First ladies' inaugural gowns through the years

January 18, 2013 7:02 PM

As everyone wonders what first lady Michelle Obama will wear to her second Inaugural Ball on Monday, we're taking a look back at the fashion choices of other first ladies throughout history, including inaugural gowns and dresses worn to state dinners and other important events. These photos, from an exhibit at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History called "The First Ladies," start with Mary Lincoln's purple velvet dress from the 1860s and take us on a style journey all the way to Michelle Obama's 2009 silk chiffon gown that put designer Jason Wu on the map.