What to Know
When you’re looking at the current state of the world, especially when it comes to the United States, it kind of says a lot when one of the only things to come to mind when thinking of the First Lady is criticizing her clothing choices — especially when there are so many other dire things that need to be discussed! But alas, that seems to be the world we live in. Melania Trump is facing backlash after attending the Governors Dinner at the White House on February 21, 2026, in what a lot of people have deemed an “inappropriate” outfit. Should she have gone for the full black-tie look or was something a bit more unconventional okay? The online fashion police have certainly sounded their alarms.
The outfit that Melania Trump wore to the Governors Dinner is slammed by social media critics.
If there’s one thing you can say about Melania Trump, it’s that she often uses these special events at the White House as a way to showcase her unique fashion sense. On the arm of her husband, Donald Trump, who is fully clad in an all-black tuxedo and bowtie, Melania Trump wore an outfit to the Governors Dinner on February 21, 2026, that most would deemed rather unconventional, especially when it comes to a formal black-tie gala.
According to the Daily Mail, Melania wore metallic silver cigarette-style brocade pants by Dolce & Gabbana along with a black tie front neck blouse from the brand. Altogether, they retail for approximately $4600. Shockingly, it’s not really the hefty price tag that’s shocking to most people, but how the 55-year-old took it upon herself to dress in an ensemble that feels not so black-tie appropriate for this formal gala.
One perplexed individual commented on this Fox News post on X, “She’s wearing slacks to black tie. OK then.” Another person couldn’t help themselves by leaving a biting comment that read, “Wonder how much the aluminum foil pants cost.” Another commenter shared their thoughts on X by leaving a comment that said, “Disco Dawn and Grandpa showing up for dinner.” Okay, that’s kind of funny, but ouch!
Surprisingly, there are a few people who come to Melania’s defense when it comes to her outfit choice.
While there’s continually been some online chatter about how Donald Trump gets his wife to appear alongside him at special events, one person commented on X that this must have been “another contractually obligated appearance” by Melania. It is kind of interesting to think about why you sometimes don’t see her for months and then all of a sudden, there she is again.
While one person on X exclaims, “I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again, someone needs to replace her stylist. Black tie doesn’t mean disco ready,” there are actually some folks coming to Melania’s defense. One individual commented back to this person and said, “She knows what she’s doing. She’s gorgeous. She could wear a paper bag and make it look good.” Okay, we really wouldn’t go that far.
Another individual felt the need to bring one’s individuality into the mix by commenting on X that “Melania is her own unique person! She wears what she wants to wear and likes what she likes. She is not dressing to impress, but rather to express herself.” A totally fair assessment, but when you’re a public figure attending a black-tie gala, isn’t it better to just stick to protocol?
This is not the first time that Melania has faced fashion backlash.
Melania briefly addressed the General Assembly in September, 2017, about the importance of combatting cyberbullying across the world, with a message about how “empathy and communication” were of the utmost importance — um, off topic, but have you spoken to your husband about this, Melania?
Glamour.com and peeps on social media couldn’t get past the hypocritical messaging when speaking about how “no child should feel hungry” while wearing a bright fuchsia dress from a high-end designer that cost nearly $3000. Creates quite the mixed message, doesn’t it?
Commenters on X were not holding back when it came to this outfit either as one person said, “She looks like a Sumo wrestler in that outfit!” Well, that doesn’t sound like a compliment. Another person couldn’t lay off the caps lock when they wrote, “WHO PICKS HER CLOTHES??? THEY’RE HORRIBLE!”
At least when people are talking about her clothing choices, it gives them a moment’s pause from discussing all the other many arenas in this woman’s life that appear quite troublesome and certainly up for debate!
