Melania Trump's Outfit At Jimmy Carter's Funeral Was Hard To Ignore

On January 9, 2025, leaders from around the world gathered at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. to pay their respects to the late President Jimmy Carter, who died on December 29, 2024, at the age of 100. Notable appearances were made by former President Barack Obama, President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden, President-elect Donald Trump, and Melania Trump. During this somber occasion, many followed traditional funeral and memorial etiquette by dressing in dark colors. For example, Donald donned a black suit featuring the addition of a cobalt-blue tie, which was surprising but still felt respectful. However, while Melania's outfit was also eye-catching, hers seemed completely out of place at Carter's memorial service. She wore an appropriately colored black coat, yes, but her large, white collar painfully stood out thanks to its printed images of a couple kissing.

Melania's trenchcoat hails from Valentino's fall 2019 collection, when the label collaborated with the Japanese brand Undercover. The piece also features a belt, and altogether, the long silhouette reached the former model's ankles. The rest of Melania's look was uneventful, with her hair in a chignon and her makeup featuring a perfect daytime smoky eye. Still, the enormous flaps over her shoulders were a surprising choice for a memorial service, and some wondered if the FLOTUS-to-be was dropping a big hint with her outfit à la Taylor Swift.

Melania Trump's coat certainly created a lot of buzz due to its graphic details and larger-than-life collar, and people can't stop talking about it. One social media user believes that the mom of one purposely chose the Valentino trench to send a message to those around her at Jimmy Carter's funeral. "Melania's Coat Dress that she wore today is by designer, Valentino. Valentino used a print of the sculpture 'The Kiss' in this collection that she's wearing. The sculpture was originally conceived by a larger sculpture titled, 'The Gates of Hell.' How fitting to wear in a room full of traitors," they wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Not everyone read so deeply into Melania's coat, but they still made fun of its oversized collar. "[Why] does she look like a pilgrim and what's she so mad about?" an X user wondered, referring to Melania's seemingly unhappy demeanor. Another quipped, "What's with [Melania's] look? She looks like an Amish horse pulling a buggy!" Finally, one jokester replied, "Just living [The Handmaid's Tail]." Whether Melania was making a pointed statement with her collar or she simply chose the wrong attire for the memorial service, this wasn't the first time she's been criticized for making a fashion faux pas.

When you're the first lady of the United States, all eyes are on your fashion, and Melania Trump's choice of attire at the November 2023 funeral of Jimmy Carter's late wife, Rosalynn Carter, had tongues wagging. Among the mourners wearing black, Melania wore a light-gray coat that naturally stood out. "Waitress" actor Andy Ostroy thought the choice of color was highly disrespectful, writing in an X post, "She might as well have 'I really don't care, do you?' on the back of that coat..."

Ostroy was referring to a completely inappropriate outfit worn by Melania Trump in 2018, when the Slovenia native was seen wearing a Zara jacket with the words "I really don't care. Do u?" graffitied on the back. Seems harmless enough, but the problem was that she was on her way to a detention center in Texas that was holding migrant children. Melania later told ABC, "It's obvious I didn't wear the jacket for the children. I wore the jacket to go on the plane and off the plane." She added, "And it was for the people and for the left-wing media who are criticizing me and I want to show them that I don't care." If that were the case, perhaps Melania would have fared better by sending the message in a different way.