The Bizarre Fashion Rule You Didn't Know First Ladies Have To Follow

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

The position of first lady is an unusual one — what the role lacks in concrete responsibilities, it makes up for in a detailed list of things first ladies can't do while residing in the White House. In addition to all the restrictions, presidential spouses have had to adjust to their appearance making headlines. "It seemed that my clothes mattered more to people than anything I had to say," Michelle Obama recalled in "Becoming." Fortunately, despite her frustrations, Obama turned this situation to her advantage, using her role as a way to spotlight both her message and her favorite designers.

When it comes to couture, however, first ladies have a specific protocol that has to be obeyed. While their shopping sprees are only limited to their own personal budgets, they can't fill up their wardrobes with high-end freebies. Some first lady outfits have been massively expensive, which probably makes the prospect of free clothes even more enticing. In her book, Obama described a rule involving some of her fancier fits, noting that they " ... were lent to me by the designers and would later be donated to the National Archives, thus adhering to White House ethics guidelines." However, this policy is reportedly more restrictive than Obama implies. Despite a movement toward more sustainable fashion and re-wearing items, this category reportedly has a single-use restriction, no matter how much the FLOTUS loves it.

It's not clear exactly when this piece of fashion protocol hit the books, and it's impacted some first ladies more than others. Although presidential spouses have willingly contributed their inaugural outfits to the Smithsonian for over one hundred years, these clothes don't always fall into the gifted attire rule. For instance, Laura Bush handed over her 2001 inaugural dress, even though it wasn't a present from a designer.

While Bush purportedly never accepted a gratis fit, Nancy Reagan was on the opposite end of the spectrum. Her actions generated headlines in 1982, despite the fact that Nancy appeared to be following the rule and passing the clothing on to museums. "Neither she nor the designers have taken a tax deduction," assured a letter written by Elaine D. Crispen, Nancy's special assistant (via The New York Times). Due to the brouhaha, the document asserted Nancy would avoid freebies.

However, in 1988, the whole mess came roaring back. Nancy apparently had continued to get clothing on the down low, and the items' origins, as well as their future destinations, weren't clear. Per Time, this became an issue because Ronald Reagan's yearly financial disclosures didn't include the high-end clothes his wife received, although they were supposed to. Not doing so and waffling about what would come of the clothes made it a more serious situation than other first ladies breaking fashion rules, since possible tax concerns were a sticking point. More trouble may have come from Nancy even contending she might keep some pieces indefinitely and list them as gifts after the fact. It's possible the rule is now in place because of these difficulties, to ensure that future first ladies wouldn't get caught in a similar debacle.