Melania Trump Looks That Were Surprisingly Outdated

Putting politics aside, let's talk about Melania Trump's wardrobe. She usually doesn't err when it comes to outfits. The first lady has made a name for herself as a stylish figure, a devotee of couture, and a lover of the finer things. Yet, even with a seemingly endless budget and the world's most sought-after clothing at her fingertips, Melania has worn a few looks that are inexplicably outdated. We're as surprised as anyone, because this is really her wheelhouse. From oversized belts to skinny jeans, Melania has fallen for trends that feel passé. Hey, it's consolation for us all who feel like we've missed the mark when it comes to outfits. 

It's not unusual for a first lady's wardrobe to attract attention. Jackie Kennedy made plenty of trends and designers popular, but she often got reprimanded for favoring European brands over American ones. Later, several of Michelle Obama's looks missed the mark. After her, Jill Biden wore some inappropriate outfits that drew plenty of criticism. So Melania is by no means alone when it comes to wardrobe missteps. Considering how frequently she's photographed, a few out-of-date choices means that she's taking risks and spreading a wide net when it comes to looks. For that, we've got to applaud her, just as we do for all the first ladies who bring a pop of color or a vibrant print to the White House. 

Melania Trump wasn't too shy to make a statement when she and Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia in May 2017. When she stepped off the plane for what would be her husband's first overseas trip as president, Melania wore an all-black jumpsuit by Stella McCartney along with a thick, gold necklace and an oversized gold python print belt by Saint Laurent. While the rest of the outfit was appropriate for the occasion and location, Melania's belt stood out like a sore thumb. Chunky belts are a relic from the '70s, which briefly saw a comeback in the early aughts. Melania choosing to wear the style in 2017 meant it quickly became the butt of many online jokes. To be fair, it was enormous on her slim frame, and viewers didn't know what to make of the large accessory. 

Making a jab at Donald Trump's controversial recording where he said of women, "Grab 'em by the p***y," a netizen tweeted, "Melania is promoting the latest Trump fashion: Chastity Belt in Dictator Gold, $99.99. Proven effective against pu**ygrabbers of any country." Another person compared her belt to a WWE Intercontinental Championship Title Belt, tweeting, "When did Melania win the Intercontinental strap?!?" Clearly, Melania's belt was just too big and too gold to go unnoticed ... or unscathed. Perhaps a smaller belt would have drawn less negative attention while still giving her jumpsuit the desired silhouette.

In February 2020, Melania and Donald Trump attended the NASCAR Cup Series in Daytona Beach, Florida. Like the glamorous woman she is, Melania chose to wear white So Kate stilettos by Christian Louboutin and a black and white polka dots dress by Dior. While all of this coordinated well enough, she also wore a white leather belt by Alaïa. Melania was about two decades too late when she wore the oversized eyelet belt. To make matters even more challenging, Melania wore polka dots, which can be a tough print to pull off, even without a statement belt.

From studying Melania's style over the years, any discerning observer knows that she loves wearing belts to cinch in a dress and accentuate her waist. A simple belt would've been easier to style and would have paid off by serving a sleeker silhouette. 

Melania and Donald Trump were photographed departing the White House on January 31, 2020. While they walked on the South Lawn, photographers caught Melania dressed in a wide poncho coat in a camel shade with navy stripes and gray sleeves. She styled her poncho over a black base, comprised of fitted pants and a turtleneck sweater. The combination of warm and cool tones in her outerwear — thanks to the mixing of beiges and grays — felt off. Both the color and cut remind us of something we would've bought at the mall in the mid-2000s, making it feel really outdated.

On top of that, the poncho also swallowed Melania's frame, engulfing her in an excess of fabric. It was an unusual choice for the first lady, as she tends to favor more fitted outerwear, rather than something that's shaped like a blanket. She would've pulled off a trench or quilted coat with ease. 

Melania Trump returned to the White House on January 5, 2020, alongside Donald and Barron Trump. The trio returned after dark, with Melania wearing a white and gray ensemble. While we love the white boots with the fitted, white dress, her long cardigan featured a thick, herringbone print. The cut of the cardigan was elegant, with a longer hemline than the dress, which created an elongated silhouette. But the print, along with its warm and cool tones, was all wrong for the first lady.

Patterns have quick seasons — except perhaps leopard print, which is a trend that will still be around 20 years from now — and herringbone gives off strong 2010 vibes. Back in the day, everything from skirts to curtains were bedecked in that print. Unfortunately, that repeating V pattern evokes that outdated time, and even Melania, in all of her style power, couldn't make it trendy again. Part of the problem was that the pattern was so chunky, with oversized shapes creating the print. A more subtle herringbone, like the thin weave commonly found in tweed jackets, has stood the test of time and would have been a better choice. The bold cream and beige herringbone print set on a gray backdrop was also too busy looking. While it certainly looks cozy, it's not in style. Nevertheless, the rest of the outfit is great. 

Oh, the infamous coat dress. It's a favorite of women in the spotlight, and was popularized by the late Princess Diana; the dress was thick enough to provide warmth outside, but thin enough that it could stand on its own as an outfit. For many royal women, there's a protocol that frowns upon them taking off their coats, lest they come across as too casual. Because of this, contemporary royals like Catherine, Princess of Wales, love a coat dress and keep it as a staple in their wardrobes. The tradition has caught on and other public figures, like Melania Trump, have also taken to wearing the coat dress for formal occasions. The problem is that coat dresses are boring and bland. They offer no interest or dimension to an outfit. 

In November 2019, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife Mrs. Emine Erdogan visited the White House, Melania opted for a pale blue coat dress. While the piece is certainly appropriate and somber, it looked stuffy and frumpy, as coat dresses so often do. The coat dress failed to showcase Melania's usual flare for style that we've grown accustomed to, and we missed seeing her try something more daring and colorful. Granted, she likely wanted to play the part of the ideal first lady and didn't want to make any mistakes. If anything, the coat dress is safe, which is one of the reasons it's such a tedious, dated piece of clothing. 

For their third Halloween in the White House, Donald and Melania Trump hosted trick-or-treaters in October 2019. Children in costumes arrived to collect candy from the president and first lady, in a backdrop of pumpkins and seasonal decorations. To keep things coordinated with autumn tones, Melania wore a patchwork leather trench coat by Michael Kors that featured patches of tans, raw sienna, copper, and burnt umber. She paired the jacket with a pair of black heels by Manolo Blahnik — Melania loves her high-end heels. 

While the tones of Melania's outfit were certainly seasonally appropriate, the long, hectic coat felt like a throwback to the 1970s, and not in a good way. There were too many busy patches of brown and caramel that the coat felt overwhelming rather than festive. Since she's so tall, the amount of fabric in the coat amplified its chaotic pattern, giving viewers too much of a bad thing. While the coat was a miss, Melania does get bonus points for her enthusiastic reactions to the many creative costumes that came her way that day. She seemed to be having a good time, and a big smile goes a long way. 

In September 2019, Melania and Donald Trump welcomed Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his wife, Jenny Morrison, to the White House for a state dinner. For the occasion, Melania wore an aqua-toned gown by J. Mendel, designed by Gilles Mendel. The floor-length dress featured sheer sleeves and curled folds that ran along both sleeves and the front of the bodice. While Melania always looks elegant, there was something about the dress that felt off. Its soft, pastel tone and chiffon make seemed like something out of a costume in "Mad Men." It gave off an aura of the 1960s, and the numerous gauzy folds harked back to a vision of a nightgown. It wasn't our favorite formal wear on Melania, who normally rocks elegant, fitted gowns.

The state dinner caused even more of a row across the internet, with many fussing over the 2,500 roses that were flown in from California and used to make the centerpieces for the outdoor dining tables. Unsurprisingly, these roses came with a hefty price tag. The night seemed excessively sumptuous, and tax payers felt that the extravagant affair did not show money well spent. So on top of Melania's dated gown, the uproar accompanying the state dinner made it a contentious evening all around. 

On March 14, 2019, Donald and Melania Trump met with Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the White House for the Shamrock Bowl Presentation to mark St. Patrick's Day. The tradition is that the government leader of Ireland presents the president with a crystal bowl full of shamrocks to celebrate the holiday. For the occasion, following the tradition of wearing green, Melania wore a shirt dress featuring mint green, white, and black geometric shapes. On top of that, the dress boasted a smaller version of the same print on the front pockets, so there was more of the busy print, just in a smaller format. It tied at the waist, and Melania coordinated the outfit with mint green heels.

While Melania gets points for wearing green, the dress felt dated, like something from 2005. The print was too busy, and the smaller iteration of the same print made the outfit feel even busier. At the front of the dress, where it connected via buttons, the shapes didn't line up with each other, like wallpaper gone wrong, and this made the geometric piece feel even more chaotic. It didn't align with the quiet luxury that Melania typically embodies in her wardrobe and styling choices, so it was a surprising miss for the first lady.

In December 2018, Melania and Donald Trump returned to the White House after visiting Iraq. The sartorial hiccup occurred when onlookers thought that Melania forgot to put her pants on. The first lady deplaned in a forest green coat by Prada, and wore nude, leather leggings that looked, at least at first glance, like she wasn't wearing pants. To be expected, people on X were in a tizzy about the situation. One person thought that her green coat was a dress. "I briefly saw this on TV and thought WTH? She's wearing a mini skirt? Didn't see that she had legging on," one person tweeted. Another person helped clear things up for everyone who seemed confused. "[It's] a coat over what looks to be a green sweater. She's wearing leather leggings," they noted. 

While Melania's creative legging choice initially caused a problem because it looked like she forgot her pants, the leggings themselves were also outdated. As any fashionista knows, pleather and leather leggings are so 2009. The tube-like pants have been replaced by wide-leg trousers, as they offer a more contemporary feel. Plus, looser pants wouldn't have created the optical illusion of a no-pants situation, so there's that too. 

On July 4, 2018, to celebrate Independence Day, Melania Trump stepped out in a floor-length, blue and white gingham dress by Ralph Lauren. The sweeping piece cost $2,790, so it came with a hefty price tag. Melania paired the dress with touches of red to incorporate the full spectrum of colors on the American flag. She cinched the gown with a red belt by Alexander McQueen and tonal flats by Christian Louboutin. It was one of the rare occasions that spectators saw Melania ditch her signature heels in favor of flats. 

While Melania nailed the color scheme for the day, the dress felt slightly too long for the White House picnic. Because the fabric was gingham, the many folds of the maxi dress looked more like a costume than a proper outfit. The getup seemed to emerge from Laura Ingalls Wilder's "Little House on the Prairie" rather than a contemporary, political event. The dated dress was a surprising choice for Melania, who is usually on the pulse of contemporary styles. It was additionally uncharacteristic of her, as she tends to favor more fitted pieces. But we have to give her points for being so patriotic.

Ah, the tricky skinny jeans. They're so loved by Millennials and older generations, while simultaneously scorned by Gen Z. The latter has run a pretty hard campaign for wider leg pants and loose-fitting trousers, indicating that skinny jeans, which were so universally loved in the early 2000s, are a thing of the past. However, that doesn't stop people from wearing them, and Melania Trump is no exception.

In August 2017, Melania walked on the White House lawn with Donald and Barron Trump, showcasing a colorful pair of skinny jeans, proving that even the first lady isn't immune to their cheugy appeal. She wore hot pink jeans with a pink and white gingham blouse, certainly creating a vibrant silhouette as she walked with her family. As always, she sported her big sunglasses, too. 

Melania has actually worn skinny jeans many times over the years, including her years in the White House. To be fair, Melania's contemporary, Catherine, Princess of Wales, also frequently wears skinny jeans, so she's not alone. Both women wear the jeans in all sorts of colors. Fans have spotted Melania in dark denim, black, olive green, white, and much more. There's no doubt that Melania knows that skinny jeans are a widely debated topic, and is choosing to rock them anyway. There's no stopping her from sporting the staples she loves. Clearly, she really doesn't care. Do you?