It would be almost impossible not to have watched just about any part of the recent inauguration of President Donald Trump, not seen his uber stylish wife (and former model) Melania and be hearkened back to Jackie Kennedy as First Lady, the role she defind refined more than five decades ago.
She was young, from a wealthy family herself, but eventually
married into an even wealthier family, which in its early days, seemed earmarked for-political greatness.
I don’t know all that much about fashion, but I can recognize style and Jackie was silly with it. Jackie hardly said a word and she was heralded mainly because she was a breath of fresh air. Perhaps, any woman could have moved in the White House after First Lady, Mamie Eisenhower moved out and be considered a fashion icon by comparison. Maybe was because Mamie wouldn’t….or couldn’t enter that ‘dare to be great” fashion scenario. Too old? Too stodgy in 50’s era Conservatism? I don’t know, but the contrast in style was amazing.
Melania has been frequently compared to Jackie based mostly on the stunning Ralph Lauren monochromatic blue dress, coat, opera gloves and pumps which she wore to the swearing in ceremony. Apparently, Jackie had also worn a blue dress at some point during the JFK administration, though despite it also in the blue color spectrum, I really couldn’t see any similarities. But the women who wore these outfits shared a limited but very real commonality. Both were Catholic girls, came from families of means, each were educated, spoke/speak several languages, each became First Ladies and each loved fashion and are/ were savvy enough to be able to pick couture that complimented their bodies, mindsets, solidified their global position as ‘First Ladies’ which made fashion mavens out of the least likely people …..OR…..they were smart enough to listen to people far wiser and give up style control. Either way, it worked.
Especially for Melania.
Lovely.
I found Jackie to be stylish, but never really pretty. A few photographs snapped at certain angles made for stunning photos, but by and large, most pics captured her poise and fashion sense, even in the click of a shudder.
Melania isn’t gorgeous…well, not to me she isn’t. Rather, I find her to be decent looking woman who’s had the best plastic surgery known to man. But, mein Gott, the way she can wear her can clothes, and the grace with which she walks in them may even exceed Jackie. . She is poised, moves with a certain elegance. She’s obviously comfortable in her own skin, despite the number of tucks and pulls it might have had. Equally important, she’s comfy in her femininity. And why not?? In the beginning, she was a model in Paris where I’m sure she graced a few catwalks with a hundred other similar looking waif-like girls from all over the globe. Her biggest claim to fame obviously, was becoming Mrs. Donald Trump.
After marrying Trump and giving birth to their son, Barren, I found Melania’s style a bit manic. It was often brassy, wayward and heavy on the cleavage, showing more flesh. Comme ça:
Donald Trump & Melania Trump at the “Sex and the City: The Movie” New York Premiere – Arrivals Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY USA May 27, 2008 © Starlite Pics / MediaPunch/IPX 
But we can get away with showing skin in our 20’s and 30’s. On older women, it might be a daring fashion choice, but I think it’s a wrong choice.
Just because.
Back to Melania. If her choices weren’t always a smidge questionable in taste at times, we have proof that ‘trendy and tacky”did enter her closet.
But all of these examples were from when she was a semi-private citizen. At the time, these less than stellar fashion choices might get a snicker on TMZ , People Magaxine or from the NYC ladies who lunch, but nothing more.
Then, The Donald decides to run for president…and as a Republican no less. Melania had to change with the times. Her style evolved into a consistent state of ‘wow’, in my opinion. Plus, she stayed in the background–her call, but that made all her fashion choices echo a famous quote from le gran dame of style, Coco Chanel :
“Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.”
Yeah, yeah we all saw Working Girl.
Moving on.
That relaxed, chic draping of her coat on her shoulders made us take notice. But I never thought that style choice was anything but extremely well-planned and on Melania, well-played.
First Ladies have the right to play the roles as they choose, suited for their personalities, family involvement, comfort level in front of the camera, etc. I never look at them as having “co-president” roles, or power or influence. I’m no longer essily “inspired” by anyone, so just because a First Lady encourages me to eat more radishes, won’t mean I’ll eat more radishes. Now, if other people choose to, that’s fine. I’ll get my broker to corner the radish market. Otherwise, I find First Ladies (as I would deem the inevitable ” First Gentleman”) to be background noise, some more attractive than the others, some more ambitious than those who came before her. This usually makes them either loud and annoying or subtle and quiet; considered proud contributors or embarssing aspects of the Presidential backstory.
So whether our First Lady is an icon or an eyesore, government still functions…..in the presence of style and grace and yes, even in its absence.
