As the nation gears up for another historic inauguration, one question keeps everyone, from fashionistas to political commentators, on the edge of their seats. What will Melania Trump wear for the ceremony? The former First Lady, known for her bold and occasionally polarizing sartorial choices, is once again poised to take center stage, this time amidst the backdrop of her husband’s controversial return to the political spotlight.
While she wore a gorgeously tailored Ralph Lauren outfit at the 2017 inauguration, things feel different this time around as the stakes are higher and even more complicated. Melania’s fashion statement will not only set the tone for her reentry into public life but also offer insight into how she plans on navigating both roles, as a private citizen and a spouse of a convicted felon-turned-president. The latter role has raised her struggles of getting designers to work for her due to the highly controversial nature of her husband.
Melania Trump wore this baby blue dress and coat custom made for her by Ralph Lauren in 2017. Which by the way, I adore! Melania is intelligent, trustworthy and very patriotic! She also has such style, grace, sophistication, elegance and of course she is very beautiful. She is… pic.twitter.com/vmPwEqmUR0
— ElsieAnna✝💜☮ (@BarbaraRom20315) January 15, 2025
In January 2017, Melania Trump stunned the masses, appearing in powder blue cashmere and bolero, evoking elegance with an understated beauty. The designer, Ralph Lauren, said that this ensemble was an expression of the classic American style and established Melania as a classy, poised woman. It has also raised her struggles of getting designers ready to work for her due to the highly controversial nature of her husband’s presidential tenure.
Fast-forward to the present and the stakes for Melania’s wardrobe are far more complicated. The world has changed, the political climate is fraught, and Melania herself has stayed relatively out of the public eye since leaving the White House in 2021. Her return to the inauguration stage represents not just a personal comeback but also a carefully curated public statement.
Melania Trump’s outfits in the Middle East caused a stir on social media https://t.co/MNZOpfLIqL pic.twitter.com/BupDCw5HHk
— CNN (@CNN) May 27, 2017
Melania Trump’s fashion choices have always been under scrutiny, sometimes harshly. While she has had her share of iconic moments, there have also been controversies surrounding her wardrobe. One such controversy was related to her love for inappropriate dresses on solemn occasions such as funerals or visits to disaster zones. Such gaffes have marked her mixed legacy; one that sees her swing from being a style icon to a fashion misfire.
However, despite all those criticisms, one cannot deny Melania’s ability to garner attention through clothing. As she prepares to regain the spotlight again, her outfit choices will naturally be picked apart as means to decipher her current state of mind, priorities, and aspirations.
Reminder: During Trump’s presidency (2017-2021), Melania Trump, unlike her predecessors such as Michelle Obama and Laura Bush, was not featured on the cover of any major US fashion magazine like Vogue, Elle, or Harper’s Bazaar. pic.twitter.com/hLtHK9f7ky
— @amuse (@amuse) March 11, 2024
“We don’t hear much from her,” said her fashion consultant, Lauren Rothman. “But we see her, and we process her verbal communication cues.” In this sense, “seeing” Melania is decoding the messages embedded in her outfits. For an event as monumental as the inauguration of a former president with a controversial legal history, Melania’s attire will carry significant symbolic weight.
For one, Melania Trump has had a seasoned expert in dressing high-profile clients for political events: Rothman. She believes that Melania will take this opportunity to rewrite the narrative surrounding her public image. “This time around, she’s not going to be a mannequin,” Rothman explained. “She is living her life, and her life dictates that she won’t be in the White House full-time.”
President Trump and Melania dancing to Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”
Inaugural ball, Washington, DC, 2017
— 🇺🇸 Pismo 🇺🇸 (@Pismo_B) January 16, 2025
This is expected to come through in the fashion choices she makes. While her 2017 outfit was an attempt at signifying quintessential American elegance, the 2025 outfit might aim at a more modern, personal narrative. According to Rothman, Melania’s dress may include some dramatic pop of color or bold silhouette—a calculated statement of strength, resilience, and rebirth. “I do think some rules are going to be rewritten, and I think that she is taking advantage of that in a positive way, to rewrite her own script of how she shows up,” Rothman added.
This change might be interpreted as embracing a more practical yet elegant wardrobe, showing her transition from the traditional First Lady role to one that is closer to her new priorities as a mother and private citizen.
Is this about to happen again? Barack and Michelle Obama welcoming Donald and Melania Trump to the White House on January 20, 2017, after Trump defeated Hillary Clinton. WATCH pic.twitter.com/AZJ9RFgZyj
— Simon Ateba (@simonateba) October 16, 2024
In fact, Melania’s “Americana moment” may not necessarily be about being traditional but more about redefining it. Melania, a mother to an 18-year-old son, Barron Trump, and a 54-year-old, is expected to be low-profile, splitting her time between New York and Florida.
This duality between public duty and private life is likely to affect her fashion choices. According to Rothman, the outfits would blend functionality with flair, projecting the image of a woman who is both grounded and glamorous.
Melania Trump dons powder blue Ralph Lauren suit, harkening back to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ iconic style https://t.co/HPXAPwvig9 pic.twitter.com/xpi7ayBdKH
— CNN (@CNN) January 20, 2017
Melania Trump’s fashion choice for the upcoming inauguration will in itself be more than a wardrobe decision; it shall be a statement of intent. Whether the color for the inauguration is a patriotic hue, minimalist design, or something very unexpected, her outfit will speak volumes for her new return to the national stage.
As Rothman aptly phrased, “She is taking this opportunity to rewrite her own script.” And what better way to start that rewrite than with a great, unforgettable moment in fashion? All eyes indeed will be on Melania Trump, and this choice will surely fuel conversations about style, symbolism, and the evolving role of a modern First Lady.
