Their First Times: Chelsea Clinton

by CHRISTINE CHUNG · July 27, 2010

Everyone on the planet knows Chelsea Clinton's heading down the aisle soon. Her wedding (to that guy she's marrying) has been slated as the nuptial event of the year.Chelsea may be uber-big news now, but once upon a time, she was just your typical braces-clad and frizzy-haired pre-teen.

[Previous "Their First Times]

The NYT captures Chelsea Clinton, pre-celebrity wedding, pre-perfect, swishy hair, and pre-parents taking over the world. Back then Chelsea was the token White House Kid, before 'yes we can', and Sasha and Malia. In her very first mention back in 1992 (unbelievable now), she's immortalized as a gangly twelve-year-old, whose father just happened to be running for president. Called "shy and charming", she is described as happy being out of the spotlight. The irony amuses us...

It's no secret that Chelsea was, and still is, Daddy's little girl. Back in the day, Bill Clinton never missed a ballet recital, and even chaperoned his pint-sized daughter to school dances. Aw... Now Chelsea's wearing the pants, putting Bill on a diet (no cheeseburgers for you, Mr. Ex-President), and telling him he better loo good walking her down the aisle. Better yet, Hillary's telling Bill to stave off the emotional waterfall come Chelsea's big day.

Rumors are abound about Chelsea's highly-anticipated wedding, and the littlest details that trickle out are headline-worthy. Barack Obama's not going (was he even invited?), Blue Ribbon is catering, Chelsea's wearing Vera Wang, etc etc etc. All the hype about Bill's Chelsea's wedding threaten to occlude all that we know about Chelsea herself. According to the article, she was named after a Judy Collins' song titled 'Chelsea Morning'. Who knew Bill and Hill were sentimental hippies once?

(Wait, is that seriously Bill?)

Bill and Hillary were very protective of little Chelsea, and shielded her from the media.

"Chelsea herself is never quoted; her parents have not allowed her to give interviews."

Once over-shadowed by her famous parents, now the camera-shy girl has a serious spotlight of her own.

The article describes young Clinton as a "serious and studious" young girl, who loved to read, and played a "mean game of hearts" (what a card shark!). Little Chels even wanted to be an astronaut when she grew up. Now, thirty years old and all grown up, Chelsea's lived up to her parent's legacy. She went to Stanford for her undergraduate degree, then hopped across the pond for her masters degree at Oxford, and is now currently at Columbia studying health policy and management. She tried her hand in the finance world, once working for the consultant giant McKinsey & Company, and hedge fund Avenue Capital Group. Her other half, Mezvinsky works in business too, as an investment banker at glitzy Goldman Sachs. In her free time, Chelsea serves on the board of the American Ballet School and helps out in the Clinton Foundation. Basically, she puts all of us to shame.

Hyper-smart, well-spoken, chicly-dressed and hugely famous, Chelsea sounds like someone we'd like to be best friends forever with. And now, as the headline of the hottest ticket in town, everyone wants to know her. People are clamoring for one of those uber-exclusive, thick cream embossed invitations, because rejection essentially means banishment from the world of social importance. Here's to hoping!