The Most Expensive Outfits Jill Biden Has Ever Worn
By Erica Brooke Gordon/Updated: Sept. 7, 2022 9:15 am EST
All eyes are on Dr. Jill Biden as the new first lady. The lifelong educator, author, and wife of President Joe Biden will hold down two jobs while serving in the White House: first lady and English professor (via Town & Country). However, this isn't her first time doing double duty: While serving as second lady during the Obama administration from 2008 to 2016, Dr. Biden continued to teach full-time. Now that's pretty impressive!
The accomplished first lady not only has quite the resume, but she also has impeccable taste in fashion. So far, she's had a tendency toward rising American designers who value sustainability as much as style (via Town & Country). Her style appears to be classic but feminine, and she's clearly a fan of wearing blocks of color (via Vogue).
It's a given that the first lady's clothing during her time in office is bound to cost a pretty penny. After all, she has a lot of people to impress! So, what we want to know is how much do these impeccable looks cost? Keep reading for an up-close look at the most expensive outfits Dr. Jill Biden has ever worn.
Dr. Jill Biden celebrated her husband's election victory in a pricey Oscar de la Renta dress
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In November 2020, Dr. Jill Biden appeared alongside her husband, then President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and Doug Emhoff at Joe Biden's election victory speech in November wearing an asymmetrical navy blue floral dress. Designed by the renowned Oscar de la Renta, popular with past first ladies like Jackie Kennedy and Michelle Obama, the dress came with a hefty $5,690 price tag, according to Insider. Stepping out in Oscar de la Renta seemed to hint that Dr. Biden was, in fact, ready to take her place among America's first ladies.
She completed the look with a dark-colored mask, but she added a pop of color with a pair of fuchsia heels by Jimmy Choo, a designer that the first lady is known to wear frequently (via Footwear News).
Fun fact: According to Insider, the simple feminine look was such a hit with the public that the dress quickly sold out!
Dr. Jill Biden's purple Jonathan Cohen outfit worn the day before the inauguration cost over $6,000
The day prior to the 2021 presidential inauguration, Dr. Jill Biden dressed head to toe in purple, the color of royalty, while attending a COVID-19 memorial at the Lincoln Memorial along with President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff. The first lady certainly looked the part in New York designer Jonathan Cohen's "Unity" dress, priced at $2,295, with matching "Unity" wrap coat with velvet tie, priced at $3,895. Both pieces are from the designer's fall/winter 2021 collection and were not available to the public at the time. She topped off the look with a pair of matching purple gloves and pointed-toe heels (via Entertainment Tonight).
The first lady's outfit would not be complete, however, without a matching face mask, and this one certainly did not disappoint. The $90 printed mask was made from the remnants of the designer's fabrics. The mask, designed in partnership with high-end tailor Antony Vallon, is described on Jonathan Cohen's website as a "complimentary" accessory for the face. We want it, too!
Jill Biden topped off her turquoise Markarian dress and coat with matching accessories
For her husband's presidential inauguration, First Lady Jill Biden chose an eye-catching dress, coat, gloves, and mask in a calming ocean blue for a stunning monochromatic look. The outfit was designed by Markarian, a trending New York-based line led by founder Alexandra O'Neill, as noted by Harper's Bazaar. The elegant dress featured a scalloped skirt and a neckline framed by Swarovski pearls and crystals, while the matching tweed coat was embellished with subtle but glistening Swarovski crystals for a to-die-for look. While O'Neill didn't share the cost of the outfit, WWD noted that Markarian designs start at $995.
The proud up-and-coming designer shared her excitement for dressing the first lady. "It is an incredible honor to dress Dr. Biden today," O'Neill told Harper's Bazaar. "I am so humbled to be even a small part of American history."
Dr. Biden carried a coordinating turquoise clutch by Tyler Ellis to top off her outfit. From the looks of the designer's website, you, too, can carry a similar clutch for around $1,250 to $5,000. As for heels, the first lady arrived wearing Jimmy Choo's Love pump, but switched to Choo's Romy pump for later festivities (via Footwear News). Hey, we ladies love shoes!
The evening of the inauguration, Jill Biden donned $8,750 sapphire and diamond earrings
Chip Somodevilla, Handout/Biden Inaugural Committee/Getty Images
For the evening concert "Celebrating America" hosted by everyone's favorite actor Tom Hanks after the 2021 presidential inauguration, First Lady Jill Biden switched into an ivory dress, coat, and matching gloves from designer Gabriela Hearst, according to People. Both were embroidered with flowers representing all 50 states and U.S. territories, with each flower taking at least two hours to sew. What a symbolic touch! Designer Hearst shared more about the symbolism of the flowers on Instagram: "The Delaware flower is positioned at the heart level of The First Lady, from there, all the other flowers branch out."
According to Hearst, the outfit featured another symbolic, yet hidden, detail that was especially meaningful to the first lady as a longtime educator: a quote from Benjamin Franklin that read, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."
When it came to her earrings, the first lady spared no expense with these $8,750 sapphire and diamond floral earrings by RUCHI New York.
Jill Biden made quite a statement with these Stuart Weitzman over-the-knee boots
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Possibly the most buzzed-about item seen worn by First Lady Jill Biden are these fabulous over-the-knee Stuart Weitzman boots. The $695 black boots literally sent a message to voters, with the word "VOTE" printed down the side of each boot (via Insider). Dr. Biden wore them while voting in the Delaware state primary election (presumably for her husband, of course!) and while attending other campaign events.
Known as the "5050 Vote boots," the black boots are available from Stuart Weitzman with the word "VOTE" printed in either black, for a monochromatic look, or silver, for a more standout effect. If you can afford these knockout boots, you better get them while you can: Only 100 pairs of this limited edition design are available, with all proceeds being donated to I am a voter, a nonprofit organization that aims to encourage all Americans to vote (via Marie Claire).
These killer boots are high-style while sending an important message to the American public. Now that's how to make a political statement!
Dr. Jill Biden wore this $1,795 Gabriela Hearst dress twice before the 2020 election
First Lady Jill Biden must love the color green, because she wore this green Gabriela Hearst dress, known as the "Kelley dress," more than once before the 2020 presidential election (oh, the horror!). The first lady was seen wearing the dress the first time to the 5th Annual Save the Children Illumination Gala in 2017, and then she wore it a second time while appearing on MSNBC in 2020, according to Refinery29. Actually, this is what makes her so relatable, since we also have to wear our clothing multiple times. What's a girl to do?
The long-sleeved, green silk dress, adorned with fringe detailing and made from sustainable materials like all of Hearst's designs, was part of the designer's fall 2017 collection. For being high fashion and made from environmentally-friendly materials, the dress came with a not-as-relatable price tag of $1,795.
Jill Biden's $2,195 floral dress and matching face mask left nothing up for debate
First Lady Jill Biden's spring-like blue floral Dolce & Gabbana dress with matching face mask was a refreshing look for the second U.S. presidential debate that took place on Oct. 22, 2020, at Belmont University in Nashville, Tenn. The $2,195 knee-length dress featured a square neckline and elbow-length sleeves. She accessorized her look with a mix of pearls and beaded bracelets. Dr. Biden paired the dress with $995 Jimmy Choo nude heels, one of her staples. We all love our nude heels, too: it's a go-to shoe that coordinates with just about anything!
The audience surely loved the matching dress and mask ensemble, with Twitter users tweeting comments like, "Dr. Biden, I just thought you should know my 4-year-old daughter gasped when she saw your awesome outfit last night! She absolutely loved how your mask matched your dress" (via Refinery29).
It appears that this dress is not only a favorite with the audience. Prior to donning the dress for the final presidential debate, Dr. Biden was seen wearing it at a campaign event in Columbia, S.C. on Feb. 29, 2020 (via Vogue). Hey, we have our favorite pieces, too!
Jill Biden shared the love at the G-7 Summit in an embellished blazer and Brandon Maxwell dress
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In June 2021, first lady Jill Biden caused a stir when she stepped out in Cornwall, England for the G7 Summit in a Brandon Maxwell dress (seen in this photo from the Tokyo Olympics, where she also wore the dress, via Insider) and black Zadig & Voltaire blazer. Per The National, the $500 Viva Love Now blazer features the word "LOVE" in rhinestones on the back. When asked about the blazer's potential message, the first lady said, "I think that we're bringing love from America ... this is a global conference, and we're trying to bring unity across the globe" (per Bloomberg). The blazer is currently available at Farfetch for $445.
Maxwell's silk white sheath dress with black polka dots, known as the Audrey Dot Sheath Dress, appears to be sold out on the designer's website, where it's listed for $1,997.50. While the first lady paired the dress with black pumps, Maxwell also offers matching pumps for $445, down from $890 (as of this writing).
Modesens, however, lists the dress in the reverse color combination of black with white polka dots for $1,390, and even offers a sexy cut-out version for $956, down from $2,390. Only in the fashion world must you pay more for less fabric.
She showed off her high-low style with a $2,290 Oscar de La Renta dress
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Oscar de La Renta has long been a go-to designer for Jill Biden, as she has worn his designs on many occasions. She also seems to favor the designer's floral dresses, one of which she donned in June 2022 when in Spain for the NATO summit. Per The Zoe Report, on June 29, she met with Queen Letizia at the Royal Palace of Granja de San Ildefonso wearing a summery knee-length dress in white, with a fun print of yellow, red, and purple flowers and greenery. Nordstrom offers the Floral Belted Stretch Cotton Twill Dress for $2,290, with some women's sizes still available as of publication.
We love that the FLOTUS paired the designer dress with more moderately priced accessories, including $121 blush-colored Carol espadrille sandals from European brand Castañer (at Farfetch, there's one pair left on sale for $107, as of publication) and a super cute clutch from Squeeze de Citron in cream with purple, pink, and red dangling pom-poms for $78. Even better is that the sustainable bag is made of recycled plastic thread, and that the brand gives back to its Guatemalan artisans by providing them with a steady income and "a better quality of life."
She met with the queen of Spain wearing a $3,490 floral dress from Oscar de La Renta
Handout/Getty Images
Jill Biden loves floral dresses. While in Spain in June 2022 for the NATO summit, she wore them almost throughout her entire visit.
As The Zoe Report noted, on June 28, while spending time with Queen Letizia at the Ukrainian refugee center, she wore another Oscar de La Renta floral dress, this time in navy. Called the Pansy Jacquard Fit & Flare Dress, it features red, blue, purple, and yellow pansies and greenery clustered in the center of the front and the back, while the top and bottom are solid navy. The short-sleeved midi dress, which is designed with a fit and flare shape, tops off at $3,490. As of publication, it is available at Nordstrom. Looking at the dress up close, you can clearly see its beautiful knit fabric, which is easy to miss at first glance.
The first lady accessorized the look with a pair of coordinating navy heels, gold hoop earrings, a gold necklace and watch, and gold bracelets, with one featuring a blue stone.
Jill Biden wore Adam Lippes' pale blue suit to meet with Queen Elizabeth
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Adam Lippes is an American designer whose clothing Jill Biden has worn on a number of occasions. The first time was in 2021 while meeting with Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle during the G7 Summit in Cornwall, England. The first lady chose a powder blue sheath dress topped with a matching single-breasted blazer, paired with $895 nude Valentino pumps adorned with a bow at the toe, per Town & Country. The pastel-hued suit was perfect for enjoying a cup of tea with the queen, something they engaged in after a salute from the palace guards. The $1,000 suit, according to Insider, coordinated well with President Biden's navy suit and blue tie.
No one is more pleased that the FLOTUS is wearing the designer's pieces than Lippes himself. "Endlessly honored to be dressing Dr. Jill⁠⁠ Biden in today's momentous meeting with Queen Elizabeth II,⁠⁠" he wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of the first lady with the queen (via Vogue). And, with Women's Wear Daily, he shared his pleasure in seeing the first lady select the designs of emerging American designers. "For our industry, this is such an important statement. The hardest thing in our industry today is getting your name out there and competing with the super brands who everyone knows and obviously has a marketing budget," he said. "It's just great for American fashion."
She wore a nearly $4,000 Adam Lippes ensemble when meeting the Pope
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In October 2021, Jill Biden again turned to American designer Adam Lippes when meeting the Pope alongside President Joe Biden. Harper's Bazaar noted that the moment was significant both for American history — being the first time in over 50 years that a Catholic U.S. president visited the head of the Catholic church at the Vatican — and for the designer, who has said he is honored by the first lady's choice to wear his designs. "In fashion, we put so much love into what we do, and to have the first lady wear us when she could wear any great designer ... it's really moving," he said, adding that he admires the FLOTUS acting as her own stylist, "[putting] things together herself ... making her own choices."
For the noteworthy occasion, the first lady chose Lippes' textured navy jacquard sheath dress and blazer along with navy heels and a black lace mantilla placed in her hair (according to Vatican protocol, women must cover their heads when meeting the Pope). An up-close look reveals the $1,690 silk sheath dress (marked down an additional 60% to $676, as of this writing) displays a subtle leopard print described by the designer's website as a "metallic finish leopard jacquard." At the time of this writing, Farfetch offers the $2,290 blazer for $916 and the $1,890 matching flared pants for $756.
The first lady's deep purple LaPointe dress for the State of the Union address displayed a hidden message
At the March 1, 2022 State of the Union address, first lady Jill Biden wore a long-sleeved satin dress in deep purple from LaPointe's pre-fall 2022 collection, per Popsugar. On Instagram, LaPointe's namesake, Sally LaPointe, shared her pleasure in having the FLOTUS select her design. "As an American designer and as an American woman, it was a huge honor to have dressed Dr. Jill Biden for the State of The Union Address tonight," she wrote in a post featuring a photo of the first lady seated next to Oksana Markarova, Ukraine's ambassador to the U.S.
The first lady demonstrated her support for Ukraine without saying a word. A sunflower, the country's national flower, which has become "a global symbol of solidarity" and of "resistance, unity, and hope" in light of the war with Russia (per The Washington Post), was embroidered at the bottom of her right sleeve. The dress' purple color is also symbolic, said to have "a calming effect on the mind and body," especially when mixed with blue undertones — symbolizing hope for a peaceful, hopeful future. In his address, President Joe Biden relayed the message, saying, "Bright, strong, resolved. We the United States of America stand with the Ukrainian people."
With purple also symbolizing luxury, it's fitting that the dress has a high price tag. While the exact dress doesn't appear to be available, we found a similar style from the designer for $1,750.
Jill Biden appeared on the cover of Vogue wearing a $2,690 Oscar de La Renta dress
In August 2021, Jill Biden appeared on the cover of Vogue posing on a White House balcony overlooking the garden. She looks relaxed, smiling, wearing Tiffany & Co. earrings and a long floral Oscar de La Renta dress, which has seemingly become a style staple for her. The $2,690 dress — featuring long sleeves and hues of red, pink, yellow, and green, offset by its navy background — was available at Oscar de La Renta and retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Orchard Mile, though it's since been sold out.
In addition to donning the dress for Vogue, the English professor wore it during a July 2021 visit to Savannah, Georgia and an October 2021 trip to Chicago for Hispanic Heritage Month (per Insider) — accessorizing it on both occasions with a red ribbon around her waist tied in a bow.
The first lady puts her looks together without the help of a stylist, and she finds the attention paid to her fashion choices to be silly. "It's kind of surprising, I think, how much commentary is made about what I wear or if I put my hair in a scrunchie. I put my hair up!" she said in the Vogue interview. "It's amazing how much people pay attention to every little detail."
She wore a white lace Jonathan Simkhai dress for Independence Day in 2021
During the summer of 2021, first lady Jill Biden celebrated Independence Day, viewing fireworks and waving to onlookers from the White House balcony alongside family members, including President Joe Biden, daughter Ashley, and granddaughters Naomi, Finnegan, and Maisy.
For the occasion, per the Daily Mail, she wore a white lace dress by Jonathan Simkhai. Officially known as the Laura Lace Appliqué Midi Dress, it's available at Jonathan Simkhai in both white and black for $1,095. Kirna Zabete and the Colorado-based Perch also offer it for the same price. An up-close look at the cap sleeve dress, described via the designer's website as "romantic and feminine," reveals its tiered skirt, eyelet embroidery, and v-neck back. The designer also offers a similar style in a midi dress with "sheer long sleeves and a rounded high-collar neckline" in white and black for $895.
She kicked off her first White House holiday season in a red wool coat and cashmere
In late November 2021, Jill Biden was on hand for her first White House Christmas tree presentation, a 56-year tradition that kicks off the holiday season (per People). The FLOTUS waved to the public and the press as the tree was hauled in by two horses via an 18-foot carriage. Joining her were President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, and their young grandson, Beau, who is named after the president's older son who died in 2015 from brain cancer.
The first lady looked festive in a long red wool coat over a cream-colored sweater and skirt and black boots. While we couldn't verify the exact brand of the coat, it does look similar to the Akris punto Long Wool-Blend Coat, available at Saks Fifth Avenue for $1,590. While the coat is stunning, it hid the gorgeous outfit underneath, which is also quite pricey: TSE Cashmere's $850 Felted Tile Top and accompanying $795 Felted Tile Skirt. The cropped mock-neck, loose-fitting sweater features wide sleeves, with a subtle cutout pattern at the bottom of the sleeves and the sweater. The matching midi skirt, featuring the same cutout detailing on the bottom, falls just below the knees. The outfit is made of top-quality cashmere, making it look ultra soft and cozy. The professor topped off the ensemble with a long strand of pearls, a favorite of hers.
Jill Biden wore a nearly $2,700 outfit for Ruth Bader Ginsberg's funeral
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You can never go wrong with a matching set, as first lady Jill Biden knows. On August 29, 2021, she visited the Dover Air Force Base in her home-base state of Delaware (via Star Style) wearing a $1,395 Paula Hian Chantal knit blazer featuring white piping. Although the blazer is sold out online, you can still order one for yourself by emailing showroom@paulahian.com. The matching Monique flared black mini skirt with white piping is available for $1,295, with both totaling nearly $2,700.
According to the designer's blog, the first lady was also spotted wearing the outfit at Ruth Bader Ginsberg's funeral with a pair of black-and-white heels accented with white bows (the FLOTUS' penchant for recycling fashion was even the subject of a July 2021 feature for The New York Times). However, on both occasions, she wore the designer's Julietta high-waisted pencil skirt instead, which does not have the white piping. This skirt retails for $790 and also comes in navy and red.
She wore an edgy black Veronica Beard moto jacket over a midi dress
While the American public typically sees Jill Biden in a tailored blazer, the first lady does like to switch things up from time to time. Case in point: her March 10, 2021 visit to a U.S. Marine Corps base in California, where she wore a black-and-blue color block midi dress with an edgy black moto jacket and shoes that The Zoe Report describes as "skull-embroidered." The jacket, though, wasn't a total 180-degree fashion move for her: It's from designer Veronica Beard, who's behind many of her other blazers and jackets (per The Zoe Report).
The $1,290 long-sleeved, fit-and-flare Lela Rose dress is now sold out at Saks Fifth Avenue. Yet, the highlight of the outfit — the Veronica Beard Scuba Hadley Jacket, described as "super comfortable and wrinkle-resistant" — is, as of this writing, available at Nordstrom and Veronica Beard for $650. In addition to the always popular black, the jacket comes in white and navy, though only a few sizes are available as of publication. A slightly different version, called simply the Scuba Jacket — a more tailored look, without the zippers — is available at Resolve for $645.
The first lady wore Brandon Maxwell for the 48th Annual Daytime Emmys
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At the Daytime Emmy Awards on June 25, 2021, first lady Jill Biden showed up unexpectedly as a special guest — along with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — to pay tribute to the beloved late Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek, per the official news release from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. They were joined in their tribute by ABC's Robin Roberts and comedian-slash-actor-slash-doctor Ken Jeong.
Jill Biden appeared via satellite wearing a white Brandon Maxwell dress with a hand-painted purple butterfly print. In her speech, per Deadline, she referred to the late game show host as "war[m] and funny," commenting on his ability to bring "families together every evening, racking our brains to keep up with the smartest contestants," before ending with, "Thank you Alex. We miss you."
Because she was sitting, viewers missed seeing her ensemble in its entirety — the midi-length dress, made of wool-silk crepe, features "a simple, streamlined silhouette." At the time of publication, Moda Operandi offers the $2,490 dress for just under $1,000.
Jill Biden channeled Princess Diana in a pink blazer when meeting with Kate Middleton
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In June 2021, Jill Biden embarked on an overseas visit for the G7 Summit in Cornwall, England, where she spent time with Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton as the two visited a school together (per The Zoe Report).
The outlet noted that the duchess' belted red dress coordinated well with the first lady's hot pink blazer by L'AGENCE, with their bright, feminine hues. Priced at $625, the Chamberlain Single-Button Blazer, which features a floral pattern inside, is available at Saks Fifth Avenue. As of this writing, it's only available in soft pink, on sale for $375, while it's sold out in petal, another shade of pink. Underneath the blazer, the first lady wore a sleeveless A-line, zip-front dress in white by Akris, priced at $2,990.
We wonder if the FLOTUS intentionally wore pink to pay homage to the duchess' late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, who was known for her affinity for the color. In the '90s, according to Vogue, Diana often wore pink blazers and skirt suits — and, like the first lady, she was known for sending messages through her fashion, both intentionally and subconsciously. Regardless of intentions, both ladies looked fashionable, joyful, and classy.
She paid respect to Japanese culture in a Tom Ford dress
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In July 2021, Jill Biden embarked on her first solo overseas trip to the Tokyo Olympics. Before the Games began, she met with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, wearing a long-sleeved floral Tom Ford dress with a collared neckline that smartly paid homage to the country's culture. The black, white, green, yellow, and blue silk dress is listed for $2,475 on the designer's website, where it's unavailable, though Moda Operandi offers it at this time for $598.
Up close, the similarities of the midi-length dress to traditional Japanese culture are clear. Its belted waist is similar to the sashes seen in traditional satin kimonos, known as "obis," which were worn for modesty. In the photo shared by Woman & Home, the FLOTUS is seen barefoot, which, per The New York Times, is due to Japan's cultural fascination with feet.
In May 2022, the first lady donned the dress again at the press preview for the Met Costume Institute's "In America: An Anthology of Fashion" exhibition, where she spoke about "the power of fashion" (per Vogue). She typically talks little about her own style publicly, telling Vogue in 2021, "It's kind of surprising, I think, how much commentary is made about what I wear." We have to say, this is one matter in which we disagree.