Melania Trump Is The Most Beautiful First Lady We’ve Ever Had. Here Are Her 10 Most Fashionable Looks

After years in the spotlight (and plenty of resources to shop from the most elite brands), former First Lady of the United States Melania Trump has carefully tailored her style and solidified her status as a fashion icon. She always looks timeless and sharp – from her impeccable taste in fabrics to the elegant yet understated accessories she uses to accent her clothing.

Of course, from her time as a model to her time married to a then-reality TV star and real estate mogul to the present day, Melania’s fashion has evolved from following more youthful, daring trends to an arguably more mature, chic image with the help from her stylist Hervé Pierre. It’s nearly impossible to nail down her 10 best looks – since her wardrobe is impeccable day in and day out – but we scoured through her archives to select our faves. Here are 10 of Melania’s most fashionable looks from before her time as First Lady and after.

Pre-White House (2002)

Before Donald Trump put a ring on it, then-model Melania Knauss sported a slightly different look. Relishing in the early aughts trends, Melania paired her jet black hair with frosty eyeshadow and a baby pink silk slip dress featuring a high-thigh slit, halter straps, and supportive bust cups for her future husband's New Year’s Eve party at Mar-a-Lago.

Is it any wonder Trump fell for this total vixen?

Pre-White House (2012)

The Trumps have attended the Met Gala several times throughout the years, and at the 2012 event themed "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations,” Melania nailed the “Surreal Body” concept with her white Marc Bouwer Couture dress and Christian Louboutin heels. 

The white glittering dress hit right above her knees with an asymmetrical hem that contrasted the sharp, pointed shoulder pads. Though Melania had typically opted for lower necklines in previous years, this dress featured a flattering mock neck to balance the otherwise sexy silhouette. 

To show off every inch of the dress’s unique upper half, Melania swept her hair into a voluminous high ponytail with face-framing fringe.

Inauguration (2017)

After her husband’s historic election, Melania donned a cashmere pale blue Ralph Lauren coat dress for Inauguration Day. Channeling Jackie O, Melania’s more prim and proper outfit signaled the shift from her reputation pre-White House as a model and fashionista to her emergent First Lady style. 

The coat dress featured a mock turtleneck, a cropped cutaway jacket, and a pencil-shaped skirt with a below-knee hemline. To keep to a monochromatic look, Melania’s coat dress was paired with matching suede gloves and signature pumps.

Trip to Africa (2018)

On a solo trip to Egypt, Melania completely defied expectations. Typically, Melania rocks feminine silhouettes, but for her Giza Pyramid visit, she went menswear-chic. 

Melania’s cream-colored blazer and palazzo pants were paired with tan flats that had black cap toes, a black necktie, and a fedora hat. Though some netizens were quick to criticize the First Lady’s bold look, comparing her to René Belloq from Indiana Jones or Carmen Sandiego, this outfit looked gorgeous amid the hot desert-scape. 

Humanitarian Trip (2019)

After tornadoes ravaged parts of Alabama in March 2019, Melania joined her husband and their son Barron for a trip to visit the affected areas. Melania’s outfit choice was reserved, casual, and patriotic – a perfect choice for such a somber, but informal occasion. 

She wore an ivory sweater with navy detailing on the wrists, burgundy J Brand skinny jeans, and a navy Tommy Hilfiger peacoat on top. To match her wine-colored jeans, Melania wore red-striped white Adidas sneakers.

Meeting Polish President (2019)

When Polish President Andrzej Duda and his wife Mrs. Agata Kornhauser-Duda came to visit the White House in June 2019, Melania rocked another menswear-inspired look – but with a decidedly feminine twist. 

Her pale pink Calvin Klein suit featured a sleek white stripe down the side of each pant leg, adding to the balance made by her white blouse and white leather Manolo Blahnik heels. This oversized outfit didn’t overwhelm Melania, however, as the pastel hue complemented her tan skin, and the volume in her fresh blow-out balanced out the menswear tailoring.

White House Christmas Tree Lighting (2019)

Ahead of the 2019 Christmas season, Melania had the honor of receiving the White House’s Christmas tree pick from Mahantongo Valley Farms in Pennsylvania. She wore a stylish black Dolce & Gabbana overcoat with red, green, and white floral decorations for this occasion. 

Underneath, she wore all black from head to toe (toe being vixen-esque stiletto boots), letting her gorgeous floral coat be the star of the show. This coat was a unique and classy take on holiday apparel – and one that other women could certainly draw inspo from.

Meeting Greece’s Prime Minister (2020)

When Greece's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his wife Mareva Grabowski-Misotakis visited the White House in early 2020, Melania greeted them in a black and white plaid jumpsuit. 

The bouclé jumpsuit featured a classic collar and was cinched in at the waist with a black belt. To tie together her ensemble, Melania wore over-the-knee Louboutin stiletto boots that peaked under the cropped wide-leg jumpsuit pants.

Heading to Her Husband’s Birthday Party (2023)

Even after her husband no longer held the title of Commander in Chief, Melania has maintained a record as one of the most fashionable First Ladies, past or present. Since former President Trump announced he would be running for the highest office in 2022, Melania has continued to stun the paparazzi with polished looks like this one when she was heading out of Trump Tower in 2023 ahead of her husband’s birthday party.

Melania wore a white Gucci flared shirt dress with a monogrammed gold belt, pairing her breezy, casual, but chic dress with a Hermes Kelly bag of the same shade. She wore creamy Louboutin pumps and square-frame tortoiseshell sunglasses.

Voting in Florida’s Primary Election (2024)

On her way to cast her vote in West Palm Beach during Florida’s March Primary Elections, Melania rocked a sophisticated black-and-white ensemble. 

She wore a loose, white, midi shirt dress by Alexander McQueen with a black orchid accent decorating the left half and her favorite shoes – a pair of Louboutin pumps in black leather – to match. To accessorize this voguish look, Melania held a black lambskin Chanel Jumbo Kelly bag and kept the sun out of her eyes with black sunglasses.

It matters very little your political leanings – a style icon is a style icon. I can confidently say that, as someone who recognizes that my politics may not align with Amal Clooney’s, Anne Hathaway’s, or Selena Gomez's, I can still objectively view them as fashionable women. 

Whether strutting in her signature Louboutins or clothed in another drop-dead gorgeous Dolce & Gabbana ensemble, Melania Trump deserves status as an inspiration for women everywhere to dress themselves gracefully and tastefully. Sure, you may not have a couture budget, but almost every high-budget look can be duped for a fraction of the cost.