Should Melania Trump change her style as First Lady?
Regardless of your opinion of Donald Trump being the next president of the most powerful country on the planet, there’s no denying that we’ll be seeing just as much of his model wife, Melania, in fashion pages.
The Slovenia native has a style that’s less demure than that of other First Ladies. And if the United States has never seen a president elect quite like the Donald, it has also never had a First Lady who has posed nude.
Personal branding strategist Joanne Blake describes Trump’s style as sensuous and sexy.
“She’s been consistent about showing off her curvaceous body, which leaves very little to the imagination,” says Blake, certified image professional with Edmonton, Alta.’s Style for Success.
While the FLOTUS elect has said she wants to follow in the footsteps of style icon Jackie Onassis, it’s a toss up as to whether she’ll pull off that classic and classy appearance successfully.
One on hand, she could get away with borrowing certain elements from Jackie, such as fine tailoring, sophisticated colour combinations and rich fabrics, Blake says: “I think she could pull the look off as I’ve seen her in a number of outfits where she actually looks quite elegant and smart.”
On the other, done right, the way you dress should give clues to who you are on the inside, and that’s an area where Trump may be lacking, Blake says.
“A personal brand needs to speak to your values and needs to be authentic,” Blake says. “Based on much that was written about Jackie O. and how she presented herself in public, her brand was classy and sophisticated. She was well educated and well read and had a serious job as a reporter before marrying the president.
“So far what we’ve seen of Melania is that she is an imitator, doesn’t yet know herself,” she adds. “She ‘borrowed’ Michelle Obama’s speech. She is a powerful man’s accessory and has dressed like the sexy supermodel that she has been. It will take consistent and significant effort for her to reinvent herself and change her stripes.”
Blake’s advice to Melania is that she tone it down — particularly when it comes to the curves and the cleavage.
“When you think of a First Lady, you don’t want her bust to be the first thing to come to mind. If she’s going to show off an asset like her curvy shape, then I would suggest that she downplay her bust. In other words, [have] one focal point, and everything else should be subdued.”
Colours that work well for Trump’s complexion are high contrast (black and white) as well as red and jewel tones, which act as a frame around her face.
“She should stay away from pastels like beige and peach as they tend to wash her out,” Blake says. “I would recommend she wear ‘boat style’ necklines as they show off her great bone structure as long as she doesn’t expose too much skin. And now that’s she’s 45, it’s time to retire the ‘little girl flared dress’; it sends a mixed message.”
As for her hairstyle, Blake adds, she looks more sophisticated when her hair is pulled back in a chignon, as Jackie O often did, than when it’s down.
What do you think about Melania Trump’s style? Let us know by tweeting @YahooStyleCA.
