Melania Trump's Most Boring Outfits Yet

Melania Trump usually gets a lot of attention for her fashion. The first lady isn't afraid to push the envelope when it comes to wardrobe choices, for better or worse. During a 2025 state visit to the U.K., all eyes were on Melania Trump for all the wrong reasons. Her choice of hat — that infamous purple disk — was confounding to many. This is frequently the case for Melania as whatever she wears tends to spark a lot of debate. On the same visit, the first lady wore a yellow dress with a belt that sparked the "blue and gold dress" argument all over again. But it wasn't just the belt; Melania's yellow state dinner dress was so awful, we almost missed Donald Trump's ghastly makeup fail.

Typically, Melania Trump's wardrobe garners attention for her outrageous fashion choices. In other instances (or simultaneously), the first lady stirs the pot for the high price of her outfits. The common denominator is that it's usually some form of excess that makes Melania's clothes worth talking about. So it's slightly unusual for her to get roasted for boring outfits. The truth is, Melania has worn a long list of dull, uninspiring fashion pieces over the years that seem out of step with her bold style. Maybe she was having a bad day or simply trying to fly under the radar. Whatever the case, the first lady has stepped out in more than her fair share of monotonous outfits. 

Way back in 2003, after she met Donald Trump but before they got married, the then-Melania Knauss attended the Rosa Cha show in New York. She wore a white button down shirt tucked into a black, knee-length skirt with a high slit and black heels. The outfit was lackluster, particularly for a New York Fashion Week event. She looked more like the catering staff than a guest. Not only that, but her hair was much flatter than we're used to seeing it, showing us just how much Melania Trump's hair has transformed. Clearly, a lot has changed for her since the early aughts.

Melania Trump stepped out in September, 2009, for a fashion show at Bryant Park in New York City wearing a completely nondescript outfit. Melania wore a black, sleeveless sheath dress with a high neckline and a hem that cut off around her upper thigh. While the impulse when wearing a little black dress is typically to jazz things up with accessories, Melania did none of that. She kept things ultra-simple and carried only a plain, black clutch. There was nothing noteworthy about this look at all, except that her hair and makeup were quite pretty. 

On January 19, 2017, Melania and Donald Trump greeted crowds at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. It was the night before Trump's first inauguration, and the couple was there to attend the inaugural concert and celebration. For what was arguably a big moment of jubilation for her husband, Melania looked like she was in mourning. She wore a simple, black skirt suit with her jacket buttoned all the way up. She also wore black heels and black gloves. While she was all smiles that night, Melania's outfit told a different story; it was somber and dreary. 

For the Inaugural Ball on January 20, 2017, Melania Trump wore a cream, off-the-shoulder gown by Herve Pierre. While the gown was perfectly fine, it was far too plain for such a momentous occasion. Nearly every other woman at the event, from Trump's daughters to Mike Pence's wife, Karen Pence, wore something more formal. As the brand new first lady, Melania underwhelmed with her outfit choice. Melania admitted that she had been so busy with other details, she hadn't thought about her dress. "By the time I got around to thinking about my choice, poor Herve was only given two weeks this piece," she said, per ABC News. That timeline looks about right. 

When Hurricane Harvey hit southern Texas, Donald and Melania Trump left the White House to go see the damage. On August 29, 2017, they stepped out for their flight on Air Force One and Melania managed to shock and bore people at once. The scandal came from the fact that she was wearing "hurricane heels," black stilettos that were completely wrong for the occasion. In fact, the outfit would get counted as an inappropriate fashion choice Melania Trump will never live down. But besides the height of her heels, the outfit was pretty lifeless. 

Melania Trump isn't a wallflower when it comes to wardrobe choices. The first lady typically dons jewel tones, bright prints, capes, outrageous hats, and statement pieces. So it was surprising when the first lady went to Toronto in September, 2017, and wore the most boring outfit imaginable. Melania watched the Invictus Games with Prince Harry in a drab, houndstooth pantsuit. From the color to the silhouette, there was nothing noteworthy about this look.

Melania and Donald Trump visited the United Kingdom on a state visit in June, 2018. The first lady wore a cream coat by Celine fastened all the way up to her neck that lacked any form of excitement. The unembellished dress was marginally improved by her plain black belt and heels. While her hair looked fabulous, the outfit came off as very drab and conservative. She definitely wasn't matching the late Queen Elizabeth II's vibe of dressing in bright colors. Instead, it came off as if Melania was trying to stay out of the spotlight.

Melania and Donald Trump left the White House on May 27, 2020, hand in hand, to watch SpaceX's first manned launch into space in over a decade. It was arguably a big event, so where was Melania's dazzle? On this occasion, there was none to be had. Instead, Melania wore a blue and black sleeveless dress with a fitted top and an A-line skirt. While the outfit was uninteresting, Melania's polarized sunglasses didn't coordinate with the conservative cut and color of her dress, making the whole thing a miss. 

In perhaps one of the plainest moments we've ever seen for Melania Trump, the first lady wore a white sheath dress at the White House in September, 2020. She was hosting a roundtable discussion about Sickle Cell Disease in relation to her Be Best campaign, and how to prevent the disease in early childhood. We'll give her the benefit of the doubt and guess that she wore something so simple in an effort to keep the focus on the cause rather than her wardrobe, because when it came to attire, there wasn't much to look at.

It's hard to tell if Melania Trump enjoys joining Donald Trump on politically-affiliated errands. If color palettes speak for emotion, we'd guess not. On October 22, 2020, Melania and Donald left the White House to fly to Nashville, Tennessee, for the final debate against Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Melania, for her part, wasn't dressing to win. If she were, we'd expect to see her in a Republican shade of red. Instead, she wore a sleeveless black dress cinched with a black belt and polished it off with black heels. It was monochromatic dressing at its most unimaginative. 

Maybe Melania Trump didn't want to outshine the turkey, but at the Annual Pardoning of the Thanksgiving Turkey ceremony in November, 2020, Melania wore a snooze of a look. To be fair, the coat's origins were quite glamorous. She was wearing a houndstooth wool tweed coat by Dolce & Gabbana along with a pair of cream and black Manolo Blahniks. The fact that Melania was wearing several luxury brands makes her monotonous outfit that much more confounding, because there was nothing noteworthy about this outfit.

Melania Trump certainly didn't strut her stuff when she stepped out in New York City with Barron Trump in July, 2021. In fact, both mother and son didn't put a lot of imagination into their looks. Barron wore all black, while Melania tucked a black button down shirt into white slacks and completed the look with white flat pumps. At the very least, Barron was carrying an orange, Louis Vuitton limited edition bag, so at least someone brought a splash of color.

While members of the British royal family get roasted for wearing boring coat dresses on repeat, the American version of this unimaginative outerwear is Melania Trump in a beige trench coat buttoned up all the way. The first lady seems to love fastening oatmeal-colored outwear all the way up to her throat. A scarf certainly wouldn't hurt by adding a pop of color. But she nixed the change for any festive accessorizing at the World Series game between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves on October, 2021. It was all business, and a whole lot of buttons.

When Melania Trump walked out of the electoral precinct after voting in Palm Beach, Florida, in November, 2022, she looked the opposite of hopeful. Rather than wearing fun patterns, bright colors, or unique textures, Melania smiled at the public in an austere gray and black dress by Alexander McQueen. Considering she was wearing such a daring label, we'd expect to see Melania in something more unique. Instead, it was fairly nondescript.

In November, 2023, Melania Trump joined former first ladies at Rosalynn Carter's funeral in Atlanta. Donald Trump was invited, but didn't attend, so Melania was standing in for both of them. Wearing a belted A-line coat in gray by Dior, the drab outfit sparked a lot of outrage for sticking out amongst the black funeral attire worn by everyone else. People felt like the boring coat was inappropriate for mourning attire. 

It was black and white for Melania Trump when she cast her vote on November 5, 2024, in Palm Beach, Florida. She opted for a black jacquard shirt dress by Dior for the event, along with a pair of patent leather black heels and her signature black sunglasses. Melania had actually worn the dress a few months earlier, so this was a re-wear for her. Melania was making a clear statement with her outfits; should her husband get re-elected, Melania was going to be a classic first lady. Her traditional, uninteresting attire was an attempt at taking the focus off of herself.

There was a clear message to Melania Trump's sartorial choices during Donald Trump's second presidential run. Melania wanted to be taken seriously. On November 6, 2024, Donald and Melania addressed a crowd in West Palm Beach, Florida, at the Presidential Election rally. She wore a gray skirt suit by Dior, and while it was certainly a luxurious brand to sport, Melania looked subdued. There's another element to the conversation, too. First ladies are expected to uphold American designers, but Melania has consistently preferred European luxury houses, so not only was the look boring, it also didn't follow tradition. 

For Donald Trump's first inauguration, Melania Trump wore a robin's egg blue dress with her hair in a chic updo. For her husband's second inauguration, Melania did something completely different. She wore a dark navy coat by Adam Lippes with a simple white neck scarf and a wide-brimmed hat by Eric Javits featuring a single, white ribbon. The color scheme was austere, while the hat acted as a shield from the public eye. It was as if Melania agreed to attend the inauguration, so long as she was barely seen. 

Melania Trump left the White House on January 24, 2025, along with Donald Trump, as they headed to North Carolina and California. While the president was in a long coat, Melania wore an army green puffer jacket by Rag & Bone and a pair of black skinny jeans, along with a black beanie hat. Not only were the colors dark and dreary, but the outfit was oddly casual for Melania. In years prior, the first lady often departed the White House in stilettos and a snazzy look. Here, she looked withdrawn and off-duty.

When Donald Trump addressed a joint session of Congress at the Capitol on March 4, 2025, Melania Trump joined him as the supportive wife and first lady. Unfortunately, she continued her trend of gray for her husband's second presidential term. Melania wore a charcoal belted jacket with a scarf and skirt by Dior. She was all smiles, but the hue and simplicity of the outfit felt very underwhelming. 

We associate Easter with a range of pastels, from baby pink to lavender to daffodil yellow. Melania Trump bypassed these more festive palettes in favor of beige for the 2025 annual White House Egg Roll. Even Donald Trump wore bright colors, combining a blue suit with a cherry red tie. Melania looked boring next to him in her belted, buttoned trench coat by Mackage. It would have been nice to see her in something more seasonal and playful. 

If someone in the White House could confiscate all of Melania Trump's beige trench coats, that would be great. The first lady departed the White House on April 25, 2025, along with her husband, Donald Trump, as they left for Rome to attend Pope Francis' funeral. She snugly tied the Dolce & Gabbana trench coat closed, and carried her black, Hermès Birkin bag in her right hand. Melania didn't even wear heels. Instead, she went for a pair of black flats by Roger Vivier. Is Melania okay? This is not the range of dressing we're used to from her. 

Melania Trump famously said, "I wish people would focus on what I do, not what I wear" after she was criticized for wearing a pith helmet in Africa in October 2018. It seems as though Melania is deliberately taking the focus off of her clothing in Donald Trump's second term as president by wearing nothing but neutrals. In May, 2025, Melania and Donald Trump hosted a celebration for military mothers, and Melania chose a white blazer and black skirt. She obviously didn't want the conversation to be about her because her outfit gave us nothing to say.

How many gray skirt suits does Melania Trump own? In May, 2025, she and Donald Trump held hands on their way to the White House Rose Garden. Trump was signing the "Take It Down Act," a bill meant to protect children online. Melania clearly wanted to dress professionally, because she wore a gray, double-breasted skirt suit by Prada along with black heels. The tailoring of the suit was flattering, but the overall effect was forgettable. 

Melania and Donald Trump attended the opening of "Les Misérables" at the Kennedy Center in June, 2025. Trump wore a black tuxedo, while Melania wore a long, sleeveless black dress by Bottega Veneta. She did wear silver heels, but even that jolt of metallic lift wasn't enough to make her outfit interesting. The outfit as a whole lacked any kind of unique touch, and didn't offer any form of self-expression for the first lady.

Melania Trump kept things simple — or boring — for the U.S. army's 250th anniversary celebration parade on June 14, 2025. Opting for yet another skirt-blazer combo, Melania donned an ivory and navy pinstripe outfit. Instead of wearing a European designer, the first lady dressed in a getup designed by American Adam Lippes. Just as Donald Trump wore a suit, Melania also chose to suit up for the event. Unfortunately, the overall effect was boring, but it seemed that she was going for a look that kept her under the radar.

Melania Trump is clearly crafting her persona the second time around as a first lady as someone who loves power suits. For those who miss her more flamboyant style, this is bad news. In September, 2025, the first lady joined a White House Task Force on the topic of Artificial Intelligence Education, and arrived in a subtle, linen pinstripe pantsuit by Max Mara with a white shirt and a white belt. Could it be any more boring? We miss Melania the risk-taker, who was so willing to wear something colorful and bold. For now, we have to settle for the first lady's beige days.