Master Dressing Room

The First Lady's Boudoir Just off the Master Bedroom is the Master Dressing Room, generally used now by first ladies as a private study and dressing room. It overlooks the West Wing. In the past, it was a bedroom to Suzannah Adams and Louisa Smith, Tad Lincoln, Robert Johnson, nursemaid to children of Grover Cleveland and also to Eleanor Roosevelt and Bess Truman. It was the private study of Rutherford Hayes as well as Lou Hoover. It became a dressing room for Julia Grant, William Howard Taft, and Grace Coolidge. Mary Arthur McElroy (serving in the capacity of first lady for her widowed brother, Chester Arthur) used it as her tearoom. The Wilsons made it their private dining room. Florence Harding used it to store clothes. This room connects to the Master Bath, a large full bathroom with separate tub and shower stall.

More Images

The Master Dressing Room in 1992, looking southwest (HABS)

Nancy Reagan's dressing table in 1981 (Architectural Digest)

Nancy Reagan's dressing room in 1981, looking southwest (Architectural Digest - Derry Moore)

Betty Ford at her desk in 1975 (Ford Library - misidentified as her East Wing office)

Tricia Nixon on her tour in 1970 (White House Historical Association)

Lady Bird Johnson making an audio diary entry in 1968 (NARA)

Lady Bird Johnson with her staff in 1964 (Life - Stan Wayman)

Lady Bird Johnson with her staff in 1964 (Life - Stan Wayman)

Jackie Kennedy's dressing room in 1962 (Architectural Digest)

Jackie Kennedy's dressing room in 1962 (Kennedy Library)

Jackie Kennedy's trompe l'oeil wardrobe, circa 1962 (Kennedy Library)

Jackie Kennedy's dressing room in January, 1962 (Kennedy Library - Robert Knudsen)

Jackie Kennedy's dressing room in January, 1962 (Kennedy Library - Robert Knudsen)

Jackie Kennedy's wardrobe before it was painted in January, 1962 (Kennedy Library - Robert Knudsen)

The dressing room as Bess Truman's bedroom in 1952 (Kennedy Library)

The dressing room as Bess Truman's bedroom in 1952 (Truman Library)

The dressing room as Bess Truman's bedroom in 1948 (Truman Library)

The dressing room as Bess Truman's bedroom in 1948 (Truman Library)

The dressing room as Bess Truman's bedroom in 1948 (Truman Library)

Recreation of the room in the Wilson era, circa 1914 (Backstairs at the White House)

Taft dressing room, circa 1911, looking north (Library of Congress - Harris & Ewing)