Nancy Reagan: First Lady of Style

Whether you agreed with the Reagans’ politics or not, you have to admit that Nancy Reagan was an extremely chic First Lady. As the country honors her and celebrates her life, I thought I’d feature some of her most iconic looks.

It also must be noted that the former First Lady was a champion of American designers, which I think is a wonderful sign of patriotism and support of the American people and the talent our nation produces. Some of her favorites were Oscar de la Renta, Bill Blass, Carolina Herrera, and James Galanos.

Photo: Diana Walker/Time; Life Pictures/Getty Images

Photo: Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

She knew what she liked – simple elegance and the color red. In fact, she loved wearing red so much that the particular shade was named after her (“Reagan Red”).

Photo: Terry Fincher / Getty Images

Her style was classic and perfectly-suited for whatever event she was attending. She often wore gowns with simple silhouettes (but still bits of glam – beading, embellishment, fur; also it was the 80's, so shoulder pads were a thing). In everyday wear, she was usually spotted in Chanel-inspired suits and pussybow blouses. For casual wear, she mastered the All-American look with slacks and button downs.

Photo: Photri Images / Superstock / Everett Collection

She truly embodied the idea of personal style.

Photo: Mike Sargent / AFP - Getty Images