Just days before returning to the White House as First Lady, Melania Trump turned heads with the unique outfit she chose to wear at former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral.
The funeral brought together several former presidents, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden were also in attendance, as expected.
Donald and Melania Trump were present at the official state funeral held last week at the Washington National Cathedral.
Melania’s outfit quickly became a hot topic on social media, sparking debate—something that’s far from new when it comes to her fashion choices.
Melania stepped out in a black Valentino trench coat, but it was the unique Peter Pan-style collar featuring a “rose-kiss” print of a 19th-century sculpture by Auguste Rodin that really turned heads.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, this design was part of Valentino’s fall 2019 collection, appearing across multiple pieces.
While some praised her look, others didn’t hold back their criticism.
“I’m glad Melania finally chose an appropriate black dress for a funeral,” one person remarked.
Another quipped, “She just got off the Mayflower,” while some even likened her outfit to that of a “pilgrim.”
A spectacular style statement by Melania Trump at Jimmy Carter’s funeral 🌹
With impeccable elegance and mastery, she delivers a stunning moment that blends art, fashion, Italian designers, Rodin’s sculptures and a heartfelt tribute to love
Let’s explore why in this Thread 🧵 pic.twitter.com/69Eyx0ThGm
— Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) January 9, 2025
“WTF is Melania wearing? Did the nun store have a sale or something?” one person joked, according to the Daily Beast.
Another chimed in, “Melania looks like she’s rocking a pilgrim outfit,” while someone else added, “Guess this is the start of four years of asking, ‘What the f— is Melania wearing?’”
One more commenter took it a step further, saying, “Did Melania just finish cleaning the bathroom or what?”
In the past, the public and the media criticized Melania for her outfits.
One example was in 2017 when she attended the G7 summit in Sicily alongside her husband, wearing a $51,000 Dolce & Gabbana floral coat. At the time, USA Today pointed out that the coat’s price tag was roughly equal to the average annual household income in the U.S.
Stephanie Grisham, a former White House press secretary and author of I’ll Take Your Questions Now, shared a moment when Trump lost his temper over what he saw as a major misstep by his wife. During a visit to a migrant housing facility in Texas, Melania wore a jacket with the words “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” printed on the back. The choice sparked widespread backlash and made her husband’s administration an even bigger target for criticism.
Melania had intended to soften the administration’s image, but the controversial jacket backfired. Ultimately, she ended up abandoning the program altogether.
Another detail people couldn’t help but notice about Melania was how unusually sad she seemed. It turns out the reason for this was deeply personal — President Carter’s funeral happened to fall on the one-year anniversary of her mother, Amalija Knavs, passing away.
Amalija, who was 78 when she passed, left behind a legacy filled with love and kindness.
