MARY ANN TODD LINCOLN's DRESS

MARY LINCOLN was interested in FASHION and jewelry.  As First Lady of the United States, some thought her to be a dumpy dresser and have a rather crass Kentuckian accent, but she spoke fluent French.  Depending on who you visited with about Mary would determine the outlook that was given toward the President's wife.  

At an early age Mary was sent to Madame Mentelle's finishing school, where the curriculum concentrated on French and literature.  She learned to speak French fluently and studied dance, drama, music, and social graces.  By age 20, she was regarded as witty and gregarious with a grasp of politics.

As First Lady of the United States, she hired Mrs. Elizabeth Keckley, a freed slave, to make fashionable dresses for her.  While touring the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, this display of Mary's dress could not be ignored.  A life size form of Mary models the dress as Mrs. Keckley works on the backside of Mary.     

Seeing pictures of this dress before, I wanted to see it first hand as a tourist.  Snap my own pictures.  I was impressed by this state of the art Museum and all it has to offer.  Outstanding exhibit.

She was known to spend way too much while at the White House as First Lady.  Depending on who you talked to.  Information about how Mary Todd Lincoln met Elizabeth Keckley are written about in Elizabeth's book.  Elizabeth shares how Mrs. Lincoln describes her personal financial situation and that she will use Elizabeth as her seamstress if she is cheap.  Mrs. Lincoln did indeed use Mrs. Keckley for quite a few dresses during her reign as First Lady.

Elizabeth learned her sewing skills from her own Mother as a child.  Elizabeth was a talented and skilled seamstress who became Mrs. Lincoln's personal modiste and confidante.

After Elizabeth's book 

Behind the Scenes: Or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House

was published, this seemed to end the close relationship the two of them had.  

Mrs. Lincoln's Social Rivals dresses are on display behind her.  Beautiful articles of High Society garments worn when Mrs. Lincoln was First Lady can be viewed as well. 

Mrs. George (Mary Ellen) McClellan

The wife of General McClellan, "Nellie" was one of the more sought guests in Washington social circles.  She shared her husband's unflattering opinion that "Mrs. Lincoln doesn't shine particularly as a hostess."  Mrs. McClellan felt that her husband had support among "the better class of people" and was outraged by the Lincoln administration's treatment of him.  She wrote to her husband, "I almost wish you would march up to Washington and frighten those people a little."

Miss Harriet Lane

President Buchanan's niece and hostess of the pre-Lincoln White House, Miss Lane was the first woman in the White House to be called "First Lady."  She was popular and tasteful and set the fashion standards of the day.  Anticipating the arrival of the Lincolns in Washington, D.C., she wrote to a friend, "They say Mrs. L. is awfully western, loud and unrefined."

  

Miss Kate Chase

Mrs. Stephen (Adele) Douglas

Thank you for stopping by.

Impressed by the dresses,

d👵