“Without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury; no progress, only exhausting outrage; no nation, only a state of chaos,” Joe Biden declared after taking the Presidential oath on 20 January. “This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge. And unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America.”

Purple Fashion Dominated At The Biden-Harris Inauguration

Famously, suffragettes used purple in their badges to represent dignity alongside green for hope and white for purity. Just as significantly, purple has long been acknowledged as a “bipartisan” colour – merging the blue associated with the Democratic party and the red of the Republican.

First to wear the unifying colour on Trump’s final day in the White House: First Lady Jill Biden, who arrived in the capital on 19 January in a violet “Unity” coat from sustainable American designer Jonathan Cohen’s autumn/winter 2021 collection along with a pair of lavender gloves.

And while Jill may have chosen a blue Markarian look for Inauguration Day proper, Vice President Kamala Harris picked up the torch, wearing a bold purple coat designed by Christopher John Rogers – a queer African-American creative named the 2020 CFDA American Emerging Designer of the Year. (Notably, one of Harris’s idols Shirley Chisholm – the first African-American female to run for President – used a near-identical shade of purple for her campaign posters.)

Courtesy of Markarian

The two-piece ocean blue ensemble was crafted from wool tweed, and Dr. Biden also wore a matching silk Markarian face mask — adhering to the CDC’s health protocols. According to a statement from the label, the color choice is symbolic because blue represents trust, confidence, and stability. (Ideas that President-Elect Biden has previously echoed in his messages to the public.) Diving more into the look, the coat featured a dark blue velvet collar and cuffs while the dress underneath had a chiffon bodice and scalloped skirt. Swarovski pearls and crystals formed a floral pattern on the neckline of her dress while the coat’s exterior embellishments of Swarovski crystals glittered in the sunlight. Dr. Biden completed the look with a pair of beige Jimmy Choo Love pumps.

Wednesday’s inauguration ceremony was filled with history-making moments, most notably the swearing-in of Vice President Kamala Harris. But another young woman who took to the podium for the occasion has captured the heart of the nation – and made history herself.

Meanwhile, Michelle Obama opted to wear a plum-coloured turtleneck and wide-legged trousers by African-American designer Sergio Hudson – a long-term favourite of both Beyoncé and Rihanna.

Amanda Gorman, the 22-year-old who was named the first National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017, became the youngest ever inaugural poet to speak at the ceremony. The honor has previously been given to the likes of Robert Frost and Maya Angelou.

Gorman, who hails from Los Angeles, attended Harvard University and graduated (virtually) last year with a BA in Sociology. She has authored two poetry collections and is also the founder and executive director of One Pen One Page, an organization providing free creative writing programs for underserved youth.

In front of millions tuning in for the event, Gorman, clad in Prada, recited her original work, “The Hill We Climb.”

“I’m deeply humbled to be taking part in such a historic moment,” she told Teen Vogue. “It’s an honor not only to be the youngest inaugural poet but to be a participant in an inauguration that symbolizes much-needed change, as embodied by President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris.”

“There are all these different kinds of layers of stress that are on the American people right now. It was a hill I had to climb in itself,” says @amandascgorman. “I wrote [‘The Hill We Climb’] with the idea that this isn’t the moment to say, ‘Ding-dong the witch is dead,’ and dance on the grave of Trump. It’s a real opportunity to unite the people of the United States and focus our gaze on the future, and the ways in which we can collaborate and move forward together. I’m not gonna lie and say that I’m not scared. But I’m gratified in the fact that courage isn’t the absence of fear, but acting despite that fear. There comes this knowledge and this faith that I was made for this moment. Not in an egotistical way, not in saying that I’m better than anyone else, but I was called by the Bidens for a reason, and this moment has called me for a reason, so all I can do is show up and do my absolute best.”

Amanda Gorman, the youngest inaugural poet in U.S. history, wore a full @prada look to recite her powerful poem “The Hill We Climb”

A Look Back At The Most Glamorous Inauguration Ball In U.S. History , which took place in 1961.

John F. Kennedy, 1961

& the unforgettable for her irresistible style First Lady, Jackie .

By Georgia Papadon & team

Show compassion

Did you know that Michelle Obama was officially more popular than hubby Barack when the duo left the White House in January? The former First Lady was hailed as a role model for women everywhere during her eight-year tenure in The White House, focusing on issues such as women’s rights, public health and racism. Far from your typical first lady, Michelle was more than just a passive bystander to her husband’s operations, spearheading a number of philanthropic initiatives herself including Let Girls Learn, which funded education projects led by young girls on poverty and leadership skills. Many Democrats are believed to be encouraging her to run for presidency in 2020.

Don’t overwork yourself

“It’s our collective delusion that overwork and burnout are the price we must pay in order to succeed” – Arianna Huffington

Famed for having survived for years of her professional life on just three hours of sleep a night until collapsing from exhaustion and waking up in a pool of her own blood, the Huffington Post founder is a strong advocate for self-care. “By helping us keep the world in perspective, sleep gives us a chance to refocus on the essence of who we are”, she wrote in her best-selling book The Sleep Revolution, which was published last year. “In that place of connection, it is easier for the fears and concerns of the world to drop away”.

Be Daring

“Fortunes does favor the bold and you will never know what you are capable of if you don’t try.” –Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook

Being successful, means you are prepared to make changes, you are prepared to deal with your fears.

If you are not happy with your 9 to 5 job, if you feel you don’t make any progress there, start looking for new opportunities think out of the box and maybe even look for a new business to start. It might be scary at the beginning but thinking of a fulfilled life, thinking of rewards you might get will help you to overcome fears which are holding you back.

Overcome adversity with grace

“Life is never perfect. We all live some form of option b. Even in the face of the most shocking tragedy of my life, I could exert some control over its impact” – Sheryl Sandberg

The world-renowned COO of Facebook wrote her best-selling book Lean In empowering women in the workplace shortly before the sudden death of her husband. “When I wrote Lean In, some people argued that I did not spend enough time writing about the difficulties women face when they don’t have a partner. They were right. I didn’t get it. Now I see how insensitive and unhelpful this was to so many single mums. My understanding and expectation of what a family looks like has shifted closer to reality”. Her latest book (also a best-seller), Option B, written with professor Adam Grant, teaches resilience in at work, using her own experiences to offer practical advice on battling life’s inevitable challenges without compromising your career.

Go out of your comfort zone

“Do one thing which scares you every day.” Eleonore Roosevelt, first Lady of The USA, 1933 – 1945

You feel fulfilled only when you grow. And the only place to grow is the place outside of your comfort zone.

Learn new things, learn a new language, go on and improve your selling skills even if you were told that you can’t do it or you think you can’t do it. Learn maybe new internet skills no matter how old or young you are. Just go for it!

You will see that doing things you have never done before will enrich your life and you will feel and be successful again.

Use your femininity to your advantage

“Women should not try to be men. Men and women are two entirely different animals. They don’t do anything the same, right? So why should they lead in the same way?” – Diane von Furstenberg

The Belgian-born fashion designer has made billions making clothes that accentuate and champion the female form. The famous wrap dress, created to reflect the powerful independence of women, proved to be a global best-seller. In addition to being one of the world’s most successful designers, Von Furstenberg sits on the board of Vital Voices, an NGO dedicated to empowering and providing aid to female leaders and entrepreneurs across the globe. Despite her exceptional business acumen, she maintains that motherhood is her greatest achievement: “children are my greatest creation”, she said.

Be tough when you need to be

“We can take off the crocodile skin” – Christine Lagarde

Appointed managing director of the International Monetary Fund in 2011 after a stint as the first female finance minister of a G8 economy, French-born Lagarde is undoubtedly one of the most powerful women today. When asked at the annual Women in the World summit last year to offer her advice to aspiring businesswomen, she explained that women must be thick-skinned in their approach to climbing the ladder: ““I regret to say that the crocodile skin is unfortunately a sine qua non for a period of time”. However, Lagarde then explained that once a woman has proven herself, this impenetrable facade can and should become somewhat loosened, explaining that women “can take off the crocodile skin and become a normal human being, without having to shield against horrible attacks and below the belt punches”.

Maintain a life outside of work

“I’ve always loved baking. I’m a businesswoman first and foremost but my hobbies actually make me better at work. They help me come up with new and innovative ways of looking at things”

– Marissa Mayer

Aged just 37, Marissa Mayer became CEO of Yahoo in 2012, the same year she fell pregnant with her first child. Previously the Silicon Valley magnate made a name for herself at Google, where she was one of the first employees. As one of tech’s most powerful players, Mayer’s advocacy for sustaining a humble work/life balance is a true reflection of how success is about more than just a ruthless work ethic.

Be Philanthropist

“One life on this planet is no more valuable than the next” – Melinda Gates

After working for many years at Microsoft, where she met husband Bill Gates, Melinda launched the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2000, which tackles a wide range of global challenges from poverty to improving technology in developing countries. As of 2015, the pair had reportedly donated $36.7 billion to the non-profit organisation.

Be passionate

“Passion is energy. Feel the power which comes from focusing on what excites you.” – Ophra Winfrey, entrepreneur and public figure

There is no real successful person who is not passionate about what he or she does.

Why is passion so important?

When you come across some challenges in your life, when you need some extra power to overcome some obstacles on your way to success, your passion will help you to make this extra step needed.

If you haven’t found your passion yet, don’ wait for it.

Start looking at your hobbies, start doing new things and when you find it, make your passion into profession.

Never let it be about the money

“The reason I’ve been able to be so financially successful is my focus has never, ever for one minute been money.” – Oprah Winfrey

One of the most successful women of all time, Oprah Winfrey is nothing short of an entrepreneurial unicorn. Despite a troubled childhood that saw her running away from home aged 13, Winfrey fought against the odds with gravitas, launching one of the most successful talk shows of all time in addition to heading up a string of TV production companies and an eponymous lifestyle magazine; she’s also a passionate philanthropist and an Academy Award-nominated actress. With a reported $3 million fortune, she is one of the wealthiest people on the planet, however, Winfrey insists that financial gain has never been a driving motivator for her, merely an incidental bonus. With “The Oprah Effect” being a legitimate term to describe Winfrey’s monumental influence on public opinion and consumer habits (Tory Burch credits her entire career to an appearance on Oprah’s show), clearly this is a woman who knows what she’s talking about.

Be unstoppable

“What you spend years building, it can be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.” –Mother Theresa, philanthropist/charity worker

Big obstacles are part of any (successful) life. Things don’t always work out as we want to. Yes, you might fail on your path of success. Maybe not just once, maybe twice, 3-, 4-, 10- times. It doesn’t matter how many times you fail what it counts is how many times you get back on your feet again. Just remember that failing is part of succeeding.

Treat others how you’d like to be treated