Donald Trump’s terrifying first acts as President may have left his critics reeling, but his wife Melania made a political statement of her own – all through her outfit.
The First Lady’s monochrome outfit swiftly became one of the biggest talking points of the day as Trump was sworn in as the 47th President of the USA. Melania’s hat – a wide-brimmed navy blue boater with a simple white band – was the most stand-out piece of her whole look, leading to frenzied speculation about the striking outfit choice.
The headpiece, by American designer Eric Javits, marked the first time since Hillary Clinton in 1993 that an inauguration day-hat had been worn by a First Lady. It was also a firm move away from her favourite designer labels, including Dior and Dolce and Gabanna, plumping for patriotism with a US-made outfit.
Fashion commentators noted how Melania’s bold decision looked to pay homage to First Ladies from the past, including Jacqueline Kennedy, with a nod to the ceremonial dressing favoured by British royal women too. The hat’s brim meant Melania‘s eyes could hardly be seen, perfect for a woman known for favouring sunglasses in the spotlight.
Another theory circulating on TikTok was that The First Lady used her hat’s wide brim to block an incoming kiss from her 78-year-old husband, forcing the President to give her an awkward air kiss instead. Was it really a ploy to prevent his lips touching her cheek?
While the 54-year-old likes to maintain a certain degree of elusivity and privacy through the coverage, her bold accessory also made her the most noticed of the Trump women at the inauguration, the Daily Mail reports.
From his daughter Ivanka to daughter-in-law Lara and granddaughter Kai, the President had many female members of his immediate, sizeable family tree at the historic event and Melania’s hand-crafted creation helped her stand apart from the rest.
The angular shape and dark tones of her outfit, with a navy silk wool coat and pencil skirt by American designer Adam Lippes and spiked heels, gave a masculine, military edge which contrasted to the softer tones of the other women, experts say.
Ivanka, 43, plumped for an emerald green skirt suit with a matching hat that was compared to Princess Kate’s understated, elegant outfits. Usha Vance, wife of new Vice President JD Vance, wore pastel pink Oscar de la Renta.
But Melania’s hat nearly didn’t arrive for the big day – designer Eric revealed to WWD how after it was shipped from Miami to New York, it arrived looking like “it had been sitting in snow drifts for about a week”. “It couldn’t really be repaired, because of the construction of it,” he said.
Luckily, after Eric scrambled to remake the stunning headpiece, the First Lady’s stylist Hervé Pierre delivered it in person to avoid another mishap. “No other hands touched it, nor did any other eyes see the hat prior to Hervé and the First Lady receiving it,” said the designer.
Designer Javits, whose dresses fetch up to £7,500, said Melania’ hat had been hand-stitched in New York “by some of America’s finest craftsmen.” He told ABC News: “I think she was thinking of protocol and looking very elegant and very simple in a way… it still was a very powerful visual message.”
Back in 2017, on the first occasion Donald Trump was sworn into office, Melania chose a much softer Ralph Lauren suit in powder blue, that the New York Times‘ chief fashion critic Vanessa Friedman compared to famous First Lady Jackie Kennedy. This time around, she said: “The inauguration is really just a moment of theater, where everybody is watching. So each decision has an impact and contributes to the kind of storytelling of the day.”
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