Alice Roosevelt LongworthThe eldest daughter of the 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, was born February 12, 1884. Alice Roosevelt Longworth struck America with a force no one had ever seen before. Her unlikely antics and quick wit vaulted her into the national spotlight. Young Alice was viewed as the “first celebrity of the 20th century”, and made waves in social circles as a beautiful and outspoken figure who would drive around with men and smoke, while keeping a snake for a pet. Her father was once quoted stating, “Either I can run the country or tend to Alice but I can't possibly do both”. Her sleek style and fashionable outfits paved the way for many teenage girls regarding their clothing choices and attitudes. Living as a public figure at such a young age automatically required her to choose a way to be perceived. Would she be outspoken or withdrawn? Would she be fashionable or boring? Both of the answers to these questions require the latter, with her outspoken attitude and fashionable sense of style making her one of the most popular and influential first daughters of all time. Alice one said, “If you can’t say something good about someone sit right here by me.” This attitude greatly differed from that of the common woman of her time period. During this period women were expected to stay in the home and only worry about their looks and their family. Alice Roosevelt Longworth began to change the perception of females in America, and in doing so she became one of the most influential female figures of the early 1900’s.
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