Late Barbara Bush Was Crazy About Keds and in One of Her Last Interviews, She Explained Why

Barbara Bush, who loved wearing Keds, revealed in an interview before her death how her husband, President George H. W. Bush, gifted her dozens new Keds while they were in the White House.

In Bridget Moynahan‘s latest book, "Our Shoes, Our Selves," Barbara Bush was one of the forty striking ladies who share the stories associated with their most memorable pair of shoes.

Barbara Bush at Former President George H. W. Bush's office on March 29, 2012 in Houston, Texas | Photo: Getty Images

“All my life, every summer, I wore Keds. … Then, when we were in the White House, I was noticing that everyone was wearing big, clunky athletic shoes, and I said to George, ‘You know, you can’t find Keds anymore.’ So he called the President of Keds and then, for my birthday, he brought in a bag of thirty different-colored pairs of Keds, every color you’ve ever heard of, mostly pastels,” the former First Lady recalled.

Numerous individuals began gifting her new pairs of Keds after they took notice of her adoration for the shoes. At a certain point, she decided to gift a pack of Keds to the homeless when she already had so many.

The Bush family in front of their Kennebunkport, Maine August 24, 1986 | Photo: Getty Images

Barbara's granddaughters, Barbara Pierce Bush and Jenna Bush Hager also mentioned their late grandmother’s love for Keds in their 2017 memoir, "Sisters First." They wrote:

“Sixty-year-old Barbara Bush might not have worn two different-colored sneakers, but by age eighty, she loved to pair a pink shoe with a red one from her closetful of colorful Keds."

President George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush at the HBO Documentary special screening of '41' on June 12, 2012 in Kennebunkport, Maine | Photo: Getty Images

From 1989 to 1993, Barbara was the First Lady of the United States as the wife of George H. W. Bush, who served as the 41st President of the United States.

She died in her Houston home at the age of 92 on April 17, 2018, after suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and heart failure.

Barbara Bush and George H. W. Bush in August 1983 in Kennebunkport, ME | Photo: Getty Images

On her last day, Bush held Barbara's hand throughout the day and was there by her side until the time she drew her last breath.

After seven months, the former president died in November 2018 at his home in Houston, Texas.

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