Why They Wore It

More than 20 formal gowns and pieces of apparel of American First Ladies are on display at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in a new exhibit, Why They Wore It: The Politics & Pop Culture of First Ladies’ Fashion, which breaks new ground by exploring — for the first time — how each First Lady used her favorite styles to advance her own — and her husband’s — agenda, by embracing special causes and promoting political positions.