Melania Trump conceals her gaze with a hat that triggers memes on social media

As expected, Melania Trump has become one of the stars of the inauguration ceremony of the 47th president of the United States, Donald Trump. The Slovenian-born First Lady chose blue as the main color of her outfit. The president’s wife opted for a not-very-well-known American designer, Adam Lippes, a favorite of hers, to create a simple outfit that she complemented with an unexpected accessory: a wide-brimmed hat.

To combat the freezing weather in the nation’s capital, Melania Trump wore a dark blue mid-calf coat with a white trim; a white scarf or blouse collar could also be seen. In addition to sheer tights and matching high heels, as well as black leather gloves, the First Lady wore a Cordova-style hat, also designed by Lippes. Melania’s is custom-made, but the average price of Lippes’ coats is between $4,500 and $5,000, according to the designer’s website.

But it was the hat, in navy blue with a white ribbon, that became the star. For one, it helped hide the gaze of the First Lady, who, apart from a few polite smiles, remained serious and expressionless, as usual, throughout the ceremony. In addition, the hat also prevented her from kissing her husband after the inauguration. Although it might have seemed that they did from the television images, where she was seen from behind, a front shot revealed that they actually kissed each other in the air. The hat acted as a stopper.

And, as expected when someone deviates even slightly from the established script (the last time a First Lady wore a hat to an inauguration ceremony was Hillary Clinton in 1993), the original piece has become the stuff of memes. It has been compared to a pizzeria slogan or a cartoon character.

In a statement picked up by Vogue magazine, Adam Lippes explained that “the tradition of the presidential inauguration embodies the beauty of American democracy and today we had the honor to dress our first lady, Mrs. Melania Trump. Mrs. Trump’s outfit was created by some of America’s finest craftsmen and I take great pride in showing such work to the world.” This is not the first time Lippes has dressed Melania Trump, who wore his outfits during her husband’s first term, but also in the intervening years she has spent outside the White House.

For Sunday night, when there were also inaugural events, the First Lady opted for Christian Dior, a French firm of which she is a regular client. But it is commonplace and logical for first ladies to opt for American designers such as Lippes, especially when the new president’s speech is especially patriotic (although the First Lady’s wardrobe, loaded with international brands, has not always been so). Eight years ago, Melania Trump also opted for blue, but in that case of a lighter shade. Back then she was dressed by Ralph Lauren. This Monday, the Bidens wore clothes by Lauren, to whom the president also recently awarded the Medal of Freedom, the first designer to receive it.

Another designer who was very much present at the ceremony was Oscar de la Renta. Usha Vance, wife of Vice President J. D. Vance, wore a pink cashmere coat with a matching scarf (and a matching dress underneath) for the presidential inauguration. She also wore De la Renta to the vice president’s dinner, wearing a strapless black dress. For the Sunday dinner in honor of her father, Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter, also wore a white dress with floral motifs made with thousands of crystals. The choice of Oscar de la Renta (Dominican by birth, but settled in the United States until his death in 2014) is usual for evening or long events.

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