Washington, March 1 (IANS): A majority of Democratic women in Congress wore white in honour of womens suffrage as President Donald Trump delivered his first address to a joint session of Congress.

The Democratic Women's Working Group wore white clothing, dubbed "suffragette white", on Tuesday in honour of women's rights movement in the early 1900s, which encouraged its supporters to dress in white as a representation of purity, CNN reported.

"We wear white to unite against any attempts by the Trump administration to roll back the incredible progress women have made in the last century, and we will continue to support the advancement of all women," Florida Democratic Rep. Lois Frankel, the chair of the working group, said in a statement.

"The members are wearing white to show support for Planned Parenthood, affordable healthcare, reproductive rights, equal pay, paid leave, affordable child care and 'lives free from fear and violence'," the statement said.

"Tonight, our Democratic #WomenWearWhite in support of women's rights -- in spite of a @POTUS who doesn't!" Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi tweeted. She wore a white jacket and purple shirt and called her outfit a "statement of values". 

Republican Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the chair of the House Republican Conference, responded to her Democratic colleagues' statement by calling for unity.

"You know, I think this is an important time for us to be coming together," she told CNN's Erin Burnett on "OutFront" when asked about the movement by the Democratic women.

Democrat Hillary Clinton also wore white pantsuits during her key campaign appearances and was dressed in all white at Trump's presidential inauguration.

There was also a #WearWhiteToVote movement on Election Day 2016 as a tribute to the suffragettes, who fought for women's right to vote.