Melania Trump's Worst-Dressed Moments From Her First Year Back In The White House

There's no denying that Melania Trump has undergone a stunning style transformation over the two decades that they've been married. However, while Melania has no doubt been a style icon in many ways – for good and for bad – it seems that her first year back in the White House as first lady has seen her fumble her fashion game more than a few times. There's no denying that Melania knows how to turn heads, especially in some of her more leggy looks, but she also has a penchant for unflattering colors, awkwardly bulky coats, and tacky patterns.

January 20, 2025, marked the beginning of Donald Trump's second term in office, and Melania's chance to enjoy the style spotlight for yet another year. However, throughout the first full year back in Washington, D.C., she's seemed to struggle with her look. She's often suffered hair fails on par with her husband, dealt with some seriously bad make-up mishaps, and taken some truly questionable sartorial swings as she did her best to work on her own projects and largely avoid being in the White House whenever possible.

Whether she was donning wide-brimmed hats that seemed to entirely shroud her face in sinister shadows or rocking frumpy, bulky coats when the situation called for literally anything else, 2025 saw the first lady in some seriously bad outfits. From inappropriate animal prints to burlap snafus to garishly glittering gowns, we're taking a look back at Melania's worst-dressed moments from her first year back as first lady.

There was no shortage of poorly dressed celebrities and politicians at Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2025. However, it felt like none of the baffling fashion choices became quite as infamous as Melania Trump's stern Adam Lippes ensemble, featuring a dark navy blue coat and skirt, with an undeniably militaristic vibe, with a wide-brimmed Eric Javits hat that cast a dark shadow over her eyes. The austere look felt more like a prescient, ominous warning of the days to come, and was a far cry from the bright and hopeful baby blue Ralph Lauren dress that she wore with a smile at Donald's first inauguration ceremony in January 2016.

In April 2025, the U.S. State Department hosted the annual International Women of Courage Award, and Melania Trump was tapped to present the prestigious honor, meant to recognize women of strength, leadership, bravery, and determination in the face of challenges and hardship across the globe. Melania bravely donned a weirdly out-of-place leopard-print Milly Park coat. The lavishly expensive jacket (which reportedly retails for over $11,000) felt like a tone-deaf choice for such an impactful event, and the thickness of the material made it look like she was wearing actual leopard pelt, giving her an unsettling Cruella de Vil vibe.

When it came time for Melania Trump to fly to Rome alongside Donald Trump in April 2025, the first lady's look raised eyebrows across social media. The first lady, who typically makes all public appearances with meticulously styled locks, looked disheveled and sloppy, with her frizzy hair distracting people from her bizarre choice of bland, beige trench coat that made her look like a not-so-subtle spy in a movie from the 1940s. She paired the unusually boring, bulky film noir-like coat with her unkempt hair and dark shades, giving her an all-around rushed appearance. Many felt that Melania's abnormally sloppy style said a great deal about her dissatisfaction with her life as first lady.

When it came time to travel to the U.K. and meet with the royal family on a state visit, Melania Trump decided to go for yet another wide-brimmed hat look. In an outfit that somehow seemed more sinister than her inauguration ensemble, Melania met with the British monarchs while wearing a black coat and an oversized purple hat that cast even longer shadows over her features. The desire to seemingly obscure her face only intensified conspiracy theories about Donald Trump employing a Melania lookalike, and her whole outfit contrasted awkwardly with the elegant and colorful ensembles worn by Queen Camilla and Catherine, Princess of Wales, during their day together.

It's no secret that Melania Trump hasn't spent a great deal of time at the White House during her husband's second term in office. She's mostly popped in for special occasions and then seemingly disappeared once more. When she finally resurfaced for a special Halloween event at the White House, people were surprised by her usual and unflattering choice of holiday coat. The bulky jacket looked like it was made out of a burlap potato sack, except for the bright orange detailing along the trim and pockets that stand out like high-visibility safety tape. Completing the awkward look was a huge, clunky buckled belt that made Melania look more like she was wearing luggage.

Sometimes, an outfit doesn't have to be offensively bad to still not work, and Melania Trump's stark, white, double-breasted winter coat is a perfect example. The first lady accompanied Donald Trump to the 103rd annual National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in December 2025, and celebrated the occasion in a shapeless white coat that she paired with particularly non-Christmasy black gloves. There was very little effort to incorporate any festive holiday cheer into the stark look, despite apparently being inspired by the blank, colorless freshness of newly fallen snow.