What Would Laura Bush Wear?

We have been looking at the jewellery habits of First Ladies and other women in positions of political power, and this time we turn our attention to Laura Bush, wife of George W. Bush.  She spent two terms, which is 8 years, as First Lady and while she could have used this time to acquire and show off a huge jewellery collection she kept it classy, opting for mostly pearl jewellery which tends to be a favourite stone worn by women in power.  She also matches jewellery to her clothing, preferring colourful stones like turquoise and citrine. 

Laura's husband George bought her a citrine necklace for her 60^th birthday, featuring three strands of the yellow/amber coloured stone.  Although we couldn't find any pictures of the necklace itself, it was a very personal gift as citrine is her birthstone (November) and we think our Clementine necklace is a beautiful, standout piece that makes a fantastic birthday gift.  Set in silver and gold-plated mount with a flourish of cubic zirconias, this gorgeous necklace has a matching ring and earrings which would make anyone look as sophisticated as Mrs Bush when worn as an ensemble with a softly tailored suit, or beautifully cut dress.

Another jewellery gift that Laura received while she was First Lady, was a very expensive sapphire and diamond three-piece given to her by the Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.  Our Classico Sapphire set is designed in a vintage style, making it ideal for subtle power-dressing because it really looks like an heirloom set, giving the impression that the wearer has a good heritage.  The Sapphire Serenity earrings and necklace would be ideal for a younger look with a slight edge to the sophistication.  We think Laura, with her impeccable style, would wear either of these options at a public function or for a lunch with friends.

Laura's wedding ring was initially a plain gold band – she and George were married within two months of meeting at a friend's barbecue – but she updated her wedding and engagement rings to a three-stone diamond ring.  We think she'd love the Deep Blue Sea ring, as it features three richly toned blue topaz stones nestled within two bands of flush mounted cubic zirconias.  This pretty and elegant piece would look amazing with the Classico or Serenity pieces for a fun and vibrant look which sums Laura Bush up perfectly.

When Laura isn't wearing coloured gems (and she often picks blue gems over any other colour) she wears pearls.  Pearls are a great staple as they go with every colour and suit every type of skin, creating a different look on everyone.  They're subtle enough to blend with many different aesthetics in different ways, adding a touch of refinement to an edge or modern style, and adding elegance to a simple daytime outfit.  This versatility makes them excellent investment pieces for women in power as they'll go with everything and won't lose value in the same way that other stones might.  There has never been a time in human history where pearls weren't desirable.

Pearl studs are seen on many First Ladies and other politically powerful American women and we have a lot of styles to choose from.  Whether you're after simple plain ones like the Full Moon and Pearl Candy styles, or you want something with a little movement, like our Affinity, Pearldrop or Twinkle styles we have the perfect pearl earrings for you.  On one of the occasions when the Bushes met HRH Queen Elizabeth II, Laura wore teardrop shaped pearl earrings with a matching necklace; our Twinkle earrings and necklace are a great match, without the price tag.

Laura Bush had eight long years of public appearances as First Lady, but she always looked perfectly put together and stylish on every occasion.  Her personal style is classy and refined but with a hint of fun and levity and her accessorising really puts her personality at the fore.