Karoline Leavitt Takes Cues From Melania Trump With Inappropriate Outfit For UK State Dinner

Royal state dinners come with a list of dos and don'ts that's almost as long as the 164-foot-long banquet table in Windsor Castle. While some breaches of protocol might be easy to hide (like if you accidentally cut your dinner roll), showing up in the wrong kind of 'fit stands out. At the September 2025 state banquet, Melania Trump wore an outfit that was awful on multiple levels. The golden yellow dress stood out due to its unflattering color, and an oversized pink belt made things even worse, since it made her torso look truncated. However, the bigger problem was the lack of material on her shoulders. "For formal state dinners, ladies' shoulders should be covered, wearing long, floor-length dresses," etiquette expert William Hanson asserted to Marie Claire in 2022. Melania wasn't alone — Karoline Leavitt also made that same mistake when choosing her dinner dress.

Leavitt's missed the mark with plenty of outfits, and on this occasion she and Margo Martin, Donald Trump's Special Assistant and Communications Advisor, showed off their finery on Martin's Instagram story. The White House press secretary opted for a floor-length gown with a white bodice and satin black skirt. The dress had an asymmetrical neckline, leaving one shoulder completely bare. Since Leavitt's other arm was hidden by her colleague, it was unclear how much shoulder was exposed on the other side. Martin, on the other hand, complied with the dress code, opting for a silvery floor-length gown with short sleeves.

To be fair, the "no shoulders" rule for U.K. state dinners is a little murky. When one commenter raised this question on Instagram, it sparked a huge debate. While some agreed sleeves were essential, another person pointed out that Spain's Queen Letizia broke this supposed protocol in 2017. Photos of that particular state dinner show Letizia wearing a brilliant red gown, with a neckline similar to the yellow dress Melania Trump wore in September 2025. King Charles has certainly broken his share of rules over the years, so maybe its easier for fellow royals like Letizia to bend protocol.

In Melania's case, she also opted for a shoulders-free look during Donald Trump's 2019 state visit to the U.K. Sleeve rules aside, her white dress/opera gloves combo was a more elegant choice than 2025's polarizing yellow 'fit.

Luckily for Karoline Leavitt, her banquet gown was more reminiscent of Melania's 2019 look. Lately, Leavitt's been trying to copycat Melania's style, but she might want to avoid emulating any looks from the 2025 trip. Between her massive trench coat and her giant domed hat, Melania's U.K. wardrobe has attracted plenty of derision. Then again, Leavitt clearly could use some style inspo, since her suitcase contained a repeat of past sartorial mistakes. The day after the banquet, the press secretary opted for a pastel pink suit with large floral buttons. The very lacy jacket was overly decorative enough on its own, and clashed with the prominent buttons.