Jill Biden's Appearance At The State Of The Union Has Fans Talking
March 1 saw President Joe Biden give the first State of the Union address of his presidency, a speech that would turn out to be notable for a variety of reasons. As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, there was concern that this State of the Union address wouldn't be able to be given in-person, but the easing of restrictions in Washington, D.C. and on Capitol Hill allowed Biden to stand in front of the joint members of Congress. However, coronavirus considerations weren't the only reason this State of the Union address would be interesting to viewers. Many who tuned in were curious about what Biden would say about the current situation in Europe, specifically, in Ukraine.
Almost a week ago, Ukraine was invaded by the Russian Federation, causing international condemnation and a swift response from both the United States and its Western allies. As part of their support for the Ukrainian people, members of Congress and the president's cabinet wore yellow and blue ribbons — the colors of Ukraine's flag — to show their solidarity. But government officials weren't the only ones to show their support; other people who attended the address also used their fashion to express their backing for the invaded nation, wearing bright blue and yellow/gold. And First Lady Dr. Jill Biden was no different.
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden dressed for Ukraine
One tradition that occurs at the State of the Union address is the president and first lady extend invitations to "about two dozen guests to sit in the House gallery to promote their priorities and values," CNN reported, and — since President Ronald Reagan — those honored guests have typically been pointed out to help promote the president's values. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden included the Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States, Oksana Markarova, on her list, and invited the ambassador to sit with her during the address. While the ambassador understandably dressed to support her country, the first lady did the same, wearing a gorgeous jewel-toned blue dress that showed just which side of the Ukrainian/Russian conflict she was on.
People took to social media to express their delight at what the first lady was wearing, expressing their love for her fashion choice. "@FLOTUS at the SOTU wearing a blue dress with a sunflower, the national flower of Ukraine, embroidered on it, has me IN MY FEELS," one user wrote. "Wow! @FLOTUS looks absolutely gorgeous tonight in her blue dress!," another tweeted. "Did y'all see FLOTUS Jill Biden's blue dress? It's beautiful," a third person shared. The first lady's support of Ukraine and the Ukrainian ambassador did not go unnoticed, a great show of solidarity amongst an important speech from her husband.