Hillary Clinton Bill Clinton Young Hillary Clinton First Lady Fashion

If Hillary Clinton wins the ballot, information technology volition be a historical milestone in more than ways than one: She will become the first female person U.S. president, and Bill Clinton will get the first male person presidential spouse.

While the official duties of a start spouse are primarily ceremonial, it is a position of maximum visibility that is vital to the president's public epitome. Over the years, the role has been referred to as "hostess of the White House" and "presidentress," merely many speculate that Bill Clinton may prefer the new title of "offset gentleman" or "first laddie."

Mike Gregorie, first spouse of the former governor of Washington, referred to himself as "first Mike," so "first Bill" wouldn't be out of the question, either.

Many first ladies, from Frances Folsom Cleveland to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis to Michelle Obama, have been fashion trend-setters. As first lady, Obama boosted immature American designers such every bit Thakoon Panichgul and Jason Wu by wearing their wear throughout her married man'southward presidency, and mixing in more accessible pieces by American brands J. Crew and Talbots. She also appeared on the encompass of numerous mode magazines and hosted a fashion workshop for students and designers at the White House in 2014.

Over the years, Pecker Clinton has worn enough of American labels, likewise, including suits by Chicago-based Hart Schaffner Marx, Rochester, N.Y.-based Hickey Freeman and New York City-based Donna Karan (before the men's business airtight).

He has shown his support for American manufacturing by sporting a "Built in Detroit" Shinola watch and actually purchased 13 of them, mostly the Runwell style, after touring the Shinola factory in Detroit in 2014.

However, he isn't known for starting way trends — at to the lowest degree not the style Michelle Obama popularized belted cardigans over full skirts, statement necklaces and incredibly toned blank artillery, for example.

But that doesn't mean he shouldn't exist prepared to upwards his game, says glory stylist Jeanne Yang. "If anything, there volition exist more scrutiny of him, so he needs to stride information technology up a notch and be more up-to-date," she says. "No more slouchy shoulders and no more mom jeans."

Yang suggests Bill Clinton make a visit to custom tailor Martin Greenfield, whose shop is not far from Hillary Clinton'southward campaign headquarters in Brooklyn, in a factory that'south been making suits since the Ceremonious War era.

"He'due south going to have to make an try to wearable a slightly tighter accommodate," the stylist says, "I'd love to see him in younger silhouettes and a absurd, fun tuxedo. Get some chambray in there, maybe some knit ties, maybe throw in a bit of J. Crew like Michelle Obama, or a cool pocket square from TieBar.com. He's slimmed down, he should have reward of that. I'd volunteer to help him out."

"I would hope he would wearing apparel conservative, subdued and not flashy, and so the light can shine on her," says Kathleen Felix Hager, costume designer for HBO'southVeep. "He could make a statement and talk about bringing the textile industry and manufacturing back to the U.S., which would have an result on a lot of people."

Although Yang deems the idea of Hillary and Bill Clinton trying to colour coordinate as a couple "as well prom," Hager disagrees, sharing that she did just that for a sure power couple on the testifyVeep.

"On the season five finale, when Selina Meyers lost the presidential election, I dressed LauraMontez, the new president, in a vivid yellow conform. Her hubby was in a couple of scenes, and I deliberately put him in a yellow tie and then he'd be a reflection of his wife," Hager explains. "In a future episode, I did the same thing; she's in a teal suit and he's in a teal tie. He'south non in the political realm, he's just a supportive spouse."

On Election Night, maybe the two Clintons "could come up out in analogous victory colors," Hager suggests. "After all, they are not but married just forever connected by their joint political drive and history."

Even if they practice programme matching outfits, the glare of the fashion spotlight will e'er be on Hillary more than Bill, says noted historian Catherine Allgor, who is director of education at the Huntington Library. "It's even so going to be nearly what a female leader looks similar, and we'll still be talking about her hair and pantsuits — considering we may take a female person president, simply we still alive in a patriarchy." While Beak Clinton's inaugural dark tuxedo will no doubt land in the commencement ladies' gallery at the National Museum of American History in Washington alongside gowns from the past 200 years, "it will be boring," Allgor says. "Nobody will remember information technology."

Apart from style, the role of kickoff spouse comes with an expectation of substance, too. Past first ladies take promoted nonpartisan causes such as literacy, healthy lifestyles and conservation. And Bill Clinton certainly has a head commencement with his work at the Clinton Foundation and by hurricane relief efforts.

"Get-go lady is a very powerful position, simply because information technology's always been a woman, information technology has had to exist masked and hidden because we are very threatened past powerful women," says Allgor, who wrote the 2007 book A Perfect Marriage: Dolley Madison and the Creation of the American Nation and likens Madison's charisma in the first spouse function to Bill Clinton's. "You have someone incredibly well-educated similar Michelle Obama, and she wants to talk nigh race and class, just she talks about children, veterans and healthy eating because what she's doing has to be hidden."

Allgor connected, "When Neb Clinton tried to engage his wife in his healthcare initiative, everybody freaked out even though she was equally qualified every bit whatever presidential appointee. It will be interesting to see what happens in the contrary. Here'southward a man who is qualified — should we be using him in some way? The get-go gentleman is going to challenge our ideas of power."

Traditionally, offset ladies also have performed certain domestic duties, including helping to plan state dinners and decorate the White House for the holidays.

Although Hillary Clinton has already said that Bill volition not pick the White House mainland china, the act has historical significance. When Mary Todd Lincoln picked out the presidential cathay during her term as first lady, she began a tradition that has not been broken. And in the interest of gender equality, equally offset gentleman, Bill Clinton may want to perform the domestic duties traditionally performed by first ladies. Or non.

"Just put more than on her plate," jokes Hager. "Run the free world and pick out the china … I'm sure she's capable of doing both."