6 Melania Trump Outfits That Were Completely Inappropriate
It's no secret that the entire Trump clan is made up of divisive figures, and everyone seems to have an opinion. Call it a risk of living in the public eye, but even the family's personal choices set off firestorms on social media. Just look at Melania Trump, who has repeatedly inspired hubbubs with her garment choices. As a former model and verifiable fashion enthusiast, Melania has served a lot of elegant and covetable haute-couture looks that people on both sides of the aisle can appreciate. However, she's also made some pretty catastrophic and even offensive fashion mistakes.
To be fair, Melania Trump isn't responsible for all the controversial outfits worn by presidential family members, but the former first lady has certainly left her mark in this veritable Hall of Shame. From selecting inappropriate funeral attire to wearing impractical fashions in disaster zones, she has sadly built a legacy of side-eye-worthy 'fits.
Melania Trump's graphic parka sent the wrong message
One of Melania Trump's most memorable sartorial controversies surrounds her jacket during a 2018 visit to families separated at the United States-Mexico border. The parka's back was emblazoned with the words "I really don't care. Do u?" Various theories developed around the message, from a border policy critique to a stunt to overshadow step-daughter Ivanka Trump, but critics were unforgiving about the tone-deaf look, suggesting it indicated a lack of sympathy. As one user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, "Poor judgment, poor timing, and petty behavior unbecoming a first lady."
Her post-disaster couture was ill-received
Melania Trump struck a sour note in 2017 when she and then-President Donald Trump visited the Texas communities devastated by Hurricane Harvey. During the tour, Melania wore stiletto pumps not once but twice. Chic? Sure. Crisis appropriate? Critics didn't think so. "She does know she's going to a natural disaster, right?" asked one X user. Another X user joked, "Melania is wearing her stilts to prepare for the water." In Melania's defense, she changed into more sensible shoes in transit, but she would have avoided some ire by dressing appropriately from the start.
Melania repped colonial oppression on a visit to Africa
Old-timey pith helmets look like costume pieces for adventurous jungle explorers, which might have been what Melania Trump was channeling when she wore a white pith helmet as part of her safari outfit during a 2018 visit to Kenya. Unfortunately, pith helmets also have another connotation: These hard hats were standard issue among colonizing forces from Europe, earning them an unpleasant whiff of imperialism. Needless to say, Melania's unfortunate hat choice didn't sit well with onlookers. As one X user remarked, the style choice reflected Trump's "outdated understanding of Africa."
Melania Trump drew negative attention at a state funeral
Melania Trump once again turned heads for the wrong reasons during the November 2023 funeral of former First Lady Rosalynn Carter. While most attendees arrived dressed in black, which is the most standard respectful funeral attire, Melania stood out in a light-gray overcoat. The misstep sparked immediate criticism from observers, who thought Trump should have known better. As one Reddit user commented, "Every single picture I've ever seen of her looks like she's an alien on her very first day on Earth pretending to be a human."
She got flak for a wedding guest look
At weddings, there's one sacred fashion rule: If you're not the bride, don't wear anything close to white. Really, you shouldn't even wear light pastels to a wedding. But Melania Trump clearly doesn't adhere to this rule. In November 2022, she attended stepdaughter Tiffany Trump's wedding in a cream-colored dress that set off alarm bells. While onlookers debated the gown's actual color — Ivory? Cream? Blush? — many agreed it was a poor choice for the occasion. One X user even accused Melania of going "full evil stepmother" at the event.
Melania Trump's gardening gear seemed out of touch
Melania Trump has long struggled with optics, but a 2017 day spent gardening with children from the Boys and Girls Club seemed like a surefire win. She even appeared to dress sensibly for the occasion, arriving in dark jeans, Converse sneakers, and a simple plaid shirt. Unfortunately, the internet had the receipts for that "simple" shirt — a Balmain top originally retailing for more than $1,000. Publicity stills from the event quickly turned into memes as people mocked Melania's inauthentic attire. "I love the outdoors," one X user sarcastically captioned the shot.