I will be the first to admit that when it comes to fashion, I couldn’t tell an Adam Lippes design (the guy behind Melania Trump’s inauguration outfit, minus The Hat) from an off-the-rack Old Navy clearance sale. That said, if I ever donned The Hat—the one Melania wore to the inauguration—and caught sight of myself in a mirror, I’d have to stop and say, “Uh, no, absolutely not.” Even an uncultured fashion bumpkin like me would know to toss The Hat faster than you can say “fashion faux pas.”
But let’s be honest. If I had Melania’s looks, I wouldn’t need a hat to hide half my face, unlike, say, certain other first ladies who shall remain nameless. Let’s just say their faces might benefit from a little strategic coverage.
But The Hat, handcrafted by American milliner Eric Javits, somehow managed to garner more headlines than the inauguration itself. Javits told “CBC Mornings,” “I thought she looked amazing, very polished, very pulled together. I think it (The Hat) reflected the formality of the occasion.” Of course, what was he going to say? “Oops, my bad. I created a monstrosity?”
Social media, as always, provided a good source of speculation on The Hat:
Melania made a bold statement. (Care to elaborate? Was the statement, “I dare you to wear this?”)
Defiance is a theme here. (Defiance against what? Good taste?)
The Hat was a calculated decision on the First Lady’s part rather than a fashion faux pas. (Calculated to achieve what? Wide-spread head-scratching?)
She wanted to disguise herself from critics of her facial expressions. (A valid theory. Hats off to whoever came up with this one.)
She decided on a very conservative outfit to be not seen. There was some thought put into it where you don’t even notice her, and that was done intentionally. (Sure, because nothing says “blend in” like a headpiece with its own weather system.)
She looks like Spy vs Spy from the comic. (No comment, but. . . yeah.)
And my personal favorite: She wore it to shield her from having Trump kiss her. It’s a strategic hat. It’s just wide enough so Donald can’t kiss her. (I wouldn’t rule that out, given the ill-fated “kiss” that went viral.)
Okay. I realize my opinion of The Hat is merely that—my opinion and it may not be worth much, as I have already freely admitted I have no fashion sense. I would love to hear YOUR opinions. Just know that if you say you love The Hat, I’ll have to assume you’re either incredibly bold or have questionable eyesight.
Spy vs Spy…LOL…too funny! Now I can NOT unsee Mrs. Trump’s hat in the comics.
Still laughing!
I thought Melania’s whole outfit, yes including the hat, was classy. At least she was covering her body, unlike Jeff Bezos’ fiancee who flaunted an outfit showcasing her sexy bra. Now that was poor taste.