By Mummy Grace Melania Trump’s fashion as First Lady has always sparked conversation, with some outfits earning praise for their elegance and others facing criticism for being tone-deaf. When she returned to the White House after President Trump’s second inauguration in 2025, she made a bold shift in her style, opting for navy and white instead of the pastel shades she wore for her first inauguration. Designed by Adam Lippes, her coat was paired with a white scarf, navy pumps, and a custom wool boater hat from Eric Javits. While some criticized the hat, comparing it to characters like the Hamburglar or the figure from *V For Vendetta*, the overall look set a serious, professional tone, signaling her evolved role as First Lady in her second term. Despite drawing attention to herself rather than to her husband, Melania managed to seamlessly combine both fashion and function, a hallmark of her style throughout her tenure.
Throughout her time in the public eye, Melania has had her fair share of both celebrated and controversial moments. Her choice of a Ralph Lauren Collection knee-length powder-blue dress for Trump’s inauguration in 2017 quickly became iconic. The look, with its coordinating gloves and pearls, evoked the style of Jacqueline Kennedy and made a graceful statement for the occasion. Another standout was her custom Herv Pierre off-the-shoulder dress for the inaugural ball that year, which paired high-fashion details with a nod to her modeling background.
However, not all of her fashion choices have been well-received. A particularly memorable misstep occurred in June 2018, when she wore a green Zara jacket reading “I really don’t care, do u?” during a visit to a Texas immigration facility. The jacket’s tone was widely criticized as insensitive, especially in the context of her husband’s controversial immigration policies. Melania later explained it as a message to the media, but it sparked a significant backlash.
Her style has also had its lighter moments, such as during the Trumps’ 2018 trip to Japan, where she wore an off-the-shoulder Carolina Herrera dress to meet Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife. The black-and-white stripes of her dress were an unexpected yet charming choice, aligning with the couple’s usual coordinated looks. In the UK, she appeared at a state dinner in a luxurious Dior gown paired with elbow-length gloves, perfectly fitting the royal occasion. Yet, she was also known for mixing it up, like when she wore a grey pinstripe suit for the 2017 White House visit from Justin and Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, which was a fun deviation from the expected.
While some of Melania’s looks have been hits, others have drawn sharp criticism. For instance, her neon green Valentino cape dress at the 2020 Republican National Convention raised eyebrows due to its jarring color choice, which some felt distracted from her husband’s moment in the spotlight. And, in 2020, when overseeing the delivery of the White House Christmas tree, she wore a gingham coat from Balenciaga that was widely considered chic and effortlessly stylish, showcasing her ability to balance fashion with practicality.
Melania’s final outfit as First Lady in January 2021 also captured attention, as she wore an all-black ensemble that included a Dolce & Gabbana dress and a cropped Chanel coat. It was a somber yet striking choice, subtly echoing Jackie Kennedy’s style, a figure she’s often compared to throughout her public life. In keeping with her tradition of making fashion statements, she switched into a more casual beachy look after leaving the White House.
As she began her second term as First Lady in 2025, Melania’s fashion choices seemed more calculated and deliberate. Her navy and white ensemble for the inauguration and her custom Herv Pierre dress for the inaugural balls reinforced a sophisticated and modern look, continuing the theme of bold yet elegant fashion that had defined her first term. From iconic moments to fashion flops, Melania Trump’s wardrobe has become an integral part of her public persona, one that continues to make waves in the fashion world.