First Lady Jill Biden always wears beautiful outfits when attending major events as FLOTUS, and the State Dinner on Thursday, Dec. 1 was no exception. Jill looked absolutely stunning for the evening in a black long-sleeve dress that featured an off-shoulder design along with geometric cutouts. She completed her look with a pair of droplet diamond earrings, her main jewelry piece. The blonde beauty opted to wear her tresses in a half-up-half-down style with her stylish bangs parted in the middle. The first lady and President Joe Biden held the event on the White House’s South Lawn to celebrate the United States’ relationship with France, and they were joined by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, First Lady Brigitte Macron.
In a media preview for the State Dinner, the first lady spoke about how the decor for the evening would honor both countries and their values. “The design of this dinner was inspired by the shared colors of our flags—red, white, and blue—and our common values: liberty and democracy, equality and fellowship,” she said. “These form the bedrock upon which our enduring friendship was built.”
Biden also explained how she wanted the evening to be a special celebration between the U.S. and its “oldest ally,” the French. “Our hope is that the end result will be a night that balances the beauty of our friendship with the seriousness of our purpose. And we hope that French citizens everywhere feel the warmth of our welcome,” she said. “May our relationship grow stronger, our ties deeper, and our futures brighter as we deepen our partnership.”
The State Dinner marks a first for Joe Biden’s presidency, and it will be the first time that such an occasion has been held in three years. The last State Dinner was held in 2019 by then-President Donald Trump, and it was with leaders from Australia.
Prior to the State Dinner, the Bidens and Macrons went on a double date to get dinner at Fiola Mare in Georgetown. As they were leaving, Jill and Brigitte were seen standing close to each other and sharing a laugh. Joe tweeted a photo of the four of them at a booth together, with himself and the French president both enjoying some ice cream. “Welcoming some friends to town,” he wrote.
In her remarks at the preview, Jill had spoken about her strong bond with the Macrons, including watching women’s basketball in the Tokyo Olympics with the president and meeting his wife in Rome. “I found myself cheering alongside President Macron during the three-on-three women’s basketball game. Though we were rooting for opposite sides, there was a comradery in the shared love we had for our teams,” she said. “And I got to know Mrs. Macron in Rome, where we instantly clicked as educators.”