
The First Lady's eyes were almost invisible under the wide-brimmed hat she wore during the swearing-in ceremony. Was it simply a style choice or a communication strategy?
By Elisa Messina – Corriere della Sera
For the big day of her husband Donald's return to the White House, Melania Trump chose – and how could it be otherwise – a well-thought-out, elegant, rigorous and perfect look. But one detail that surprised many people caused great irony on social networks: the hat. In dark blue, like her custom-made coat, with a wide brim and a white stripe that matched the white collar that came out of the coat. Super chic, without a doubt. The hat was designed by the American accessories designer, Eric Javits.
But why would she choose such a large hat, which practically covered her eyes? A truly strange choice for a solemn ceremony where she was one of the main protagonists.
Perhaps this was exactly what Melania intended: to stay in the shadows, to hide from view and to put a distance between herself and others (the brim of the hat was quite wide), not allowing anyone to understand and appreciate her emotions. Or perhaps she wanted to send a clear message about her style as First Lady in the era of Trump II: she will be exposed as little as possible.
The designer, in a press release, explained that his mission in creating hats is to design shapes that highlight the beauty of every face type. And in Mrs. Trump's case, the task was easy: "She has a wonderful bone structure, beauty and an extraordinary sense of style."
A wise choice. The hat became the real protagonist of Inauguration Day, from the moment she entered St. John's Church to the luncheon after the oath and the speech on Capitol Hill. She never took off her hat (not even at the table!): in the photos of the solemn oath on the Bible, it is barely visible; to kiss it, her husband was forced to content himself with a light peck on the cheek, from a distance.
Even Joe Biden was forced to bypass Melania's hat to speak to Donald when the two presidential couples greeted each other on the steps of Capitol Hill.
In short, the protective shield that Melania erected between herself and the world worked perfectly – if that was her intention.
A step towards American fashion?
But there’s something else. Who knows if the American fashion world will finally accept Melania Trump after four years as First Lady, when she consistently preferred European fashion houses, like Dior or Dolce & Gabbana, to American designers. This time, she opted for a look that was entirely “Made in the USA”: a dark blue silk and wool coat, a blue skirt, and a white silk shirt, all by independent American designer Adam Lippes. The clothes were American, the hat was American.
It seemed as if Melania intended to present a stern and serious image, quite different from her look of four years ago: a blue cashmere dress by Dior and, the only thing American, her gloves by Ralph Lauren.
Of course, social media didn't leave her without mockery: Melania-Zorro, Melania-witch, Melania-mafioso of the 1920s. But you can't please everyone, and she knows this very well.
As it was written on a jacket she wore years ago: “I really don't care.”