In 1912, two well-connected ladies in D.C. society had an idea: why not start a Smithsonian collection featuring the evolution of women’s fashion, from the days of Martha Washington to the present? Most exhibitions at the time were all about great men and their stuff, Graddy says, and First Lady Helen Taft was persuaded to donate her 1909 inaugural gown for the cause. That piece inspired an entire collection of First Lady apparel, which went on display for the first time in 1914. Though this flagship piece looks brownish today, it started out as a white chiffon gown appliquéd with goldenrod embroideries. Like many First Ladies to follow, Taft made a point of the gown being designed and made in America.