“Optics governed more or less everything in the political world, and I factored this into every outfit,” Michelle Obama noted in her memoir, Becoming, when referencing the lessons she learned about fashion during her time as first lady.  

And the lesson is one which Obama clearly relayed to her successor, current first lady, Dr. Jill Biden, who is currently using her time in the spotlight at the G7 summit in Cornwall to ensure it is clearly telegraphed the kind of first lady she is, and intends to be.

Yesterday, for a walk on the beach with the prime minister and his wife, Carrie Symonds, Dr. Biden sported a monochrome polka dot Brandon Maxwell dress with a Zadig & Voltaire blazer that she’s previously worn in 2019.

Except this time around, as she walked along the Cornish coast – the G7 summit is currently being held in St. Ives - Dr. Biden’s classic black blazer was embellished with the word ‘love’, written in metal studs.

When probed by a Bloomberg News reporter about her sartorial choice, Dr. Biden said, “Well, I think that we’re bringing love from America. I think that this is a global conference and we’re trying to bring unity across the globe and I think that’s important right now that you have a sense of unity.”

Dr. Biden’s jacket has largely been referenced as a riposte to former first lady, Melania Trump’s infamous ‘I Don’t Really Care, Do U?’ Zara jacket, which she wore in 2018 to visit migrant children that had been separated from their families and held in a facility in Texas. 

This isn’t the first time Dr. Biden has used her wardrobe choices to make a statement. For her first appearance as first lady-to be in Delaware in November 2020, Dr. Biden wore a floral dress by Oscar de la Renta, a brand helmed by Fernando Garcia and Laura Kim, both of whom were immigrants to the United States and trained under Oscar de la Renta himself before taking the reins in 2016.   

The 47th G7 summit is the first time member states have reconvened in two years, following the cancellation of last year’s summit in Biarritz, owing to the pandemic. 

During the first meeting between President Biden and Prime Minister Boris Johnson, it is understood that reopening travel between the UK and the US was discussed, as well as establishing shared objectives to tackle climate change. Dr. Biden will meet with the Duchess of Cambridge this evening to conduct a joint engagement on female empowerment. 

Images: courtesy of Getty Images.