Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager, glamorous "It Girl" twin daughters of former President
George W. Bush were born one minute apart in 1981. They share not only a birthday but
also a modern and refined look, cultivated over many years spent navigating a blinding
political spotlight. Frequently described as the life of the party and decidedly not
Republican, these ladies boldly carved out their own career paths and lifestyles. Let's
look at the stunning transformation of the Bush sisters.
First grandkids
At just seven years old, the Bush sisters looked on as their grandfather, George H.
W. Bush, was sworn in as the 41st President of the United States. At the Women in the
World summit, Barbara admitted that she didn't understand the situation at the time.
"When we were little, when my grandfather was President, I thought everyone's grandfather
was President.”
Jenna added,
"That speaks to how normal our grandparents were. They babysat us the night before one
of his huge debates, and Barbara lost her stuffed animal...
...my grandpa, instead of prepping for the debate, went on a search with flashlights
because she wouldn't fall asleep."
Kids in America
In their late teens, the stress of their father's presidential campaign and the social pressure
of college life were starting wear on the girls. On May 29, 2001, the 19-year-old undergrads
swung the tabloid door wide open on their college antics and underage drinking when,
according to People, "each was hit with a Class C misdemeanor — Jenna for trying to
pass off a friend's driver's license as her own, Barbara for having a margarita in a state
where the drinking age is 21."
Ironically, the strict "zero tolerance" alcohol policy was signed into law three years earlier
by — who else — their dad, the former governor of Texas.
Jenna also confessed to People that she's very, very glad that social media didn't really
exist at the time, because things could have been a lot worse.
Take two
Their father's inauguration on January 20, 2005 marked not only Bush's second term, but
a stylish 180-degree transformation for the twins, who graduated from college and were
working the campaign trail. Before, they'd been involuntarily thrust into the spotlight
as children, but now, they were now choosing to participate as adults.
"Hey y’all, Barbara and I got so much fun being out on the campaign trail, and meeting
so many great people. And as you’ll see in this video, our dad has had a lot of fun
too.”
The girls later reflected on the striking difference four years can make. Jenna recalled,
"When our dad was running we were seniors in high school, [...] we said, 'We don't want
to campaign.' We also said, 'You're not going to win' and stuff like that, and so we didn't
really do much during the campaign. But then [with his second run for office] ...we realized
that our dad had given us everything. He made us feel like we could do whatever we wanted,
so how could we not help the man who had given us that gift?"
Three's a crowd
Jenna's longtime boyfriend Henry Chase Hager proposed to the younger Bush twin on August
15, 2007, and the couple wed on May 10, 2008 at the Bush family estate, Prairie Chapel
Ranch, aka "The Western White House," in Crawford, Texas. Jenna was stunning in an Oscar de la
Renta gown. Even with the strictest of privacy measures in effect, small-town Crawford celebrated
the wedding as if the bride and groom were royalty.
Jenna gave birth to her first daughter, Margaret Laura - who they call 'Mila,' in April of
2013. At her baby shower, and prior to finding out the sex of her child, she told People,
"I really love the relationship I have with my mother, so to have a daughter would be
special."
In August 2015, the Hagers' second daughter, Poppy Louise arrived.
Their careers
Ever since a 2003 trip to Africa with her father, Barbara's focus has remained on world
health and her organization Global Health Corps, which she cofounded and has served
as chief executive for since 2007. a New York Times article stated that Barbara...
"...has a reputation as the liberal in the family (like her grandmother, also a Barbara),
for she has spoken out in favor of gay rights, lives in New York City, and at Global Health
Corps has built ties to abortion rights groups like Planned Parenthood Global and Marie Stopes
International."
Jenna, meanwhile, had found success teaching in Baltimore and had authored two books. And
in 2009, she joined NBC's Today as a correspondent and contributor. She explained,
"It wasn't something I'd always dreamed to do, but I think one of the most important
things in life is to be open-minded and to be open-minded for change. I hope to focus
on what I'm passionate about ... - ...education, urban education, women and children's issues,
and literacy."
Jenna would also accept a position with Southern Living magazine as editor at large in 2012,
true to her southern roots.
The Bush legacy
So, what are these stylishly talented twins up to these days? Jenna gets up early: as
a mother of two, she's also splitting time between speaking engagements, interviews,
on-air TV spots, and co-authoring children's books with her mom. She told Today,
"I lay out my clothes in advance, a time-saving trick I learned from my mom in seventh grade.
Again, there seems to be a major nerd theme here."
Barbara, in turn, has also established herself as a philanthropist, businesswoman, fashion
maven, and lifestyle guru.
Oozing modern style and regularly slipping into designer clothes, the Bush sisters prove
that a lifestyle and wardrobe transformation can go hand in hand. Jenna Bush summed up
the twins' special connection with each other in Vanity Fair, saying, "I've never known
the world without her in it, minus one minute. Or without her next to me."
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