Melania vs Ivanka Trump in fashion – what do Donald Trump’s wife and eldest daughter’s wardrobe choices really say, and who dresses better?
Case in point, the president’s unsavoury comments about Ivanka, “Don’t you think my daughter’s hot? She’s hot, right?”, and “If Ivanka weren't my daughter, perhaps I'd be dating her”.
Even in the professional sphere, Ivanka often substitutes for Melania, from reports that Ivanka was getting an office suite in the East Wing – a privilege normally reserved for the first lady – to joining diplomatic visits that are traditionally attended by the presidential wife.
The analogising is naturally extended to their fashion choices, which catch bystanders’ eyes before anything else, and are endlessly scrutinised by editors, bloggers and the world at large. Here, we take a closer look at some of the duo’s most recent and iconic looks, to help you distinguish which Trump is which, and their respective roles in “making American great again”.
Fashion diplomacy: What does Ivanka Trump’s wardrobe really say?
Masked style
The first lady posted a photo of herself wearing a medical mask on Twitter to advise the public to wear a cloth mask to combat Covid-19 – despite the fact that her husband earlier declared, “I’m not going to do it”, and his previous suggestion that Americans should wear a scarf to protect themselves. In the middle of May, the first couple were criticised for not wearing masks when greeting representatives who had assisted fighting the country's pandemic in the White House Rose Garden.
Ivanka also subtly defied her father’s mask-wearing rule, as she said in an interview, “I always wear a mask when I am with the president, and everyone is instructed to do so as well”. At a recent meeting with restaurant representatives in the White House, the former fashion business owner put on a blue-dotted floral mask, which echoed her turquoise accessories.
Did Trump really pay US$3 million for Melania’s engagement ring?
The suits
Both Ivanka and Melania have a clear penchant for suits, which is not surprising given the frequent duty call to formal occasions. Ivanka often sports suits – be they featuring pants or skirts – predominantly in vibrant hues like blue, pink, scarlet and forest green. Melania meanwhile prefers suits in understated and muted colours like black, white, grey, beige, olive green and baby pink, alternating with a bit of wilderness from time to time (such as the sharp red Dior suit she donned when flying to Paris for the brand’s 70th anniversary).
What did Melania Trump wear to meet Queen Elizabeth?
Diplomatic fashion
Melania and Ivanka often have to embark on diplomatic trips as members of America’s first family, whose stylists understand the public relations impact of their sartorial choices. On each occasion, the clothes convey a message, which is often paying tribute to the country they visit.
Melania’s statement dress to China, a dragon dress finished with fur by Gucci, acts as the best testament, while her outfits when she visited France, the royal family in the UK and India all reflected a diplomatic ethos.
Ivanka, of course, has also taken such cultural factors into consideration for her wardrobe – yet there are occasions where she missed or mixed the cultural references. Take this visit to India for instance, when the widely derided “Coronavirus dress” set Twitter ablaze.
Was Melania Trump’s wardrobe a hit or a miss in India?
When attending an official meeting with India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, and foreign minister, Sushma Swaraj, she opted for an ornate green floral silk dress and black mules. Despite the extravagance sewn onto the gown, it’s nearer to Chinese fashion than any Indian costume. And although we love mules, they don’t carry the gravity of diplomatic formality because, let’s face it, mules are slippers with heels. But let’s be fair, her Tory Burch embroidered dress later that day at dinner with Modi at the Falaknuma Palace ideally conveyed the thoughtfulness that has been put into her fashion looks.
Solemn attitudes
After a few months’ absence from the public eye during coronavirus lockdown, Melania attended Memorial Day events in Maryland and Virginia on May 25 with her husband paying tribute to soldiers of the United States Armed Forces. There was an old arbitrary fashion rule of no white before Memorial Day, and for the first summer assignment out, she chose head-to-toe white including a double-breasted white Gucci coat (which is priced at US$3,500) and a pair of her go-to shoes – pumps. However, the coat here appears slightly oversized, dwarfing her usual picture-perfect figure.
During a memorial occasion in Poland in 2017, America’s first daughter wore a tight sleeveless china blue Carolina Herrera dress, which showed off her curvaceous body while hinting at Portuguese patterns. She finished the look with a pair of nude colour pumps. The Carolina Herrera gown is undoubtedly beautiful, but critics were not sure about its suitability for the commemorative event.
However, in Ivanka’s defence, she has mostly worn sombre shades at heavy-hearted events. For instance, she intentionally put a dark-coloured coat over her Michael Kors floral dress when visiting Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial in 2017.
Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter .
Help us understand what you are interested in so that we can improve SCMP and provide a better experience for you. We would like to invite you to take this five-minute survey on how you engage with SCMP and the news.
US President Donald Trump’s wife Melania Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump face equally ferocious fashion scrutiny – how do their sartorial approaches differ, and what can we work out from their wardrobes?