Melania Trump's Biggest Fashion Fails All Have One Big Thing In Common

Melania Trump can slay when it comes to an outfit, but one common feature of her wardrobe keeps holding her back: her coats. The first lady and former model can certainly dress to impress. We've seen her walk out in some eye-wateringly expensive looks, like these lavish outfits that came with jaw-dropping price tags. Melania isn't one to budget when it comes to her wardrobe, but she certainly looks good... most of the time.

Still, while she often looks incredible, Melania has had a few misses over the years, getting caught in more than one outdated trend. Like all the Trump women, she's no stranger to sartorial mistakes. 

The big fashion piece that consistently gets her into trouble are her jackets. Remember that military green Alexander McQueen belted jacket that Melania wore for her RNC speech in 2020? She looked like a general. Then there's the infamous "I really don't care, do you?" jacket that got her into so much hot water when she visited Texas in 2018. There are also other outerwear moments that — while less contentious — were unflattering, distracting, or downright unstylish. And some of these jackets just didn't feel right for the occasion.

While Melania Trump absolutely wins when it comes to the base of an outfit — her dresses are sublime, her pantsuits rock, and her skirts and tops are gorgeous — it's her coats that lead her astray. Melania has been on a huge animal print streak of late, and it's not helping her cause. It seems that if the print is outrageous, the coat is heavily structured, and there's a belt involved, Melania can't resist. 

We saw one such instance at Madison Square Garden when President Donald Trump held a rally there in 2024. Melania took the stage, in what would prove to be a rare moment for her on the campaign trail, wearing a zebra print, belted coat by Michael Kors. It certainly stood out in the crowd of MAGA colors, but not everyone loved the bold jacket. 

Later, on April 1, 2025, Melania attended the State Department's International Women of Courage Awards in Washington, DC, wearing a leopard-print coat, an outdated print she should have left behind. Additionally, the bold calfskin trench cost $11,000, making the garment feel prohibitively elitist. To be fair, the coat was a gift to Melania from its designer, Milly Park, who sent it to the first lady in December 2024 in the hopes that she would wear it. Melania certainly did, but the vivacious jacket felt a little too dazzling for such an important event.