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    Trumped-Up fashion

    America first? Not in Melania Trump's closet as first lady favors European designers

    Clifford Pugh
    Jun 29, 2017 | 1:41 pm

    Her husband may urge supporters to "Make America Great Again," but when it comes to fashion, first lady Melania Trump seems more enamored with high-end European designers.

    When President Trump welcomed Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to the White House earlier this week, the first lady stood out in a bright yellow Pucci floral print crepe gown cinched at the waist with a wide black belt. The summer-y gown retails for $2,160, and according to the website Net-A-Porter, Pucci designer Massimo Giorgetti was listening to Radiohead while he got the idea for the gown because Pucci's signature bright colors are "music for the eyes."

    Another Italian fashion house, Dolce & Gabbana, has been Melania Trump's go-to designer for many important occasions, including her official White House portrait, where she wore a black Dolce & Gabbana blazer, and a visit to Italy, where she showcased several ensembles from the label, including a $51,500 jeweled coat.

    Critics on social media have slammed designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana for outfitting the first lady so frequently. In response, the designers mocked boycott threats by selling $245 T-shirts emblazoned with the words, #BOYCOTT DOLCE & GABBANA.

    Other European designers favored by Melania Trump include Dior (she wore a one-shoulder yellow gown from the French fashion house to a dinner with the Australian president in New York), Valentino (she appeared in a $4,019 red crepe midi-dress from the Italian fashion house when her husband met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Florida), Karl Lagerfeld (she donned a two-piece white cashmere suit from the legendary Chanel designer while in Israel) and Stella McCartney (on a visit to Saudia Arabia she exited the plane in a black jump suit with gold Yves Saint Laurent belt).

    Her open embrace of foreign fashion houses is a far cry from earlier first ladies. Arguably the most stylish first lady in history, Jackie Kennedy studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and wore Givenchy, Balenciaga and Chanel until her husband, John F. Kennedy, ran for president. At the time it was too politically incorrect to wear foreign designers, so Jackie hired a dear family friend, Oleg Cassini, as an official designer of her White House wardrobe. He created original designs and Paris copies from magazines, often under Jackie's direction.

    And it's quite a contrast from former first lady Michelle Obama, who during her husband's eight years in office, championed relatively unknown U.S. designers. She picked then-little-known Jason Wu to design her inaugural gown in 2009 and returned to him in 2013 and boosted the careers of such designers as Tracy Reese, Brandon Maxwell, Thom Browne, Naeem Khan, and Prabal Gurung.

    Obama also sent J. Crew sales soaring when she wore a cardigan on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno during the 2008 campaign.

    Obama was so tied to the American fashion industry that she was heavily criticized when she wore a gown from the British fashion house Alexander McQueen to a state dinner for the premier of China in 2011 instead of a gown from a U.S. designer. But that was one of Obama's few fashion missteps.

    Melania Trump's relationship with the American fashion industry is more complex. Many U.S. designers favored Hillary Clinton for president and when Donald Trump won, a number of them said they would not care to dress the current first lady.

    But if Melania been ruffled, she hasn't shown it. As a former fashion model in a world that gravitates to European designer labels, she appears more comfortable with a trans-Atlantic aesthetic, even if her husband isn't.

    The few American designers that Trump has favored include Michael Kors — the first lady wore a Kors gingham coat and matching heels in Brussels and a $10,000 black beaded skirt suit by the designer during her husband's State of the Union address — and Ralph Lauren, who designed her powder blue inauguration day outfit and a black sleeveless dress she wore at the International Women's Day Luncheon, along with The Row, Monique Lhuillier, Altuzarra, and J. Brand jeans.

    Thus far, she appears to be choosing her wardrobe to at times to send subtle messages. Commentators wondered if the Gucci blouse with a pussy bow that she wore during the second presidential debate, soon after news broke about her husband's vulgar remarks about women in a taped conversation with Billy Bush, was her commentary on the incident. Accompanying her husband on his first overseas trip, she opted for a tailored white Dolce & Gabbana pantsuit to attend the Arab Islamic American Summit instead of wearing the recommended ankle-length skirt.

    Her look is impeccable in a way that is favored by the affluent society set that she travels in. She likes solids, not busy patterns (except for the Pucci gown). She favors bright colors or monochromatic shades. A number of outfits tend to have a vaguely militaristic look: tight, gold buttoned, belted. Her fashion sense, like her appearance, is a bit inscrutable but almost always tasteful.

    "She has a keen understanding of what works best for her and her lifestyle," Michael Kors told the New York Times, noting she is a longtime client at his New York boutique. Although a Clinton supporter, Kors has managed to stay in Melania's good graces.

    Melania Trump wore a colorful Pucci gown earlier this week when her husband met with the Indian prime minister.

    Melania Trump in Pucci gown
    Instagram/#melaniatrump
    Melania Trump wore a colorful Pucci gown earlier this week when her husband met with the Indian prime minister.
    politics
    news/fashion

    RODEO RUNWAY

    Western glam takes over as RodeoHouston fans dress to impress

    Gabi De la Rosa
    Mar 11, 2026 | 12:32 pm
    Rodeo Fashion 2026
    Photo by Gabi De la Rosa
    Brooke Jones, Kiala Cardenas, Brittany Ruggeri, and Franschesca Jones.

    Houstonians have dusted off their boots and rhinestones as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is in full swing. Already one of the largest events in Texas, the crowds are continuing to grow. In 2025, more than 2.7 million people attended RodeoHouston, and this year the event is already on track for record-breaking numbers.

    Livestock competitions, carnival rides, deep-fried food, and headlining concerts are the official reasons people come to the rodeo. Unofficially, however, people watching has become a sport all its own. The crowded walkways on RodeoHouston grounds transform into a Western-themed runway, where personal style is just as much of the experience as enjoying deep-fried Oreos or a Ferris wheel ride.

    A wide range of outfits is always on display. Some attendees go all in with head-to-toe sequins, fringe on everything, and dramatically decorated hats. Others keep things casual with denim, boots, and graphic t-shirts, while groups of friends will often coordinate themed outfits for concert nights.

    Rodeo Fashoin 2026 Emily Duran and Brylie Wagner.Photo by Gabi De la Rosa

    No matter the style, there are two must-have accessories: cowboy hats and boots. Hats serve a dual purpose for both fashion and protection from the sun during daytime events. Boots are essential to rodeo style, but sometimes come with a painful learning curve.

    Many attendees walk more than a mile from the parking lot to the grounds, and after exploring, they often add more than 20,000 steps. For those who did not properly break in their boots, the end of the day can involve blisters and a slow walk to the car, boots in hand.

    “Rodeo fashion is so fun. My friends and I planned out outfits together, and we made sure we broke in our boots before tonight,” Teresa Delgado tells CultureMap. “When you are from Houston, you only make that mistake once.”

    Rodeo Fashion 2026 Karson Graves, Reese, Lowery, Mackenzie Lewis, Natalie Doyle, Brandi Hunger, and Jenna Faulkner.Photo by Gabi De la Rosa

    Some days have them whether it's official or it's an unspoken trend. When Megan Moroney took the stage, pink was the color of the concert, inspired by Moroney's album Cloud 9. Nearly 70,000 attendees filled the stadium in everything from flouncy pink ruffled outfits to bright neon boots and hats.

    “We have really been looking forward to this concert,” said Ashley Little from Cypress. “I didn't think too much about my outfit at first, but my daughter wanted to coordinate, so here we are wearing pink together.”

    Between carnival rides, mutton busting, and nightly concerts, the rodeo has plenty to see, but some of the most memorable moments are stopping to notice that fashion is just another part of the show.

    Rodeo Fashion 2026

    Photo by Gabi De la Rosa

    Brooke Jones, Kiala Cardenas, Brittany Ruggeri, and Franschesca Jones.

    houston rodeo fashionwestern style
    news/fashion
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