Excitement is building around town as the 56th Presidential Inauguration draws near. Stores and boutiques are bracing themselves for the influx of over 2 million people expected to make Washington, DC their destination for inauguration viewing, festivities and shopping. On my way to work this morning, I noticed White House Black Market quickly changing their window displays to reflect the theme of the month, inauguration.
Inside, store clerks were dressing mannequins in inaugural gowns and putting out party frocks that fashionistas are likely to wear to a cocktail or ball. I saw four sketches in the window with labeled with the names of four first ladies. I switched into reporter mode and asked the sales lady through the glass doors what the gowns were for. She informed me that the four gowns are up for auction at Clothes Off Our Back.org, a site where celebs auction off their clothes, jewelry and other things for charity. The gowns are on display at the store inside Union Station and are being auctioned off right now until January 16. FYI: The WHBM at Union Station is the ONLY store displaying the dresses.
The Ladybird, the Jackie, the Abigail and the Eleanor stand proudly in the shop window ready to be worn by four lucky glamazons. I checked out the auction site a couple of minutes ago and the dresses, all available in the sample size 8, are currently between $475 and $600. It’s a bidding frenzy. Proceeds from the auction will benefit Clothes Off Our Back’s charities including Feeding America (formerly named America’s Second Harvest), The Art of Elysium, Hope North and H.E.L.P. Malawi.
If you are still in the market for an inauguration gown and are looking for a one of a kind dress that no one else will be wearing, let your fingers do the bidding and shopping for you and snag yourself one.
