Melania Trump channels the suffragettes in white at State of the Union

Melania Trump surprised me tonight at the State of the Union address for a few reasons.  In the wake of allegations of her husband’s affair with porn star Stormy Daniels, Mrs. Trump arrived for the address on her own wearing a stunning white pantsuit.  The symbolism of her fashion statement did not go unnoticed. It seemed to be a tribute to the early suffragettes and a more recent political figure, Hillary Clinton.   Hillary Clinton wore white several times at important moments in her campaign ( accepting the nomination, the debates) and even when she attended Trump’s inauguration.

Hillary Clinton on stage at the DNC in a white Ralph Lauren pantsuit.

For the usually subdued, almost “stepford wife” like Melania, this white pantsuit seems particularly significant. In a quiet way, I think she is definitely asserting her independence and sending a message. Although she made the obligatory appearance as the First Lady at the State of the Union for her husband (after going into seclusion, allegedly at a DC hotel), she did so on her own terms.  Unlike Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton, Melania Trump does not regularly wear American designers and tonight was no exception.

Melania Trump in Christian Dior suit, Dolce & Gabbana blouse and Louboutin heels.

In see of dark suits, in the midst of one of the coldest winters on record, Melanie Trump drew the cameras and the press spotlight with her white ensemble looking like she was headed back to Mar-a-Lago after the President’s speech. Even more striking, the pants were short and showed off her “boots were made for walking” nude Louboutins.

Melania Trump stood out in white at the State of the Union in a sea of dark suits.

Something tells me Melanie might be spending a lot more time in New York and Mar-a-Lago after the State of the Union.  The state of her own union seems fragile.