Jill Biden's Inauguration Night Dress Included Subtle Style Nod to All of America

The first lady wore an ivory dress designed by Gabriela Hearst that featured embroidery reflecting the federal flowers of every state and territories

First Lady Jill Biden found a way to signal hopes for a unified America by representing all of the country's states and territories in her choice of look to close out Inauguration Day.

On Wednesday night, Dr. Biden made an appearance on the 90-minute, multi-network special, Celebrating America, hosted by Tom Hanks. She wore an ivory coat and matching dress custom-designed by Gabriela Hearst. The First Lady accessorized with blue sapphire earrings by RUCHI New York.

Dr. Biden's double-breasted jacket was made of cashmere, while her silk wool cady dress featured embroidery reflecting the federal flowers from every state and territory of the United States of America, according to a press release from the designer.

The first lady capped off the look with leather gloves also designed by Hearst.

President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden (center, from left) pose with their family in front of the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Celebrating America special after his inauguration. JOSHUA ROBERTS/POOL/AFP via Getty

Hearst, who was born in Uruguay, shared an Instagram that gave a close-up look at the incredible details in the dress and coat, which, she said, were created from existing fabrics to minimize impact on the environment. "The Delaware flower is positioned at the heart level of The First Lady, from there, all the other flowers branch out," she wrote.

She also added that there was another detail the public couldn't see. Stitched into the coat lining was a quote from Benjamin Franklin that was particularly close to Dr. Biden's heart as a lifelong educator: "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn."

The designer also created the coat Dr. Biden's daughter Ashley wore to the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday morning.

For the daytime ceremony, Dr. Biden donned a custom ocean blue Markarian dress and coat ensemble.

"The color blue was chosen for the pieces to signify trust, confidence, and stability," according to the design house. "The look was carefully crafted by a small team in the heart of New York City's Garment Center and hand-finished by O'Neill in her West Village studio."

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And on Tuesday night, for her first appearance in the capital city, the first lady made a statement in another look from a New York City-based designer, wearing a purple dress and coat with a velvet tie from Jonathan Cohen's upcoming fall/winter 2021 collection. She teamed the look, worn to the solemn ceremony memorializing COVID-19's victims.

The doctor's meaningful style choices indicate that she will likely seek to spotlight emerging American fashion designers during the next four years (following in the footsteps of former First Lady Michelle Obama, who helped to catapult the careers of industry leaders like Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu).