Kamala Harris and Michelle Obama wear purple for Inauguration Day

Kamala Harris looked regal in a purple coat by black designer Christopher John Rogers as she was sworn in as Vice President at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, making history as the the first female and first black and south Asian to do so. 

The 56-year-old, who was joined by her husband Doug Emhoff, wore the eye-catching coat over a matching purple dress. She topped off the look with a custom pearl necklace by Puerto Rican designer Wilfredo Rosado, black leather gloves, sheer tights, and a mask. 

Harris’ ‘bipartisan’ color choice set the tone of the day, with former First Ladies Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton also donning shades of the royal hue.   

Purple is traditionally recognized as a sign of bipartisanship as it’s a mix of both red and blue, according to The Hill. 

Mrs. Obama, who was joined by her husband, former President Barack Obama, cut a stylish figure in a head-to-toe plum suit by Sergio Hudson. The 57-year-old wore a floor-length coat over a form-fitting turtleneck and wide-leg pants — all in the same deep shade. 

She topped off the look with a matching belt featuring a large gold buckle that pulled the outfit together. Her dark hair was worn down in loose curls, and she had on a black face mask that matched her heeled boots and leather gloves. 

Mrs. Obama’s tailor Christy Rilling told DailyMail.com that fit was the main focus when preparing her Inauguration Day outfit. 

‘On such important events like today we always consider the tailoring to be the top priority,’ the New York-based couturier said. ‘It’s the best magic trick to make you look flawless on camera just like Mrs. Obama showed again today.’    

Rilling added: ‘We have been working on it little by little for the last couple of months  — but of course, as always, there are last minute tweaks that usually go into the early hours of the a.m.’ 

Purple appeared to be the color of the day as Mrs. Clinton, 73, donned a bright purple suit and matching scarf. To keep warm, the former secretary of state also wore a dark wool coat over her suit. 

Like Mrs. Obama, she had on a black mask that matched her gloves and shoes as she arrived with her husband, former President Bill Clinton. 

Mrs. Clinton told the Capitol Hill press pool that she wore ‘purple with a purpose.’  

‘I knew the theme President Biden was striking was unity and I thought if you combined red and blue, the way that we are divided politically in our country, you get purple,’ she said with a laugh. ‘So I want to just to send a bit of a symbolic message that we need to come together.’

While Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Clinton’s looks complemented Ms. Harris’ outfit of choice, Mrs. Bush matched Mrs. Biden, who dazzled in an ocean blue tweed coat and dress by New York-based designer Alexandra O’Neill, the founder and creative director of Markarian.     

Mrs. Bush, 74, wore a powder blue coat with a dark lapel over a slate-gray dress and sheer tights. She accessorized the look with a long silver ball necklace, a light gray mask, and flats. 

The top button of her coat was buttoned, and she carried a small gray leather handbag that perfectly matched her dress as she walked arm-in-arm with her husband, former President George W. Bush. 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, 80, also stood out in a shade of blue. She stood out in a cheery teal coat, which she wore over a white dress. Her scarf and heels matched her coat, while her patterned mask and gloves matched the buttons on her coat. 

Outgoing President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania skipped the inauguration and flew to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, turning their backs on their successors in a gesture unseen since 1869. However, she got in one last sartorial look at the White House. 

She was seen boarding Marine One on the South Lawn in a somber all-black outfit that featured a Chanel jacket priced at over $5,600, a pair of $795 Christian Louboutin heels, and a black crocodile Hermes Birkin worth more than $70,000.    

Outgoing Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen chose to stay and watch Biden be sworn in, but she took a cue from Mrs. Trump and wore all black. 

Mrs. Pence, 64, sported a black wool coat over a dark skirt suit, which she paired with black tights, black heels, black leather gloves, and a black face mask. 

Guests on the inaugural platform on the West Front of the Capitol talked and mingled on the cold, Washington D.C. day while they waited for the ceremony to begin. It was windy and in the 40s. A light snow fell on the Capitol and waiting guests.

They wore face masks and bundled up against the cold in coats, gloves, and scarves. 

Former President Obama walked around saying hello to guests, including baseball player Alex Rodriguez, the husband of Jennifer Lopez. Lopez is performing in the ceremony. He also nodded to Pence and took a photo of Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff when they walked by him as they entered the platform. 

Most members of the Supreme Court were there, including Trump-appointed justices Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. 

Biden, 78, was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States on the steps of the Capitol 11 minutes early on Wednesday. 

When he addressed the country for the first time as President, he declared to the nation that ‘democracy has prevailed’ — after a chaotic transition where his predecessor denied his election win and never congratulated him.

‘The will of the people has been heard, a
nd the will of the people has been heeded,’ Biden said on the West Front of the Capitol just two weeks after MAGA riots threatened to stop the counting of the electoral votes for President in its tracks.

He added: ‘We’ve learned again that democracy’s precious, democracy’s fragile. At this hour, my friends, democracy has prevailed.’

After the contentious contest, in which Trump falsely accused him of stealing the election, Biden paid tribute to the peaceful transfer of power and the resilience of American democracy.

‘This is America’s day. This is democracy’s day a day of history and hope, of renewal, and resolve, for crucible for the ages America has tested anew and America has risen to the challenge. Today we celebrate not a candidate, but a cause, the cause of democracy,’ he noted.

Biden thanked his predecessors of both parties for being at his swearing-in. 

‘I thank my predecessors of both parties for their presence here today. I thank them from the bottom of my heart,’ Biden said, adding he had spoken to former President Jimmy Carter on the phone the night before. Carter did not attend for safety reasons because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Biden also acknowledged the attack that took place on the Capitol two weeks ago, when a pro-Trump mob interrupted the certification of his victory.

‘Now on this hallowed ground where just a few days ago violence sought to shake the capital’s very foundation. We come together under one nation, under God, indivisible, to transfer the peaceful power as we have for two centuries,’ he said.

Biden gave his inaugural remarks after history-making Vice President Kamala Harris was sworn in, with the oldest person to become president taking an oath to ‘preserve, protect and defend’ the Constitution — starting his tenure amid a pandemic and putting an end to a tumultuous four-year term by President Trump.