Since Donald Trump became POTUS in his first term, Melania Trump has been intensely scrutinized in the media, and amongst other things, her clothing has been a hot topic. The style of first ladies of the United States has always been a hot topic, and while many people believe Melania has always used her clothing to send a message to the media and public, others see her fashion background as the reason for many decisions. And then there are people who believe that her looks reflect her values as both an individual and first lady.
With bank account-busting looks and wild, risqué ensembles, here are all the outfits that pushed the envelope and went into inappropriate territory.
1. An outfit that offended all of Saudi Arabia
When traveling abroad, it’s common for first ladies to tweak their styles, and while she generally adheres to the requirements of the culture she’s visiting, when she visited the American International School in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, all hell broke loose. While Melania was expected to wear a loose black robe known as an abaya and wear a veil (like she did to the Vatican), she wore a V-cut shirtdress with a mid-length skirt, which didn’t meet the conservative bare minimum.
2. A shockingly expensive jacket
When Melania arrived at the G7 Summit in 2017, taking place in Sicily, she wore a Dolce & Gabbana floral jacket with embroidered detailing, and while the jacket’s appearance didn’t garner criticism, its price did. The jacket was a staggering $51,500 and required a $25,750 deposit. Finished off with a $1,630 purse, her entire look cost just a bit more than the annual salary of the average high school teacher in the US.
3. Her outfit in Africa was in poor taste
One of her most controversial outfits was when she traveled around Africa to countries of Egypt, Kenya, Ghana, and Malawi, alongside the United States Agency for International Development. Her colonial-inspired outfit à la “Out of Africa”, comprised of a cream suit, black tie, fedora, and button-up, caught negative attention during the trip. She also wore a white pith helmet on safari, which had historical implications; the helmet was popularized out of racist rhetoric.
4. The “I Don’t Care” jacket
In 2018, Melania’s jacket, worn to visit people in Texas impacted by Trump’s family separation policy, had a message written across the back: “I really don’t care. Do U?” The look received so much backlash that Melania’s spokesperson Stephanie Grisham had to publicly state that there was “no hidden message” and called out the media to redirect their time and energy…still, many people had their doubts, and understandably so.
5. A gardening button-down that costs over a grand
The Trumps kept the White House vegetable garden going, but in a photograph of Melania gardening in 2017, when she hosted a group of kids for a harvesting event, she was spotted wearing a $1,000 Balmain plaid shirt, which she paired with never-worn-before Converse. The internet was quick to roast Melania’s tone-deaf, out-of-touch outfit with one Twitter user’s comment, When your H-1B visa application says your special skill is ‘rich men gardening’ but you hate dirt.”
6. Wearing stilettos and a $4,000 Valentino skirt at a tree-planting ceremony
What is it with Melania and her inability to wear appropriate outfits when being one with nature at White House gardening events? This time, she wore a $4,000 Valentino skirt with four-inch Louboutin stilettos ($745) while holding a gold-tipped ceremonial shovel. Of course, a special shovel was provided for her to accommodate her unique footwear choice.
7. A dictator-inspired look
Many compare Melania and Donald Trump to the fascist dictators of the past, so it may not have been the best choice for Melania to wear a dictator cosplay look to the 2020 Republican National Convention. With a green military jacket and a matching pencil skirt from Alexander McQueen, the price tag was exorbitant, but that wasn’t the issue. It was the choice to wear a problematic dictator military outfit while at a podium surrounded by an American flag.
8. Leggings that made her look naked
Leggings are a divisive fashion choice, and many women have an embarrassing legging story. Melania’s legging mistake was wearing leather leggings that looked so close to her skin color that it looked like she wasn’t wearing any pants. At first, it looks like she’s wearing a green minidress, but the tan leather leggings make many people do a double-take. This optical illusion stunned many people worldwide.
9. A jacket that showed off a disconnect
Melania’s White House portrait sparked controversy by flaunting her $3 million 25-carat diamond wedding ring. She was criticized for wearing the ring, which had such an insane price tag that it could fund the many social programs her husband planned to cut in the proposed federal budget. If Michelle Obama faced criticism for going sleeveless in her portrait, it’s no surprise that Melania received backlash as well.
10. Heels to Hurricane Harvey
We all know by now that Melania loves her pricey pumps, but wearing towering, super-skinny heels in Hurricane Harvey’s disaster zone, which had received 30 inches of rain, wasn’t the best idea. It blew everyone’s mind that she chose to wear an otherwise sensible look with pants and a khaki windbreaker but forgot to put on sturdy boots.
