Melania Trump's Boring 2025 Joint Address Outfit Came With A Big Price Tag

Much of the nation was abuzz during Congress' joint session on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, where President Donald Trump gave a speech on the country's political matters. Many of the attendees made a statement with their outfits, including representative Jill Tokuda of Hawaii, who wore a pink blazer with the words "We the People" written on its lapels. Nancy Pelosi and Maryland representative Steny Hoyer both accessorized with the colors of the Ukrainian flag in silent protest of the nation's ongoing war with Russia, while Florida representative Maxwell Frost wore a shirt that read, "No Kings Live Here."

And then, there was Melania Trump, who showed up to support her husband in a drab gray blazer with a scarf and matching skirt. The conservative look was in line with the FLOTUS' regular wear, but while it looked like she bought it from a business-casual store, the jacket is actually high-end. Melania's blazer is the Belted Jacket with Removable Scarf from Dior and retails for a whopping $5,500. "First Lady Melania's style tonight is quiet authority — polished, self-assured, and entirely in command of her presence," image coach Lauren A. Rothman told Business Insider the night of Donald's address. The former model's style has certainly changed from her earlier days of wearing more revealing outfits, with Melania Trump's style transformation leading her to a more refined — albeit quite boring — look.

The First Lady of the United States' fashion is always carefully scrutinized — after all, Melania Trump has worn some pretty inappropriate outfits. Perhaps that's why she's classed her style up a lot since entering the political sphere. In 2016, she wore a snow-white dress with sleeves that ballooned out for her speech at the Republican National Convention, which went for $2,190. Her look was likely carefully crafted, with "Veep" costume designer Kathleen Felix telling The Hollywood Reporter at the time, "She wears this white, seemingly angelic dress but it's very body conscious, with sleeves that are maybe a little fashion forward. She has a steely elegance, but it's also sort of sharp-edged, with the sky high pointy shoes, it has a severity to it."

It seems that Melania favors fitted dresses and jackets that show off her figure but are demure enough for her role as FLOTUS. This tendency to look ultra-put-together has only grown, with Melania wearing a lot of menswear during her second stint in the White House. We're seeing more blazers, less dresses, and more muted colors, including in her outfit at Congress' joint session this week. Her gray look from French fashion house Dior is also in line with another key Melania trend: She often leans toward expensive European designers like Givenchy and Dolce & Gabbana, unlike previous first ladies. However, that's not necessarily a bad thing, and Melania's former adviser, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, defended her fashion choices, telling The New York Times in 2017, "Mrs. Trump is a proud and longtime supporter of American fashion ... Mrs. Trump buys from an international mix of brands because that is what reflects her uniquely American life experience and style." 

When Michelle Obama was in the White House, designers were clamoring for her to wear their pieces. Unfortunately, this isn't the case for Melania Trump, and it seems that her husband's unpopularity has rubbed off on her. According to her stylist, Herve Pierre, he has to pull her items from stores instead of working with the designers directly. "I don't really do that for the good reason that the fashion industry is not very welcoming [of Trump.] That's no secret," he told Women's Wear Daily in 2024. He even recalled that one store in New York City told him not to shop there anymore, though he didn't name which one.

Back in 2017, Zac Posen was among the many designers who refused to work with Melania. "Right now, I'm staying away from bringing my brand into politics. There are issues that are being questioned that are fundamentally upsetting to me — deeply: LGBT rights, immigration, funding for the arts, Planned Parenthood, and women's rights," he shared with The Daily Beast. Marc Jacobs chimed in as well, telling Women's Wear Daily, "I have no interest whatsoever in dressing Melania Trump." He added, "Personally, I'd rather put my energy into helping out those who will be hurt by [Donald] Trump and his supporters." Perhaps this is why Melania Trump has been caught wearing so many outdated outfits.