It has been famously said (by Bob Thaves, Faith Whittlesey and Ann Richards) that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but backwards and in high heels.
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The same might be said of the women who have served as First Lady of the United States. Like their spouses, they are called upon to serve as inspirational leaders, national host and diplomat, veteran politicians and seasoned campaigners. But unlike the President, we expect the First Lady to accomplish this all and look fashionable while she does it.
So while there's no exhibit devoted to Presidential suits, there is an exhibit that showcases the gowns of the First Ladies. Now, to be fair, the permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History doesn't just examine First Lady fashion. The museum deftly uses the gowns worn by these women as a jumping off point to explore all the contributions made by First Ladies including new laws, social change and more. Learning made fun through fashion.
At any given time you'll be able to see two dozen gowns on display (The Smithsonian has a gown from every First Lady, but not all are inaugural ball gowns). But even better, you'll also get to see their purses. Yep, that's right, the exhibit features purses from many of our First Ladies.
Now, there is a propensity for Judith Lieber clutches in the later years (I'm talking to you Laura Bush, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Bush and Nancy Reagan), but there are still some great examples including my personal favorite, a pink bag from Mamie Eisenhower.
See the full interactive exhibit here.