The invitation from the Herters said “informal,” so Pat Nixon “bought a beautiful teal-blue cocktail dress for the occasion and my father wore his dark blue suit,” wrote Julie Nixon Eisenhower. “When they walked into the Herters’ home that night they were stunned to see that they were the only two guests not dressed in black tie and long, formal gowns.” In Washington society at that time, “informal” meant a tuxedo; “formal” meant white tie and tails.6
