Nobody could fault Melania Trump for her inauguration outfit – except, perhaps, her husband.
Nobody could fault Melania Trump for her inauguration outfit – except, perhaps, her husband.
By Tamara Abraham
Updated January 21, 2025 — 2.11pmfirst published at 4.50am
Nobody could fault Melania Trump for her inauguration outfit – except, perhaps, her husband. When the president-elect leant in to kiss his wife before taking the Oath of Office, the wide brim of her Eric Javits boater hat meant that he couldn’t quite make it to her cheek.
Perhaps that’s the way she wanted it: fashion that enforces a little social distancing. It would fit with her frosty image.
The US first lady wore a custom navy tailored coat by US designer Adam Lippes, under which a crisp white shawl collar could be glimpsed at the neckline. Her navy boater-style hat by Eric Javits – another American label – featured a white band, and the look was completed by ultra-high navy suede Manolo Blahnik heels and a pair of black leather gloves.
Lippes is a label she has worn before, in 2020, for an engagement in Palm Beach, Florida, her first outing after porn star Stormy Daniels’ interview on 60 Minutes about an affair with Donald Trump. It is a solid choice – appropriately patriotic, given that Lippes is American and a specialist in the kind of elegance required for this kind of occasion. He cut his teeth at Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta before founding his first label, Adam, in 2004. He renamed it Adam Lippes in 2014, and has enjoyed a following for his timeless, luxury pieces ever since.
“The tradition of the presidential inauguration embodies the beauty of American democracy and today we had the honour to dress our first lady, Melania Trump,” Lippes said in a statement.
“Mrs Trump’s outfit was created by some of America’s finest craftsmen, and I take great pride in showing such work to the world.”
Melania’s outfit reflected the weather in Washington, a chilly -6C, which forced officials to stage the inauguration indoors for the first time since 1985.
It’s not unlike a look from 2019 during a state visit to the UK. For a visit to Buckingham Palace to meet the late Queen, she wore a white Dolce & Gabbana dress with a white boater-style hat, designed by her stylist Hervé Pierre, trimmed with a black ribbon. Her hair was styled in a low bun, creating a striking silhouette.
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Ivanka Trump was back in first daughter mode, wearing a dark green belted jacket with an exaggerated hourglass shape and a shawl collar, accessorised with a neat teardrop-shaped hat, a black Lady Dior bag, black leather heels and black leather gloves. Her daughter, Arabella, 13, looked grown-up in a head-to-toe beige look featuring a cape and trousers.
Usha Vance, the wife of new Vice President J.D. Vance, is also emerging as a fashionable figure. For the inauguration, she was firmly on trend in a pink coat with a scarf in the same fabric, completed by a narrow belt in the same tone, and taupe suede knee-high boots.
For a ceremonial event such as this, the British royal-style playbook is a reliable one from which to borrow. The royals are experienced in dressing for formal occasions in a tactful, timeless way and deliberate about how and when they imbue messages within them.
They often dress in block colours with sharp silhouettes; this makes them stand out for somebody in a crowd, glimpsing them from a distance. But could there also be an element of the Trumps fancying themselves as America’s answer to the royal family?
The Bidens both arrived in Ralph Lauren, with Jill Biden wearing an ultraviolet look. Earlier this month, the designer was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by the now-former president. Ralph Lauren was Melania’s label of choice for the inauguration in 2017.
Hillary Clinton went for a navy coat by Stella McCartney, and former vice president Kamala Harris kept things simple in a black wool coat with a grey silk printed scarf.
And then there were the Tech Bros in their optic white shirts, navy suits and burgundy ties. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and TikTok chief executive officer Shou Zi Chew looked so similar it was as though they’d co-ordinated via a group WhatsApp. Elon Musk too, bar his navy tie.
The Telegraph, London
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