who were so strongly associated with a color?
It looks like everything that Nancy has on in this picture is being worn today, only not all at once. It's still just as fashionable today, even the colors. She absolutely loved cologne by James Galanos, which I still wear today. If you ever catch it sale on ebay, buy it. It smells great but I think it's been discontinued. I bought some while in Belize a couple of years ago.
What I like most about Nancy Reagan is the attribute that I love about our Michelle, and that is that she's a bulldog when it comes to her husband and family. I remember Nancy Reagan giving a reporter the business about a statement he had made about her dear Ronnie during a live broadcast. I cannot remember the particulars but I remember she called him on the carpet and read him the riot act with the sweetest, sly, ladylike smile. He knew then he'd gone too far for her taste. Anyway, it's a really nice picture and fun to see other First Lady fashions. Thanks Mrs. T!
I didn't care for Nancy Regan, and I don't now. Her treatment of Mr. Regan's son Michael was disturbing to me when Michael was a child. I thought that spoke to her general charactor. There is a photo of her and the President with his grandchildren sitting on the dock at their ranch. The kids are between them and Reagen has his arm around one of them. Nancy is hanging onto the dock for dear life, seemingly not capable of hugging the kid. She certainly was always perfectly turned out. The clothes were perfect, her hair was perfect, cold and perfect. If this is too negative for this site, I apologize.
Mrs. T, do you know who the designer of this outfit?
Here is a nice photo gallery. I too adored how much Nancy adored her Ronny and although I did not agree with his policies, I loved President Reagan!
http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/55331/reagan-a-photographer-looks-back#index/0
Whenever I see photos of the White House, I am awed and touched by one of our greatest treasures. In the month of February, when we spolight the contributions of slaves of African descent to our nation, I am ever mindful of the contributions of all to great and lasting design. To quote NPR, "The National Archives in Washington, D.C., has documents, payrolls and pay stubs that reveal the stories of the slaves who built the first family's residence. Archivist Reginald Washington has studied the documents, and shares details about the laborers' lives."
(http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99353053).
Our White House is indeed great, as reflected in the story of EUGENE ALLEN (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/01/AR2010040103444.html) who was profiled in the Washington Post:
"In 1952, he heard of a job opening at the White House and was hired as a "pantry man," washing dishes, stocking cabinets and shining silverware for $2,400 a year.
He became maitre d', the most prestigious position among White House butlers, under Ronald Reagan...Mr. Allen was in the White House when Dwight D. Eisenhower dealt with the Little Rock desegregation crisis. Eisenhower once asked him about the cancellation of Nat "King" Cole's TV show, which the president enjoyed. Mr. Allen told him that the show had difficulty attracting advertisers, who were worried about white Southern audiences boycotting their products.
When John F. Kennedy was assassinated, Mr. Allen was invited to the funeral. He declined for the most generous of reasons: "Somebody had to be at the White House to serve everyone after they came from the funeral," he told The Post. When first lady Jackie Kennedy returned to the White House afterward, she gave him one of the president's ties. Mr. Allen had it framed ...He flew aboard Air Force One. He sipped root beer at Camp David with Jimmy Carter and visited Eisenhower in Gettysburg after he left the White House ... He looked up one evening in the White House kitchen to see a lone figure standing in the doorway: It was Martin Luther King Jr., who had insisted on meeting the butlers and maids. Mr. Allen smiled when King complimented him on the cut of his tuxedo.
YES, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF GREAT TRIALS, WE KNOW A GREAT TUXEDO. WE HAVE STYLE, GRAND STYLE.
Mrs. Regan's outfit in this picture is remarkably similiar to the L Wren Scott ensemble Mrs. O wore earlier this year. Of course, Mrs. O's ensemble is more modern and sleek but the colors are the same. Check it out.
http://mrs-o.org/newdata/2010/3/16/lovely-in-lwren-scott.html
Hey @LaVonne, thanks for sharing your post....wow
@ LaVonne, that was a really good post, very insightful. Thanks so much for the links. I'm having some difficulty bringing up NPR.org, but I'll keep trying!
The documentary on Nancy Reagan was terrific. It gave great insight into the loving relationship between she and President Reagan. But it also showed how instrumental she was in getting him elected and helping him become a legend for the Republican Party.
She was always dressed appropriately for every occasion and took a lot of grief for her expensive taste. This caused her to have the lowest approval rating of any First Lady in modern history - acccording to the documentary.
One thing that can never be denied is she always had her husband's back .... much like today's administration.
I am and always was a fan of President Reagan and of his wife, Nancy. And since this website is about fashion and not politics, I shall refrain from responding to the tacky comments made by "auni." While we can certainly speak of how lovely Mrs. Reagan looks in this photo, and of her impeccable taste, let's also remember that she came after the "dowdy" days of the previous administration and First Lady, Rosalyn Carter. As different as President's Reagan and Carter were in their political ideology, so were their wives in the attention they gave to fashion.
Mrs. Carter, in case it has been forgotten, in 1976, wore the same inaugural gown she wore to her husband's only inaugural ball as Governor of Georgia, in 1970. Although symbolic in gesture, the gown was extremely plain and thought of as a "retread." Mrs. Reagan, while First Lady during her husband's two terms as Governor in California, had already exhibited her sophistication and love of fashion, and, yes, her fondness for the color red. She also brought this same fashion sense with her to the White House from 1981 to 1988, thankfully. Unfortunately, she had to endure much incivility during those years at the hands of either the media elite or those people ideologically opposite of her husband's views who were never able to except anything she did.
But before First Lady Nancy Reagan's sophisticated elegance, there was another First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, who, of course, will always be known for her expensive taste and love of couture, except perhaps, for that of Mrs. Obama. The 35th President, John F. Kennedy, was a millionaire by the age of 21, and our wealthiest President ever. And because of his wealth, he elected to donate his annual salary of $100,000.00 to charities instead. As for Mrs. Kennedy, she received a monthly allowance. However, she had another advantage and his name was Joseph P. Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy, as father-in-law of the First Lady, made an offer to Mrs. Kennedy that she couldn't refuse: a annual stipend worth thousands of dollars that was made available to her. And this "gift" not only afforded her the benefits of dressing as exquisitely as befitting a First Lady, it probably helped provide somewhat of a tax benefit to Joe Kennedy as well, if not that then at least some relief to her husband!
Lastly, Mrs. Reagan, no matter your political beliefs, was and always will be, a First "Class" Lady. Thank you, Mrs. Reagan for your service and for securing your place in our nation's history!!
Hi folks , I have not posted for a very long time. I found this picture and was "aghast" that Nancy Reagan went sleeveless. What must people have thought!!.................Just kidding!!!............. This must be fodder for those who feel that FL should not bare her arms
http://www.life.com/image/first/in-gallery/54841/ronald-reagan-at-100#index/11
It's not necessary to characterize Mrs. Carter as "dowdy" out of one end of one's mouth while professing distaste for comments directed at Mrs. Reagan out of the other end. Yes, this is a fashion blog, but it is also a celebration of Mrs. O's character as a First Lady, and on occasion other first ladies as well. This post lauds Mrs. Reagan's style. While Mrs. Carter did not appear to pay either attention or money of any huge amount to dress as fashionably as Mrs. Reagan, or other first ladies who preceded her, she was a tremendous advocate of mental health, and a very strong supporter of the ERA. Eleanor Roosevelt was another first lady who certainly could not be hailed for her fashionable wardrobe, but she certainly was one of the most influential and effective operatives in her husband's administration. And, she had tremendous heart and her own personal style that attracted men and women of all creeds and colors.
Yes Bevi, I felt calling Mrs. Carter dowdy was--well, tacky. I have begun to realize how our personal political views can color how we judge all of our first ladies clothing choices. On other sites I have read some very critical coments about Mrs. Obama's fashion choices, usually conservative sites who disapprove of President Obama. But, I think she is wonderful and I love her clothes. I also considered Mrs. Roosevelt an outstanding first lady. In the future I will remember this site is about fashion and keep my personal opinions about personalities to myself.
Thank you, Bevi I was thinking the same thing.
Never was a fan of Reagan politics but I love Nancy Reagan.