The Trump Family's Worst Met Gala Looks
Donald Trump may be forever banned from the Met Gala, but that doesn't mean that the former president hasn't been a guest at the high-profile fashion event in the past. For the uninitiated, the Met Gala is one of the biggest nights in both fashion and Hollywood. Every year, the world's brightest stars show up dressed to the nines while also honoring the evening's theme, which often borders on the wacky and wild. Over the years, the Trump family has attended quite a few Met Galas, but more often than not, their looks completely missed the mark.
Thanks to the decision of Anna Wintour, Vogue's editor-in-chief and the head of the Met Gala since 1999, we won't be catching Donald at the Met Gala anytime soon. When he did grace the event, the controversial politician seemed to think that every year's theme was the same: A black tuxedo. As for his wife, Melania Trump, and his daughter, Ivanka Trump, they had their fair share of questionable ensembles over the years too. They may not have been the worst-dressed stars in Met Gala history, but that doesn't mean that the Trump family got it right, well, ever.
Donald and Melania's gloomy engagement ensembles
Did you know that Donald Trump proposed to Melania Trump at the Met Gala? Did you know that this is what they were wearing when it happened? In 2004, the theme was "Dangerous Liaisons: Fashion and Furniture in the 18th Century." Donald took this opportunity to lock things down with his future first lady. On fashion's biggest night of the year, he presented Melania with an accessory that she would never forget: A 15-carat engagement ring worth a whopping $1.5 million. Unfortunately, the sparkly new addition did not save their shockingly drab looks.
Melania wore a black gown with intricate cutouts around the midriff. We usually see the former model with light, dimensional hair color. For the Met Gala, however, her hair was jet black, and paired with her black gown, it overwhelmed the star. Her heavy, glitzy jewelry also felt over the top — not including her new engagement ring, of course. Melania's freshly minted fiancé sported a look that would become a theme for his Met Gala appearances: A plain black tuxedo. And yet, Donald's tux was ill-fitting with pants that looked both too high and too baggy.
Ivanka Trump's crow costume
We've gotta hand it to Ivanka Trump, her Met Gala looks over the years have mostly been successful — at least, compared to the rest of her family anyway. Unfortunately, the former first daughter's 2005 ensemble does not fall into this category. The theme of the year was "The House of Chanel," which gave attendees endless options, especially for someone who favors preppy looks and classic silhouettes like Ivanka. The businesswoman wore a black ruffled dress that on its own wouldn't have been too bad, albeit unadventurous.
However, the matching ruffled scarf just didn't work. It distracted from her gorgeous face and made the outfit seem too bird-like overall. This was enough of a flop on its own, but the shoes further cheapened the look, and her pin-straight bob clashed with the overall vibe. Would a statement shoe and a sleek, slicked-back ponytail have saved this fashion disaster? No, but they definitely would have helped.
Donald and Melania's bad James Bond cosplay
There's nothing necessarily wrong with Donald and Melania Trump's looks for the 2007 Met Gala even though there's certainly something about the former first lady's ensemble that feels quintessentially of that time. Still, they don't really scream "Met Gala," and this is one event where you want to make sure your look fits the vibe. The theme of the year was "Poiret: King of Fashion," paying homage to French designer Paul Poiret, who was responsible for creating many out-there, statement-making silhouettes. So, Melania's choice of a gold Roberto Cavalli fringe dress just felt a little blah for the night that was in it.
She added to the feeling with what looked like freshly flat-ironed hair and some shockingly basic gold peep-toe pumps. It would have been nice to see the former model taking a fashion risk in honor of an interesting theme, but in place of that, this is another case where the right styling would have made a massive difference. Donald Trump, on the other hand, did adhere to the theme and took a major fashion risk. Just kidding, he wore a plain black tuxedo again.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's failed attempts at punk
In 2013, the Met Gala's theme was "Punk: Chaos To Couture," and Ivanka Trump took the "chaos" part of this theme to heart. The mother of three, who was pregnant at the time, sported a two-tone gown by Juan Carlos Obando featuring a black top and belt, and a long, green skirt with a high slit. She made sure to honor the theme with plenty of chunky, spiky jewelry and streaks in her straight locks that added a pop of darkness and color. We can appreciate that Ivanka didn't shy away from the theme, but this look just didn't work.
First and foremost, it felt way too casual for the Met Gala, and while it was clear that the star was attempting to honor punk while still sticking to her own preppier style, it just didn't feel like the best representation of either. Although this Met Gala look was neither a successful punk outfit nor a successful Met Gala outfit, Ivanka did much better than her husband, Jared Kushner. He took a page from his father-in-law, Donald Trump's, book and wore a plain black tuxedo with a bowtie. What could possibly be less punk than a classic tux?
Donald and Melania's final Met Gala flop
The last Met Gala that Donald and Melania Trump attended was in 2012, and while most of us would want to go out with a bang, these two departed with a whimper. The theme was "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations." For fashionistas, this offered a world of options to experiment and show some stylistic flair. Melania opted for a Marc Bouwer dress with unique, pointed shoulders, a high neck, and a short, asymmetrical hemline. It isn't horrible, but the ensemble doesn't feel elevated enough for the Met Gala. And, as often seems to be the case with the former first lady, her hair and accessories don't fit either.
Melania's nude pumps and jewelry are incredibly boring, especially paired with an already overly simple ensemble, and her bangs feel too heavy. Surely you know what Donald chose to wear for his final Met Gala appearance: A classic black tuxedo. We get it, classic is classic for a reason (and at least this one fits better). Once again, though, it would have been nice to see the former "Apprentice" host pay homage to the theme. Instead, the couple's final Met Gala was dull.