First Lady Melania Trump was ready for the cover of French Vogue from the minute she left the White House for her and President Donald Trump’s Paris, France, weekend getaway to the time she returned.
When Melania Trump departed the White House for Paris, she stepped out in a black, white, and grey checkered Burberry coat and a Christian Louboutin black calf, knee-high leather boots. The boots, which feature a slightly pointed toe, retail for about $1,295.
As with most of Mrs. Trump’s overseas wardrobe collections, she often hints at her next ensemble in the preceding one. Before donning the Burberry coat, she had worn a series of plaid coats, chosen by her close confidant and style adviser Hervé Pierre.
If the Burberry checkered coat and Louboutins were any indication of what was to come, it was that Mrs. Trump would stick to a list of luxurious, Parisian essentials: Greys, blacks, and deep navys, Louboutins, and coats galore.
Of course, Mrs. Trump does not merely land in the same outfit she takes off in. Where’s the fun in that? Her first step off Air Force One in Paris, Mrs. Trump donned a classy Dolce and Gabbana coat, more slick black Louboutin stilettos (I’d love to see her shoe closet!), and wait for it … a crocodile Hermès “Birkin” bag that likely retails for upwards of $25,000. We’ll come to see that Birkin bag again, don’t worry.
Another hint in this look: Mrs. Trump would be wearing black and Louboutins the following day. She likes to keep onlookers on their fashion toes. And who can blame her? When all eyes are on you, why not take advantage of the moment.
The next morning, Mrs. Trump arrived at the Elysee Palace in Paris to meet France’s First Lady, Brigitte Macron. As her feet hit the gravel, Mrs. Trump was wearing the snakeskin black Louboutin pumps she had worn the night before.
This time, though, they were paired with a Breakfast at Tiffany’s look that Audrey Hepburn would be envious of. A Bottega Veneta dress in a deep, deep navy that almost appeared black, and a French twist (How fitting!) were the main focal points of this picturesque moment.
Mrs. Trump added in new touches with a pair of shimmering earrings — she hardly ever wears earrings — and a pair of black leather gloves. Not only do the gloves serve a function of keeping the Slovenian-born model’s hands from freezing in the French cold, but they will become the key to the rest of her Paris wardrobe and likely the most coveted winter accessory of the season.
That evening, Mrs. Trump took a left turn. A dress and French twist were fitting for the day. So why not shock in a black and white Gorgio Armani tuxedo and pin straight hair?!
The most beautiful woman in a room of global diplomats and their wives in a menswear-inspired, androgynous fashion statement. That is the very definition of style. You must be born with this level of taste, it cannot be taught or learned.
The next day, it was raining in Paris and Mrs. Trump needed to be at Versailles to meet Mrs. Macron for a ceremony commemorating the end of World War I. For this, she figured if you can’t beat the rain, make the rain a backdrop for the fashion photography that you are creating.
Thus, Mrs. Trump arrived in a grey Dior dress from the brand’s Fall 2018 Pre-Fall collection (Very Thom Browne-esque) and a Dior grey coat draped over her shoulders. On her feet were subtle, black Manolo Blahniks — the red soles of Louboutin’s would have been far too fussy for this look — and on her hands are, once again, those fabulous leather gloves.
As if the ensemble was not enough to make your jaw drop, Mrs. Trump took one of the gloves off to hold a black umbrella over her head. Paris in the rain! (GASP!) The images look more like an Annie Leibovitz French Vogue photo shoot than a global meeting of leaders.
That night, Mrs. Trump and the president were due back in Washington, D.C. Of course, Mrs. Trump was not going to arrive back home in the Dior ensemble she had worn at Versailles. That look is now precious to that occasion, it can only be worn once.
But, who said she can’t reduce the Dior look to a Celine-style minimalism, taking some of the most underrated components of her Paris wardrobe and highlighting them as she walks across the White House lawn. After all, Mrs. Trump has been dropping hints of what is to come next this entire trip.
So Mrs. Trump landed in Washington and walked off Air Force One in nothing else but the grey Dior coat she had covered her shoulders with earlier in the day, those leather gloves, the Manolo Blahnik stilettos, and added — you guessed it! — the crocodile Hermès Birkin bag.
Men often forget that fashion is much like sports. You always finish with a bang. Luckily for us, Mrs. Trump understands this.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.