The sartorial decision-making of America's First Ladies has been a cultural obsession since Jackie Kennedy moved her Chanel suits and Oscar de la Renta dresses into the White House in 1961. But currently FLOTUS Melania Trump, despite her glamour, just can't seem to get it right when it comes to occasion-appropriate dressing.
The fashion press have been giving Melania a difficult time since before her husband's inauguration, with several high profile designers - including Ralph Lauren and Tom Ford - publically going on record to say that they wouldn't be dressing her.
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Since then she's worn European when she's supposed to be adhering to her husband's 'Buy American' rhetoric; chosen Manolo Blahnik heels for a visit to a town devastated by Hurricane Irma; and been mocked for a $3000 hot pink voluminous Delpozo dress worn at a speech about child poverty. Melania just can't seem to get it right.
Not that she hasn't tried. After her Manolo slip-up, she opted for sensible flats for her next visit to hurricane-destoyed country, but they were $750 from Chanel. This weekend, she chose a flannel shirt and Converse sneakers for a photo op in the White House Garden with a group of children. The shirt in question costs $1380 from Balmain. Which all begs the question, who is advising Melania on her wardrobe?
The man in question (most of the time) is Hervé Pierre, a designer who honed his craft at presidential style staples Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera, and created the gown she wore for the inauguration. Yet despite the criticism levelled at Melania for her style, she's far from the only First Lady that he has dressed, having previously worked with Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush, and Michelle Obama.
Speaking to the New York Times this weekend, he admitted that it was a tough job, saying: 'Even if I’m not creating the clothes it is very creative to consider how it’s going to be perceived. And when you decide, you divide. I’m not always right. I make mistakes, and same for her. There’s no 'How to Be the Perfect First Lady' book. You learn on the spot.'
Diplomatic dressing - whether you're Theresa May or Kate Middleton - requires a degree of understanding how your outfit choice will be perceived. It's not just about looking stylish; it's about being appropriate to the occasion. That means no designer clothes in disaster zones, and no faux-casual pieces for photo ops, either. After these most recent blunders, it seems like someone needs to school Melania on this, stat.
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