The inauguration is really about swearing in the next president, but first ladies throughout history have stolen the show with their inaugural gowns.

First ladies ... gown with a velvet bodice to the inaugural balls. The dress' designer, Arnold Scaasi, called her "the most glamorous grandmother in the United States," according to the Smithsonian.

First ladies have worn ... Bush wore a royal-blue gown with a velvet bodice to the inaugural balls. The dress' designer, Arnold Scaasi, called her "the most glamorous grandmother in the United States, ...

But the tradition of making a statement through clothing goes back to 1912, when Helen Taft donated her gown from the inaugural ball to the Smithsonian ... Getty Images The former first lady ...

when Helen Taft donated her gown from the inaugural ball to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Since then the museum has collected each inaugural ensemble for its First Ladies ...

An exhibit about the first ladies reopens at the National Museum of American History, including dresses worn at inaugural balls. National Treasure: The Mold Behind the Miracle of Penicillin (04:55 ...