Inauguration coats

[StitchinTime]

Looking at photos of yesterday's inauguration I noticed that Jill Biden's coat buttoned right-over-left, but Kamala Harris' coat buttoned left-over-right.


[Photo from BBC News]

I was taught that women's clothing buttoned right-over-left and men's clothing buttoned left-over-right, but is this convention now changing?

[Bodgeitandscarper]

Interesting, I too thought right over left for women, I always do mine that way.

Edit:  T'Other Half says Americans do them all left over right, so Mrs New President may have an English coat??

[StitchinTime]

In this article on Inauguration Day fashions, the women's coats seem to be mainly right-over-left, so it might not be due to geography.

I did wonder if Jill Biden's coat was made from Linton Tweed, but I guess that could be regarded as unpatriotic even though the designer is American.

[StitchinTime]

More on the coat is in this article - the sparkle is from Swarovski crystals, not the lurex thread present in some Linton Tweeds.

Interestingly, the original design sketch for the coat seems to show it buttoning left-over-right.

[BrendaP]

Interesting, I too thought right over left for women, I always do mine that way.

Edit:  T'Other Half says Americans do them all left over right, so Mrs New President may have an English coat??

I thought it was conventionally right over left for ladies throughout the western world, but whenever the subject has come up  on various internet sites it is mostly Americans who are less fussed about which way.

The thing I often notice is diagonally striped men's ties.  When worn UK ties usually have the stripes pointing to the wearer's left.
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whilst Americans often wear ties pointing to the wearer's right.
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[Gernella]

I think I would hate to be in the spotlight like this, where everything you wear is studied, commented on and probably picked on.

That dress Melania wore to  get off Airforce 1 was horrendous (see what I mean).

[Tamnymore]

Do a google for Janey Godley's voiceovers to find out that Melania was wearing her mum's 1960s curtains to head off for  pilates class! 

[Greybird]

I like Michelle Obama's outfit.

[UttaRetch]

I like Michelle Obama's outfit.

I didn't. Mrs Obama is a tall woman, yet looks short and none of the colours matched.

Loved Dr Biden's outfit, although the coat is not a great fit.



Awful.  Wrong colour and the coat should have been a fit and flare.  It would have disguised her apple shape middle and given her some hips.

[Ploshkin]

One long standing theory for men's coats buttoning left over right is that it gave them easy access to a sword or pistol.  Bit of a bummer if you were left handed.  Ladies, of course, weren't armed.

[datcat23]

In just a passing image on the news tonight, I spotted a cream coat with what looked like embroidery around the hemline.  I only saw the back, so I am not sure who wore it.  I would dearly love to see it in more detail. 

[UttaRetch]

Melania was wearing her mum's 1960s curtains to head off for  pilates class!

She's heading straight to the poolside.

[Greybird]

Michelle Obama's looked better in the newspaper photo today. She is standing still in it and you can see how well the trousers hang.

[Marniesews]

One long standing theory for men's coats buttoning left over right is that it gave them easy access to a sword or pistol.  Bit of a bummer if you were left handed.  Ladies, of course, weren't armed.

Hmmm, then ladies could hook their right arm through their gent's left, leaving their left hand free to tuck inside just for warmth while he defends her with his right - take that you blaggard!   

[StitchinTime]

@datcat23 Jill Biden wore a cream coat for the inauguration concert. I can’t find many photos of it yet, but there are a few in this article.