11 Times Melania Trump's Outrageous Fashion Choices Caused A Stir
Melania Trump loves fashion. The former first lady began her career as a model, and though she has since retired from the profession, dressing up has remained part of her life, largely due to her husband's work in politics. "My style has stayed pretty consistent over the years. I always wear what I like and what is appropriate for the occasion," Trump told Elle in an interview before her husband was elected president. As Trump's time as first lady proved, her take on "appropriate" is up for debate.
While some people loved the fashion choices Trump made, others were not on board. Fans of Trump found her outfits to be classy and beautiful, while those in opposition were upset with the cost or found her choices to be unfit for the event at hand. No matter what Trump chose to wear while in the White House, she garnered both applause and criticism, making for a handful of busy news days in the fashion world. From designer duds that the average person can't afford to messages sent to the media through her wardrobe, here are 11 times Melania Trump's fashion choices caused a stir.
The time she donned gray at Rosalynn Carter's memorial service
Near the end of 2023, former first lady Rosalynn Carter died. As is custom, all the living women who've held or currently hold the position — Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, Melania Trump, and Jill Biden — attended Carter's memorial service. All the first ladies were dressed in black for the occasion, except for Trump. Rather than wear the typical mourning color, Trump attended Carter's memorial in a gray coat. Her outfit of choice sparked a spell of backlash. "Notice how this clueless clown stands out among the sea of black?" one X (formerly known as Twitter) user said on the platform, with many others echoing the sentiment.
That's not to say everyone on the social media outlet found Trump's sartorial move to be quite so egregious. Some X users even maintained that it's appropriate to wear gray to a funeral, and others pointed out that Carter herself wore brown and white instead of black to Richard Nixon's funeral.
An etiquette expert weighed in on the polarizing ensemble, too. As Diane Gottsman told Newsweek, "Her choice of outfit was conservative and respectful. People are looking watchfully to find something to criticize, even when the criticism is not warranted, which probably has more to do with other issues, rather than Melania's outfit."
When she wore heels to visit people impacted by a hurricane
In late August 2017, Hurricane Harvey made a devastating impact on southern Texas. As most presidents do in the wake of a natural disaster, then-President Donald Trump and then-first lady Melania Trump traveled to the Lone Star State to survey the damage and meet with locals affected by the storm. When Melania and her husband left the White House for the disaster site, her footwear of choice was a pair of stilettos. Many citizens found her choice impractical and out of touch, and some even suggested she was unaware of why and to where she was traveling. "She does know she's going to a natural disaster, right? Not sure 4 inch heels is the most appropriate footwear," one X user said.
By the time the Trumps landed in Texas, Melania had changed into a pair of sneakers. Still, the damage had already been done and enough of the electorate believed she was visiting a flooded area in heels. On top of all of that, the look she changed into also generated a great deal of criticism (don't worry, we'll get into it).
"It's sad that we have an active and ongoing natural disaster in Texas, and people are worried about her shoes," Lindsay Reynolds, Melania's then-communications director said of the backlash, as reported by Invariant's Kate Bennett on X.
When she wore a hat that hearkened back to her husband's campaign
Melania Trump might have thought that when she changed from heels into sneakers she would be done fielding criticism for the day, but that was not the case. When Air Force One touched down in Corpus Christi so Donald Trump and Melania could meet with citizens impacted by Hurricane Harvey, Melania had on sensible footwear, black pants, a white button-down blouse, and a black hat that featured white stitched letters reading FLOTUS. A number of people took to social media to express their negative feelings about that headgear. "Melania Trump is now thoughtfully wearing a hat saying FLOTUS so we know who she is," one X user wrote. "Maybe she should get an "I'm with stupid" t-shirt to go with it," another said.
Others turned the hat choice into a meme. "Surprised nobody else noticed the back of Melania's FLOTUS hat," one X user captioned a photo of a black hat with the words "My life is a living hell please help." Some even pointed out that the hat was reminiscent of the infamous red MAGA hat that Donald and his supporters began wearing after he announced his first presidential candidacy in 2015.
The day Melania Trump wore the infamous green jacket
Some of Melania Trump's most memorable fashion choices from her family's time in the White House have been made in Texas. In 2018, while on her way to visit a detainment center for immigrant children at the border, Trump was spotted wearing a green Zara jacket with the words "I don't really care, do u?" on the back. Trump did not wear the jacket to the detainment center, but given her destination and the gravity of the visit's implications at the time, many people found the fashion choice highly inappropriate. Others thought that Trump was sending a message.
"It's a jacket. There was no hidden message. After today's important visit to Texas, I hope the media isn't going to choose to focus on her wardrobe," Stephanie Grisham, Trump's then-spokesperson said of the garment, as reported by USA Today. The jacket remained a point of conversation for months, and in October of that same year, Trump was asked about it in an interview with ABC News. "It was for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me. I want to show them I don't care. You could criticize whatever you want to say. But it will not stop me to do what I feel is right," Trump said of her outerwear.
When she donned an incredibly expensive coat
It's no secret that the Trumps are wealthy people. Donald Trump reportedly boasts an estimated $2.6 billion net worth; meanwhile, Melania Trump has an estimated $50 million apart from her husband. With the money only one of them has, they can afford to buy just about anything they could want, and it seems that they do. In 2017, however, Melania might've taken her ability to buy whatever she wants to the extreme. While on a state visit to Italy for the G7 Summit, Melania walked through Sicily in a Dolce & Gabbana dress that cost $51,500.
At the time, onlookers were upset about Melania's choice of jacket because of its staggering price. In 2017, the median salary of an American woman was $41,977. Again, the Trump family has never tried to be relatable, but for some citizens, this costly garment was a bridge too far.
In 2021, the jacket reentered the conversation when Vice President Kamala Harris was criticized for shelling out $500 on kitchen accessories while in Paris. "Fox News in 2017, Melania Trump wore this $51,500 Dolce & Gabbana jacket to a visit with G7 leaders. Please don't talk to me about Kamala Harris spending $500 on cookware," one X user said in response to the news of Harris' purchase.
When Melania Trump wore a pith helmet to a safari
In 2018, Melania Trump took her first official international trip as first lady without her husband to tour Africa. On one of the last days of her trip, Trump went on a safari in Kenya. Her outfit did for the excursion did not go over well. "In Africa, Melania raises eyebrows with 'colonial' hat ... Trump still managed to create one of her own during a Kenyan safari on Friday, riding out into the grassland wearing a crisp white pith helmet — a common symbol of European colonial rule," one user explained on X. Trump paired the hat with a white button-down blouse, khaki pants, and brown riding boots.
As the writer noted in the tweet, pith helmets are seen as a symbol of colonialism. Trump wearing the helmet upset people across the globe who saw the accessory choice as a racist message. "That Pith helmet you have carried was used by colonialists during the dark days. Doesn't sit well with us Africans. Who advised you?" one user said on X. While Trump never commented publicly on the helmet she wore, it was during that same trip that Trump completed an interview in which she confirmed that controversial "I really don't care" jacket was indeed a message to the media. "I would prefer they would focus on what I do and on my initiatives than what I wear," Trump told ABC News of the media's commentary on her wardrobe.
When she wore white to the State of the Union
In 2018, Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union address. For the occasion, elected lawmakers from across the country and other state officials gather at the U.S. Capitol building, and it's tradition for the first lady to attend the State of the Union address, too. That year, a large group of female lawmakers wore all black to the State of the Union in support of the #MeToo movement. "Black has become the color of solidarity for women in the country right now to show this movement is real. Every person needs to feel safe at work, and we've got to look forward to how we do that and how we really change the climate," Rep. Debbie Dingell said to Glamour of their decision.
Melania Trump caused a stir when she arrived at the State of the Union wearing all white. Many people wondered if Melania's color choice was in protest against the #MeToo movement. She has never publicly commented on why she picked out an all-white ensemble, but she has stated her thoughts on the #MeToo movement. "I support the women — they need to be heard. We need to support them. And also men, not just women," Melania said to ABC News later that year.
When she wore black to the State of the Union
The year following her all-white moment at the State of the Union, Melania Trump had an all-black moment at the same event. Once again, Melania's choice drew criticism as it was in direct opposition to what other women in attendance wore. Instead of another blackout, female lawmakers wore all-white outfits to the 2019 State of the Union in honor of the suffragette movement. "It's about sending a positive message, that Democrats are fighting for the people, by promoting economic security for women and families," Rep. Lois Frankel told Glamour of their fashion statement.
While her stepdaughter Tiffany Trump was in all white, Melania showed up in a black Burberry outfit. Once again, many people took issue with Melania's outfit, even speculating about whether or not she was sending a message about the female lawmakers. Others wondered if her outfit was inspired by her stance on Brexit, given that she was wearing an English brand. According to Hervé Pierre, Melania's stylist, the outfit was not supposed to send a message, nor were any of her other outfits. "As long as I find the right outfit, the designer is almost irrelevant," Pierre said to WWD. "Afterward, social media will go on about Brexit or whatever ... On my side, believe me I don't think of it. Because I don't have time to do that."
The night Melania Trump wore a military jacket
For night two of the 2020 Republican National Convention, Melania Trump donned an army green Alexander McQueen jacket with a matching skirt. While some liked the ensemble, others found it to be quite off-putting, comparing her look to those worn previously by famous despots. "Last time Melania used a jacket to send a message, it was to show that the administration doesn't care about children in cages. Guess she's now signaling that she's an out and proud fascist," popular fashion and culture critic Diet Prada wrote on Instagram of Trump's look, referencing her infamous "I really don't care, do u?" jacket. The clip Diet Prada shared included a video of Trump walking in her outfit followed by photos of Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Fidel Castro, and more in similar attire.
What's more, many found the timing of Trump's outfit interesting. The 2020 RNC was held in August amid the COVID-19 pandemic and months into a nationwide call for police reform and racial justice following the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Some questioned whether Trump's outfit was hinting at her stance on proposed policies concerning either of those issues. "The invisible enemy COVID-19 swept across our beautiful country and impacted all of us. My deepest sympathy goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one, and my prayers are with those who are ill or suffering," Trump said in her speech that evening, as reported by the New York Post.
The time she wore a tuxedo in France
. @FLOTUS tonight in Paris wearing @Dior lady tux â€" as one does. pic.twitter.com/bqyB7IG6Kp
— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) November 11, 2018
During a 2018 visit to France, Melania Trump attended a dinner sporting a tuxedo made by Dior. While Melania was often criticized during her time in office for neglecting to wear American designers, the label had nothing to do with why people were in a tizzy about this particular look. As a number of critics noted, Melania's tuxedo look was awfully similar to what Donald Trump's former communications director Hope Hicks had worn in Japan a year prior. "She's trying for the Hope Hicks look," one X user wrote. "Despite a lovely figure,wealth,access to best stylists and designers,she misses the mark. Her choices are inappropriate to the context, costume-y, slightly trashy," another said.
Melania either didn't catch word of the commentary surrounding her tuxedo or she just didn't care. Two years later, for her final Christmas photo while at the White House, Melania wore another tuxedo, this time coordinating with Donald. "Merry Christmas from President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump," the photo caption reads.
The day Melania Trump gardened in Balmain
Much of the criticism Melania Trump received for the fashion choices she made while she was first lady was born from the price of the clothing she wore. During her time in the White House, Trump frequently sported pieces from Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Hermès, all of which are in price ranges far outside the average American's budget.
In 2017, Trump was spotted in the garden wearing a $1,380 Balmain flannel. "I question the morals and wisdom of someone who spends $1K+ on a gardening shirt that looks like something you can buy in Target for [less than] $20," one user said on X.
The price of the shirt wasn't the only reason the public questioned Trump's decision. "It's 82 degrees in DC today! I'm having a hot flash just looking at that shirt, balmain or not," another X user stated. As is such with all political discourse, some thought the feedback was unwarranted. "Not a Trump fan, but it's not the taxpayer's money. As long as she's living within her ginormous budget, she can wear what she wants," another said. Clearly, she's no stranger to wearing what she wants.