Melania Trump and Jill Biden: Two opposite styles

The race to the White House is not only political, the confrontation is also done via the wardrobes of Melania Trump and Jill Biden, two women with two different styles.

On October 22, the world attended the last round of the presidential debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. The outgoing president and the Democratic candidate confronted in a ruthless but more evaluated verbal contest than the one of their first meeting in September. However, another debate was taking place between the wives of the two politicians, the fashion edition debate where Melania Trump’s too serious black tuxedo was contrasting with Jill Biden’s multicolored floral version. The opposition in fashion approach is obvious and eye-catching, and this opposition was already present during the first debate which also showed that they have a very distinct approach when it comes to making the look speak for itself.

The luxurious wardrobe of Melania Trump

Since she first arrived at the White House in 2017, Melania Trump has been choosing sharp and daring styles. And her recent looks at the National Convention of the Republican Party do not prove the opposite. We have seen her wearing an apple green pleated dress from Valentino, a khaki suit from Alexander McQueen and a fuchsia puffed dress by Jason Wu. A branded wardrobe that proves the first lady has a thing for luxury brands. And who cares if some designers, including Tom Ford and Marc Jacobs, refuse to dress her.

Also her so-called off-duty outfits are no exception to the rule: Melania Trump likes to bet on designer pieces. We still remember her Balmain checked shirt while she was gardening at the White House. Accessories are not left out: she rarely steps out without her Birkin bags. An appetite for luxury that has not escaped the American magazine InStyle, which in July 2018 listed her appearances in six different versions of the handbag signed Hermès. The value of her collection is said to be around 114,000 dollars.

Her interest in luxury brands exposed her to harsh criticism. During a trip to Sicily for the G7 in May 2017, her jacket embroidered with flowers from Dolce & Gabbana caused a lot of criticism. A staple estimated at 51,500 dollars, the average salary that an American citizen earns per year (63,100 dollars). "She pays for all her clothes herself", said Stephanie Grisham, spokesperson for the first lady, to Bustle. An article in the New York Times also mentions that the former model is sometimes dressed by the French stylist Hervé Pierre who, in addition to creating unique pieces for her, is in charge of shopping anonymously for her at brands like Michael Kors and Dior.

Jill Biden's great mix

For her part, Jill Biden chooses a more discreet style. Long accustomed to evolving in political circles, Joe Biden's wife relies on both preppy and casual outfits. Often seen in a skirt suit or in a knee-length dress, the American teacher sometimes allows herself to add some daring vibes to her looks. In October 2016, during her appearance on the set of the talk show "Late Night with Seth Meyers", she wore a black leather dress and a pair of electric blue pumps. A look that caught eyes of many and saw positive comments on the web.

However Jill Biden remains faithful to the style she wore when she first started becoming famous. Colors and prints were essential details of that style she pulled for years, so she continues in the same direction. Recently, during a meeting in Florida, she unveiled a multicolored floral dress. We also saw her in an extremely glamorous pine green dress by Brandon Maxwell for the Democratic National Convention.

Clothing as a political weapon

If the styles of Melania Trump and Jill Biden are opposed, they both have to show a politically correct and discreet taste. Donald Trump's wife experienced it in June 2018, while visiting a Texas shelter housing migrant children separated from their parents. That day, she wore a khaki jacket from the Spanish label Zara. On the back, we could read “I really don't care, do you?” (“I don't care, do you?”). Her detractors saw it as a proof of lack of respect when others preferred to read it as message directly addressed to her daughter-in-law Ivanka Trump. The First Lady of the United States explained later that it was a snub intended "to drive the liberals mad." However, this jacket will remain in the collective mind a diplomatic-fashion faux pas.

So far, Jill Biden's wardrobe has not yet created controversy. The wife of the Democratic candidate seems to master the linguistic function of clothing. She managed to give it a voice during the primary elections of the State of Delaware, last September: the wife of Joe Biden wore a pair of Stuart Weitzman boots, on the side of which you could read the word "vote" in capital letters. A detail that has gone viral on the web in only a few hours. The teacher also took a position on eco-responsibility during the first presidential debate between her husband and that of Melania Trump, at the end of September. Her Gabriella Hearst dress, worn several times, is produced in an eco-responsible way. A seemingly innocent gesture but with obvious symbolic significance in the face of Donald Trump who does not hide his climate-skepticism. Even in politics, everything is a matter of style.