Presidential Family Member Outfits That Caused Controversy

It's no secret that even the most put-together among us aren't immune to the occasional fashion mishap. In fact, the more in the public eye you are, the more any fashion slip-up is likely to be noticed, whether it be an accidental Marilyn Monroe skirt moment or a more blatant, avoidable fashion faux pas. And unfortunately, when you're held to a certain standard in the public eye, even the gentlest style misses can be the subject of ruthless controversy. 

The White House dress code has seen many iterations over the decades and tends to vary depending on the current administration. Because it has generally become more relaxed in modern administrations, you'll see some Presidential family members (especially First Ladies) wearing once unthinkable styles, like sporting pieces that allow them to show skin. Though a stricter dress code is still in place for some events at the White House, plenty of moments allow presidential family members more discretion in choosing their own outfits, leading to some, well, controversial fashion moments.

Rosalynn Carter's memorial service wasn't the first time Melania Trump has been accused of dressing inappropriately. On another occasion, Trump was spotted wearing a Zara jacket that said "I REALLY DON'T CARE, DO U?" on the back. As if donning that piece as a First Lady weren't enough, she wore it to none other than a detention center for migrant children back in 2018.

Listen, we're all about sustainability and re-wearing fashions nowadays, but repeating outfits used to be a serious fashion faux pas, especially for First Ladies. While this blue and gold gown was a stunning choice for Rosalynn Carter to wear to her husband's inaugural ball, for many, the tastefulness of the gown took a backseat to the fact that she'd already worn it to public events — twice.

Unfortunately, Ivanka Trump's inappropriate outfits have been numerous, and we're a bit sad that we have to add this gorgeous blue dress to the list. Though there's nothing blatantly inappropriate about the piece at first glance, Trump wore it to a banquet at Buckingham Palace — an undeniably black-tie affair. As a result, she received a lot of public criticism for wearing a dress deemed too "informal" for such an occasion. 

We bet you weren't expecting tax evasion to come up during a fashion discussion, but here we are. Nancy Reagan stunned in many gowns during her husband's presidency, some of which were "donated" to her by designers. According to the Ethics in Government Act, she was supposed to disclose the dresses as income to the IRS, which she didn't do (via The Washington Post). The result? A stint of alleged tax evasion that may have amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars during the presidential term.

Though we truly tend to love her fashion choices, we must admit that even Michelle Obama has had inappropriate fashion moments, and the above dress was one of the earliest subjects of her wardrobe controversies. Reporter Germaine Greer called it a "red butcher's apron." It's unclear why Obama chose the garment for election night of all nights, but many people doubtlessly hope it's since been relegated to the back of her closet.

The gown Barbara Bush wore to her husband's inaugural ball was indeed gorgeous on her. Modest? Check. Formal? Check. So why has this garment been the subject of controversy? The reason is actually straightforward: Her gown was all blue while her husband was leading the Republican party. Wearing the opposing team's color to your own celebration seems like an obvious no-no, but Barbara Bush chose to stun in blue nonetheless.

We get it — dressing in all black is super common to those of us living in the States, but as it turns out, black isn't always such a standard fashion color in other countries. Let Hillary Clinton's fashion faux pas be a lesson to all of us not to wear all-black outfits while visiting Japan. According to The Washington Post, black clothing can symbolize "mourning and misfortune" in Japan, which could have made Clinton's fashion choices confusing at best and an unintended snub at worst when she visited the country in 1996.

As it turns out, there's a reason First Ladies tend to order custom dresses for important events, and it's to avoid the glaring fashion embarrassment Laura Bush suffered in 2006 when she showed up to the Kennedy Center Honors in the same gown as three other women. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who loved the off-the-rack Oscar de La Renta number. Though she quickly changed outfits, the damage was done, and this is a fashion faux pas that will live forever in the public eye.