Jenna Bush Hager has been a friend of Draper James ever since she interviewed Reese on her new venture this past fall, both for Southern Living magazine and the Today show. Turns out Jenna’s twin sister Barbara Bush is a DJ fan, too.
The native Texans say that for them, Southern style is epitomized by their grandmother, Jenna Louise Welch of Midland, TX. “She scheduled weekly salon appointments and always looked glamorous,” recalls Jenna. “Both our grandmother and our mother had a style that was pulled together and feminine, yet distinct,” adds Barbara. “That’s Southern style to me.”
Yet make no mistake: Jenna and Barbara may share a style icon as well as a birthday (and they live only blocks apart!) but when it comes to fashion, each boasts a look all her own. Jenna, who is a Correspondent for NBC News and co-author (with her mother, former First Lady Laura Bush) of the soon-to-be released children’s book Our Great Big Backyard, is drawn to bold prints and stripes. Barbara, on the other hand, goes for a streamlined look. “I love a good fashion uniform,” says the CEO & Co-Founder of Global Health Corp.
We were thrilled when the sisters invited us into Barbara’s impeccable Tribeca loft to show us how they’d style Draper James. Catch the pics right here.
Twin sisters Barbara Bush (left) and Jenna Bush Hager may look flawless, but don’t think for a minute that they have lots of time to primp. Barbara had just returned from a business trip to Africa the night before our photo shoot, while Jenna breezed in straight from Rockefeller Center, where she was filling in for Kathie Lee on Today.
“I love a crisp and classic look,” says Barbara, who paired our Elliot Shirt in Magnolia White with our Tootsie Jean in Sky Blue Wash. “I’m on the road so much for work that it’s nice to be able to put on something simple, yet know it looks pulled-together.” As for Jenna: “I love the color palette of the stripes on this tweed dress,” she says.
“Can you tell I adore a button-down?” says Barbara, who also wore our Newton Plaid Shirt with our White Crop Flare Denim. “The sequin flowers at the collar of the shirt are a cute twist, and I like the flattering shape of the white jeans.”
“Draper James definitely gets color and pattern right,” says Jenna, who liked our Linden Stripe Popover Top so much she wore it on Today earlier that week. “And white jeans are my spring and summer go-to.”
Barbara’s decorating style is as pared-down and elegant as her fashion sense. She collects many of her most beloved pieces on her travels: the wooden box by the window of her Tribeca loft is from Tanzania, while the painting on the right is by artist Andrea Rosenberg, who is based in Dallas.
Acting as chief stylist, Barbara’s beloved cat Eleanor casts her discerning eye on the clothes laid out for our shoot.
