Former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral on Jan. 9 was meant to honor the revered statesman. However, it became a stage for another spectacle by none other than Melania Trump, and her attention-grabbing fashion choice for a supposedly formal and solemn event.
The funeral brought together a rare gathering of America’s political elite. Joe and Jill Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, George and Laura Bush, Donald and Melania Trump, and Barack Obama all shared a pew, creating a photo-op that captured the nation’s attention. Noticeably absent was Michelle Obama, who reportedly had a scheduling conflict, though her presence was sorely missed.
Interestingly, the real buzz wasn’t about who was missing from the memorial service — it was about what Melania wore. The evening before the funeral, Melania was already turning heads. As she and Donald visited Carter’s flag-draped coffin at the Capitol, her facial expressions became a talking point. She sported a grave, somber look as cameras were rolling during their public appearance. Yet, this was only the prelude to what would come at the funeral itself.
For the solemn ceremony, Melania ditched the subdued black coat she had worn earlier and opted for a bold black coat with an oversized white collar featuring a printed design that left social media ablaze.
Another post chimed in, saying what Melania wore was “so not appropriate” for the occasion. Meanwhile, a third commenter went further and wrote: “I normally like her style, but that collar makes her look like a Pilgrim. And the design? Looks like someone doodled on it. Sorry, just my opinion.”
The criticisms, theories, and memes about Melania’s outfit didn’t stop there. The exaggerated lapel design, which appeared asymmetrical and stretched around the back, became the subject of intense scrutiny. To some, it was an abstract design; to others, it seemed like yet another cryptic Melania fashion statement. One particularly imaginative viewer speculated the right side resembled a figure in old-fashioned military dress, possibly paying homage to President Theodore Roosevelt. “Solidarity wi fellow Rough Rider Teddy, Panama Canal builder?” they wrote, linking the outfit to Donald Trump’s previous comments.
Two days prior to the funeral, Trump had taken aim at Carter’s decision to transfer ownership of the Panama Canal back to Panama, calling it a “big mistake” and a “bad part of the Carter legacy” during a press conference. So was Melania’s outfit a subtle nod to her husband’s stance? Some Trump ers clarified that it had nothing to do with it and that the outfit was merely a unique design by the Italian fashion house Valentino. The large white collar was allegedly simply embellished with a print design depicting a sculpture.
Nevertheless, this isn’t the first time Melania’s funeral wardrobe has stirred controversy. In 2023, her choice of a gray tweed coat at Rosalynn Carter’s memorial stood out like a sore thumb among the sea of black worn by other first ladies. While technically appropriate, the look was widely panned as tone-deaf and out of place. Former advisor Stephanie Winston Wolkoff even accused Trump’s wife of deliberately using the occasion to draw attention to herself.
Whether the bold collar at Jimmy Carter’s funeral was a calculated move or just another puzzling fashion choice, Melania definitely knows how to keep people talking about her. On a day meant to celebrate the life and legacy of a beloved former president, she managed to make headlines without even saying a word.
Published: Jan 12, 2025 08:04 am