The black power suit was showcasing a clear message. Photo / Getty Images
The black power suit was showcasing a clear message. Photo / Getty Images
Melania Trump stepped out wearing a classic black power suit as she accompanied her husband Donald Trump during a late-night speech where he falsely claimed he had already won the election.
The First Lady made the special appearance, standing beside husband Donald Trump on stage as he tried to claim victory despite vote counting still continuing.
She wore a Dolce & Gabbana pantsuit paired with a white button-up top and finished the look with simple black pumps.
While a body language expert described the First Lady's sleek outfit as "funeral black" and said she looked "grim" — some Twitter users described the look as "classy" and "confident".
Other commentators have pointed out the sophisticated suit was very different to the light and bright dress she wore earlier in the day to cast her vote – a sleeveless chain and horse bit print dress by designer Gucci estimated to cost around $6275, The Express reported.
The designer outfit was paired with Christian Louboutin pumps and a Kelly bag from Hermes, bringing the total cost to around $30,000.
While the print is an iconic style long associated with the Italian fashion house, several people claimed the chain design looked liked "handcuffs" and accused her of sending a "message" with her outfit.
Her black suit was in stark contrast to the outfit she wore to vote earlier that day which was worth more than $30,000 in total. Photo / Getty Images
She also chose to vote maskless, a move that didn't sit well with Americans after more than 230,000 people having lost their jobs to coronavirus since the pandemic began.
Despite flashing a big smile at the event, body language expert Judi James told Britain's The Mirror that Melania Trump looked "grim".
"Melania's signal facial expression can be beautifully impassive and Sphinx-like but the mood change today was dramatic, even though the actual expression changes were subtle," James claimed.
"Gone was the wide smile she had used during the election campaign, which had been so strong that people had even started to ask if she were a body double.
"In its place was a grim mouth-clamp as she gazed at her husband in her funereal black trouser suit and while Trump's kids buzzed about grinning excitedly as though celebrating a big win, it was Melania's appearance that told a very different story.
"She clapped her husband to show support but it was the raising of her chin that had the most impact.
Melania showed her support of her husband, but critics noted her tense body language. Photo / Getty Images
"It looked like a gesture of defiance that matched Trump's narrative."
She wasn't the only Trump to rock a statement black suit last night, with Ivanka also opting for a blazer and pant combo.
The senior adviser – and Donald's daughter – kept her buttons done up for the conference and appeared to not have a top underneath.
Her make-up was very glamorous and finished with a bold red lip.
During the speech, Trump claimed the election was being subjected to "major fraud" and called for the vote counting to come to an end.
"We'll be going to the US Supreme Court. We want all voting to stop," he declared.
It's not the first time the First Lady has opted for a tailored suit. At the three State of the Union events from 2017 to 2019 she wore a black skirt suit, a white pants suit and black, military-style coat respectively.
The President's wife has kept her distance throughout the US election campaign, even more so since her Covid diagnosis, but the Slovenian former model has appeared publicly over the past few days to lend her support to the Republican cause.
