Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger, the first woman to serve as governor of the state, wore white for her swearing-in on Saturday, according to the Associated Press.
The AP reported that the color choice was linked to the women’s suffrage movement. It described Spanberger’s outfit as a long, white coat with gold buttons paired with white gloves.
In her inauguration address, Spanberger tied her remarks to the suffrage movement’s history. The AP reported that she highlighted the gravity of the moment and the suffragists’ refusal to give up.
Spanberger said in her address: “I maintain an abiding sense of gratitude to those who work, generation after generation, to ensure women could be among those casting ballots, but who could only dream of a day like today,” the AP reported.
Virginia governors traditionally wear morning suits for inaugurations, the AP said. The AP also cited “A Guide to Virginia Protocol and Traditions,” which it reported specifies that males in the official party wear morning coats and that women wear dark suits for the inauguration.
The AP said many people kept to that tradition on Saturday, including the new governor’s husband. It also reported that Spanberger’s office did not respond to an email seeking comment on her inauguration outfit.
In a separate interview, Spanberger told NPR that she would not continue the tradition, the AP reported. “I’m not going to wear a morning coat, not to disappoint anyone,” she said in the NPR interview, according to the AP.