Melania Trump's Farewell Outfit Is Turning Heads. Here's Why

While Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump didn't attend Joe Biden's inauguration, they did have a ceremonial exit on Jan. 20, 2021. The former president parted with a few closing words: "Have a good life. We will see you soon." This came a day after Donald's farewell speech, a video that also raised some eyebrows. He and Melania then took their final flight in Air Force One, taking off for their home at Mar-a-Lago in Florida while Frank Sinatra's "My Way" played in the background. Despite the pomp and circumstance of Trump's last moments as president, it was Melania who stole the show in her last outfit as first lady. In her typical way, she used her wardrobe to make a statement. So what did she say with this last outfit? As Melania Trump left Washington, D.C. for the last time as first lady, she chose an all-black outfit. Melania wore a Chanel jacket, a dress by Dolce and Gabbana, shoes by Christian Louboutin, and a Hermès Birkin bag, according to the New York Post. The outlet notes that the bag, made of crocodile, is worth approximately $50,000. Melania's outfit, as noted by Hello! Magazine, carried a message of its own, saying that black is often viewed as a sign of power and prestige. There's no denying that she looked incredibly chic and channeled an Audrey Hepburn vibe, circa Breakfast at Tiffany's. Of course, this society girl was flying to Florida instead of New York. At the same time, Twitter couldn't help but notice how somber the all-black look was, giving off major mourning vibes. Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, tweeted: "Is it me or does Melania Trump look like she is dressed for a funeral?" It was certainly a sad day for the Trump family, and Melania's wardrobe clearly took on a somber tone. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris and Dr. Jill Biden's outfits were also causing a stir for the exact opposite reasons. In notable contrast, on the same day that Melania Trump wore all black and no American designers, Vice President Kamala Harris wore a striking purple outfit. Her coat, according to Harper's Bazaar, was made by Christopher John Rogers, who is a Black American and queer designer. Harris also wore designs from Black designer Sergio Hudson — and of course, she also wore pearls. Dr. Jill Biden, on her first day as first lady, also chose an opposite ensemble from Melania. She wore an all-blue outfit, with a tweed coat trimmed in velvet, and added elegant pearls and Swarovski crystals. According to CNN, the outfit was made by designer Alexandra O'Neill, founder of NYC-based label Markarian. O'Neill told CNN: "It is an incredible honor to dress Dr. Biden today. I am so humbled to be even a small part of American history." While Harris and Biden brought a punch of color to the inauguration, people weren't done talking about Melania's dark ensemble and whether there could be a deeper meaning behind it. After all, this isn't the first time she's caused drama through her wardrobe choices. We know now the social ramifications that a wardrobe can make, and Melania Trump has made waves before. There was her green jacket which read, "I really don't care, do u?" when she went to visit a children's shelter in 2018, an outfit that caused a lot of backlash. There was also the time in 2017 when she wore a $51,500 Dolce and Gabbana jacket while visiting Sicily, according to CNN. Those are definitely some big statements. In response to the final outfit Melania chose to wear as first lady, one person tweeted a colloquial reference to Marie Antoinette to emphasize how out of touch she was from her people, saying: "Let them eat cake." Several people chimed in on Twitter to talk about how it seems like every outfit in Melania's closet costs a fortune, while others were trying to figure out if there was a deeper meaning to the whole outfit. In the end, we'll probably never know. Maybe she just likes black clothes. #MelaniaTrump #FirstLady