Mamie Geneva Doud Eisenhower was the wife of the 34th President, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and an extremely popular First Lady of the United States from 1953 to 1961. She was known best for creating the “Mamie Look.”
Early Life
Eisenhower was born on November 14, 1896, in Boone, Iowa to John and Elivera Doud. The Doud family later moved to Colorado, eventually settling in Denver. Eisenhower attended local public schools and graduated from the Wolcott School, a private school for girls in 1915. In that same year she met Dwight D. Eisenhower. They were married at the Doud home in Denver on July 1, 1916. The couple produced two sons.
Role as First Lady
Avoiding politics and publicity, Eisenhower focused more on the White House and events, as well as managing the residence staff. She met with the chief usher nearly every morning to discuss the day’s schedule and visitors. She spent most of her time planning and attending social events, responding to correspondence, answering requests, and greeting guests. As first lady, Eisenhower festively decorated the White House for holidays such as Christmas and Halloween. In 1953, she and the president brought back the White House Easter Egg Roll, which had been suspended since 1942. The president and first lady hosted birthday parties, holiday meals, and family events, including Mary Jean’s Blue Room christening in April 1956.
Eisenhower was known for her sense of fashion, and her style was adopted by many women. She was named one of the twelve best-dressed women in the country by the New York Dress Institute every year that she was first lady. Her style was known as the “Mamie Look”; it involved a full-skirted dress, pink gloves, charm bracelets, pearls, little hats, purses, and bobbed, banged hair.
Death
After leaving the White House, the Eisenhower’s retired to Gettysburg. Eisenhower suffered a stroke on September 25, 1979, and passed shortly thereafter on November.
