Melania Trump has sought, over the course of the campaign, to elevate her style. The thigh-split dresses have been replaced by more demure shift dresses from Michael Kors. Low-cut necklines have been superseded by high-necked jumpsuits. She may have even taken tips from Ivanka Trump, who is so expert at dressing for the political occasion that she simultaneously managed to introduce her father as the Republican nominee for president in July and ensure that the pale pink, knee-length sheath number she was wearing from her own fashion line subsequently sold out at Macy’s and Nordstrom. Shop Ivanka’s look from her #RNC speech, read the tweet, with a link to her dress.
Melania Trump wears clothes her way, and according to her own agenda. Why else would she don a white silk Ralph Lauren jumpsuit for her husband’s victory speech: a clear reference to the white Ralph Lauren pant suits Hillary wore at critical moments in her campaign, for the Democratic National Convention in July, and at the third presidential debate, and which spawned a hashtag wearwhitetovote? Of course, white is a familiar choice for Melania. She has always favoured the kinds of pale pastels, whites and creams that indicate there’s a limousine round every corner, and a dry-cleaning bill comprising figures to rival the GDP of a small European country Slovenia, for instance where Melania was born. But choosing to wear a designer, a colour and a style so closely aligned to the image of her husband’s rival cannot be coincidence.
That’s not to say she’s curbed the sexiness altogether. A former model, Melania ploughs the trophy wife furrow with more attention to detail than most. Witness the closely fitted, white Roksanda Margot dress she wore in July, with salon-fresh hair and sky-high nude courts presumably to offset the fact of its being from Net-A-Porter’s bridal range). Or the Emilia Wickstead pink crepe top and white high-waisted skirt she chose to deliver a speech in Pennsylvania on the campaign trail, which enhanced her pin-up proportions.
Mrs. Melania Trump knows that her image must square with the affluence people have come to expect from her husband. Ergo, her accessories are an expert exercise in ticking the boxes of prosperity. There’s the Hermès Birkin and Chanel quilted handbags (in those hyper-feminine blush and cream colours), the car-to-carpet Louboutins, the emerald-cut Graff wedding ring, all topped off with freshly blow-dried hair, Colgate white teeth and the dewy, age-defying complexion.
And while this high-maintenance image will prevail when Melania enters the White House, it will be interesting to see whether she seeks to temper it with more affordable brands, as Michelle did (she paid “homage” to her predecessor in a much-derided speech, after all). Obama worked this strategy to impressive effect, careful to mix lower-priced brands such as J Crew into her FLOTUS wardrobe. Melania will presumably stick to the labels she loves and purchases for herself from Net-A-Porter – Dolce & Gabbana, Roksanda, Balmain, Michael Kors – but she may well fall for a Self Portrait dress, or even debut styles from Ivanka’s affordably-priced eponymous range. She would be wise to favour predominantly American designers, and to respect the sartorial codes set out by the Duchess of Cambridge and Obama, who both are careful to convey deference with their clothes, wearing Italian designers when visiting Italy, for instance.
Melania understands the calculated effect her wardrobe plays, make no mistake. I must admit I choked when she wore the fuchsia Gucci pussybow blouse in the aftermath of the tape scandal which threatened to derail her husband Donald Trump’s campaign. Was it an attempt at humour? Maybe, but then again, maybe she just likes fuchsia. Whatever the conclusion, Melanie will be bold in her fashion choices. In 2000, she told the NY Times she would be “very traditional like Betty Ford or Jackie Kennedy” should her husband ever become president. This is going to be interesting.