Melania Trump brings steely fashion game back to Washington

Where in the world is Melania Trump? Back in Washington in a sharply tailored outfit that exudes an international woman of mystery as her husband once again becomes president of the United States.

Wearing a long navy coat and matching wide-brimmed hat -- which shielded her eyes in most photos and hindered her commander-in-chief husband's attempts to give her a peck before his swearing-in -- Melania's fit drew snark on social media and a flurry of comparisons to a 1980s video game character.

"Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?" the internet quipped, referring to the franchise that spun off into a popular 1990s geography game show for kids. The show featured a criminal mastermind dressed in a long, carmine trench coat and eye-obscuring fedora.

US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts (2-R) administers the presidential oath to Donald Trump (2-L) as First Lady Melania Trump (L), former US President Joe Biden (3-R) and former US Vice President Kamala Harris (R) look on in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, USA, 20 January 2025. Trump, who defeated Kamala Harris, is being sworn in today as the 47th president of the United States, though the planned outdoor ceremonies and events have been cancelled due to a forecast of extreme cold temperatures. SHAWN THEW/Pool via REUTERS REFILE

Melania Trump's coat and skirt were made of silk wool by Adam Lippes, an independent American designer based in New York, and an ensemble paired with an ivory blouse tightly wrapped at the Slovenian-born former model's neck.

"The tradition of the presidential inauguration embodies the beauty of American democracy, and today, we have the honor to dress our first lady, Mrs. Melania Trump," said Lippes in a statement emphasizing American manufacturing over political ideology.

"Some of America's finest craftsmen created Mrs. Trump's outfit, and I take great pride in showing such work to the world."

The hat was by New York milliner Eric Javits.

"She cut the figure of a mafia widow or high-ranking member of an obscure religious order, and a bit of 'My Fair Lady,' wrote Rachel Tashjian, style critic for The Washington Post.

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrive for the Commander-In-Chief inaugural ball at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025.Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP

'Armor'

American first ladies don't get much of a voice -- but their sartorial choices are broadcast to the world and scrutinized for subtext and statements.

The late Rosalynn Carter, for example, drew strong reactions by wearing a dress she had already worn -- gasp! -- when her husband Jimmy was inaugurated in 1977.

The point was to show empathy for Americans' economic struggles, but sometimes, what people really want is aspirational glamor.

First ladies have routinely turned to independent designers for inaugural events in recent years. In 2021, Jill Biden wore a sparkling blue coat and dress by Markarian, a small New York brand.

Michelle Obama made waves in 2009 in a lemon-colored Isabel Toledo outfit. She wore Thom Browne to her husband's second swearing-in and Jason Wu gowns to both inaugural balls.

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his wife Melania wave at the "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration" at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. U.S., January 19, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Segar

For her part, Melania Trump channeled Jackie Kennedy to kick off her first term in the White House. She wore Ralph Lauren, a heritage brand favorite on both sides of the political aisle, to the daytime events in 2017.

That year, she swapped her powder-blue cashmere dress, matching asymmetrical bolero jacket, and opera gloves for a silk crepe gown by Herve Pierre. Both looks signaled a sense of buoyancy as she began her new role as a political wife.

Her shadowy-chic 2025 look marks a sharp departure as she enters tenure two.

"For her second round as first lady, the fashion game -- the tool she brandishes most often and most forcefully, even if the public sometimes struggles to divine her sartorial messages -- is likely to be one of steely, precise armor of clothes with brash and exacting tailoring," wrote the Post's Tashjian.

"For the past year, she has worn a wardrobe of mostly black, but this does not seem intended to make her disappear into the background."