The Full Style Transformation Of Melania Trump

Melania Trump entered the world with a passion for fashion. "My mom loved fashion, we loved to travel and go to Italy and Paris. It was something in me always," she told Parenting about her affinity for good style. However, the first lady didn't give all the credit to her closet-conscious parent, the late Amalija Knavs. "I think you are born with style or you are not," Melania said. "Even with a stylish parent, I always knew what I liked or didn't like." And that's served her well throughout her life.

Melania's style has transformed in major ways since her childhood, as the fashion-forward wife of president Donald Trump repeatedly adapted her wardrobe to drastically changing environments. From leaving her native Slovenia to pursue a modeling career in Europe, to moving to New York City (where she met Donald and became part of the Big Apple's high society), to life in the White House as first lady of the United States, Melania has lived many different lives, each reflected in her closet. 

There's photo evidence confirming Melania Trump's fashionable side developed early. In a 1973 snap shared to Instagram, Melania and her sister Ines Knauss proudly rocked adorable, matching pink babydoll dresses with a floral trim along the hem and shoulders, likely chosen by their mom. The two also learned the importance of accessories and looking polished early, as both had large bows in their hair.

Seeing Melania so put together at a young age, it makes sense that she credited her mom for helping ignite the style spark that would follow her throughout her life. "My elegant and hard-working mother Amalija introduced me to fashion and beauty," Melania said at the 2016 Republican National Convention. Her childhood friend Vladimira Tomšič also suggested it was obvious the Slovenia native was made for the fashion world from an early age. The pal told GQ, "She was always very fancy." Another friend noted, "Melania never wore anything from the store," revealing the youngster would design her own clothes that Ines and Amalija would bring to life using their sewing skills.

By 1998, Melania Trump was in her late 20s and had moved to New York to rub shoulders with high society — including Donald Trump. The two began dating, and she fit right into her glam new lifestyle thanks to some stylish, feminine pieces. While attending a Marc Jacobs fashion show with her then-boyfriend, a dark-haired Melania stunned in a light blue, plunging, satin knee-length dress with strappy silver heels. The rising star's outfit gave us Cinderella vibes, which fit with the rags to riches life she was living. Melania wore a similar shade during a Big Apple party that same year, posing in a slinky, blue, floor-length slip dress as she stood with the man who would one day become her husband. Slip dresses were huge in the '90s, proving Melania had her finger on the pulse.

Melania Trump's status and star power was growing by 2000, and the model was ready to embrace more glitz and sparkle to represent the celebrity she was becoming. For a Sports Illustrated event, she wore a floor-length dress with an abstract purple and red print, which came with a plunging neckline and ruffles under her arms, adding movement to the gown. Melania accessorized with a long, seemingly diamond, necklace that gave the illusion it was dripping down her decolletage to her navel.

That same year, she looked like a movie star on the "VH1: Divas" red carpet in a strappy, dark blue dress with lighter shades of blue forming a pattern of wavy lines down her skirt. The gorgeous, plunging gown was one of Melania's spiciest looks ever. The all-over sparkle made her stand out, and the thigh-high slit amped up her outfit's sex appeal. Because the dress was over the top (in all the right ways) Melania wisely went with an understated strappy black sandal and chose not to wear obvious jewelry to allow the dress' intense sparkles to be the focus.

In 2001, we saw Melania Trump wear at least two looks that wouldn't make it into her first lady wardrobe. When she and Donald Trump attended the Oscars, Melania made a serious statement in a plunging, textured white dress. The embellished short-sleeved gown also featured a knee-high slit in the middle, which ensured the model oozed glamor.

The beauty made another risqué fashion choice that year when she attended the "Sex and the City" premiere with Donald in a peach, satin halterneck top paired with tailored white pants, seemingly foregoing a bra. Unfortunately, while going braless has benefits, Melania needed a little more support and coverage for a red carpet event with so many photographers around. Also, her outfit's colors didn't work in her favor, as the super light shades washed her out and didn't compliment her coloring.

The mob wife aesthetic was a huge TikTok trend in 2024, but Melania Trump was years ahead of the game. The star embraced the gaudy, more-is-more aesthetic in 2003, with over-the-top outerwear at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Melania walked the red carpet in a shiny, cream, patterned coat with fur-look cuffs. She paired the showy number with barely-there slingback heels and silver chandelier earrings that made a major statement. Melania clearly wasn't going for the low-key, stealth wealth vibe, as her whole outfit screamed money.

It wasn't the only time she opted out of discreet fashion that year, either. At the Dennis Basso flagship store opening event, she gave us flashbacks to Teresa Giudice's style in the early days of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" in a loud, fur-look coat. She put the statement piece over a black pencil skirt with lace stiletto heels.

Melania Trump, who was in her 30s in 2004, tried fun, youthful trends that went against her usual style. While attending a Marc Jacobs fashion show, Melania wore a strappy pink top with a delicate, sheer fabric over her midriff, along with bootcut jeans, gold heels, and long, layered gold necklaces to create a cute yet casual ensemble that was so of the time. Though we wouldn't expect her wear this as first lady, the flirty look was super trendy back then and represented her style at a time when she was transitioning from single lady to wife.

She embraced another trend that year at the Citizen Change Political Art Exhibit Campaign. Melania wore a graphic, Mickey Mouse T-shirt under a structured black blazer, with another pair of bootcut jeans and black, pointed-toe heels. Though the outfit was fun and we appreciated seeing her try something different, it felt a million miles away from the flirty, skin-baring garments she appeared so comfortable in before.

Melania Trump acquired her new last name in 2005 after tying the knot with Donald Trump — and they didn't waste much time before expanding their family. Melania became pregnant with their only child together, Barron, that same year. In October, she stunned in a lingerie-inspired gown at a charity event, showing us maternity dressing doesn't have to be drab. The floaty black dress skimmed her bump and featured nude illusion cups under black lace for a sexy touch. 

She wowed again at a Cadillac event in November, in a dress more reminiscent of her early style. The pastel blue silk gown had a plunging neckline and an embellished band above her bump. She also continued wearing heels, opting for a shiny silver pair.

But while Melania was still dressed to the nines as she prepared for motherhood, she (surprisingly) told Tatler she wasn't a fan of haute couture pieces. "I'm not really into ... you buy one piece and you wear it once or twice and that's it," she said. Melania was still most definitely a designer clothing fan, though, favoring Valentino, Dolce and Gabbana, and Oscar de la Renta, said her friend Serena Boardman.

Melania Trump maintained her glamorous style through her pregnancy, and didn't let motherhood stop her dressing fabulously post-partum, either. However, she did opt for more muted colors, and her style appeared more dignified and refined. The beauty stunned in an embellished mermaid gown at an event in New York City mere months after she gave birth. She made what could have been a less-is-more look interesting by stacking several gold bangles on her left wrist. She also carried a bright red clutch, which, alongside her jewelry, matched the embellishments on her dress.

She gave black dress queen Reese Witherspoon a run for her money at the Second Annual Quill Awards Gala, which she attended alongside her husband. Melania slipped into a long black gown with a deep plunge and a shiny embellishment on her torso. She also showed she was trying a new aesthetic via her polished hairstyle, as she pulled her locks back into a mature up-do with a dramatic side-part.

Four years after becoming a mom, Melania Trump was still on her black dress kick — and we may know why. Melania wasn't feeling the love from big name designers, including Tom Ford, who admitted he declined the opportunity to dress her. Speaking during a 2016 appearance on "The View," Ford shared, "I was asked to dress her quite a few years ago and I declined. She's not necessarily my image."

Melania toned down her style in favor of classic pieces around this time. While leaving Trump Tower in New York with Donald and Barron, Melania wore a simple yet elegant short black dress. But that didn't mean she was ready to fade into the background. The future first lady put her own spin on what could otherwise have been a boring look by adding coral, open-toe heels for a fun pop of color. She wore another LBD at a Samsung event, slipping into a dark number with sheer material across her decolletage. This time, though, she stayed monochrome by adding black shoes and a black clutch.

After so many years on the arm of business tycoon Donald Trump, it felt inevitable that Melania would eventually lean into corporate attire. And her timing made sense too, as she tried on the aesthetic in 2011, when Melania's gorgeous transformation saw her start her own businesses. Melania was all about elevated workwear on the red carpet for "The Celebrity Apprentice" Season 4. Her white blazer over a black top, leather-look bottoms, and black, pointed-toe heels wouldn't have looked out of place in the boardroom, and appeared to usher in a new era of power dressing for the fashionista. 

Her style had a similar vibe during a visit to SiriusXM that year. Though she was likely heading to a radio interview (not a business meeting), she still leaned into the corporate chic aesthetic in a matching black blazer and wide-legged pants, over a white shirt with a few buttons undone. The pointed-toe heels, which served as her go-to for many years, only added to the business vibe.

Despite Melania Trump's years in the spotlight, she still didn't have a stylist in 2016. "I style myself and choose what to wear based on what I feel good in," she told Elle. "My style has stayed pretty consistent over the years. I always wear what I like and what is appropriate for the occasion."

The spotlight on Melania intensified exponentially during Donald Trump's run for president, and she adopted a mature style to match her serious new position. She wore an elegant white gown to the Time 100 Gala, but the slit over her chest and thigh-high opening ensured it was still fit for a supermodel. We also saw a more modern, regal vibe from her when she wore a navy pencil dress with short sleeves and a black waist belt while exiting a plane, an outfit that wouldn't have looked out of place on Kate Middleton.

Still, many designers publicly refused to dress her. "I have no interest whatsoever in dressing Melania Trump," Marc Jacobs famously told WWD. Christian Siriano told Time he wouldn't provide her with pieces either, despite previously dressing her for the 2010 Met Gala.

Melania Trump's style evolution continued in 2017 as she embraced her new life in the White House. The former supermodel began to favor more demure, conservative pieces, shunning the low-cut numbers she used to wear. During her husband's inauguration, she wowed in a light blue coat with matching gloves and shoes. Later that year, while walking with Donald and Barron across the White House lawn, she looked every inch the mature, refined, and modern first lady in a white tank top tucked into wide-legged, brown pants, with heels that fit the quiet luxury aesthetic.

Beth Dincuff Charleston, first lady style expert, told Elle that Melania's fashion overhaul was likely intentional to reflect her new role. "Her style has matured," she said. "I don't think we'll ever see her in those babydoll dresses she used to wear." After styling herself for so many years, Melania also began working with fashion designer Hervé Pierre. "My role is to dress the first lady and advise her," Pierre told British Vogue. "It's a conversation, a collaboration."

Melania Trump wore some outdated trends as first lady. But even though she struggled to keep up with what was in, several of Melania's ensembles still had jaw-dropping price tags. While leaving the White House with her husband, Melania made a statement in a dark red, leather-look coat by Les Rêveries, which retailed for $690.

Later, in 2021, she wore a patterned maxi dress while getting off a flight that marked one of her biggest departures from her pre-first lady style. The $3,700 Gucci number featured dark blue and orange geometric shapes, and the high neck, long sleeves, and midi length felt drastically different to some of the more revealing, glitzy looks she used to sport, pointing to a more mature chapter in her style file.

After Donald Trump left the White House in 2021, we didn't see a lot of Melania Trump in public, aside from a few glimpses of the former first lady walking around New York City in more casual garb. In 2023, she was spotted in a trench coat over a black dress with (shocker!) black flats, despite the then-former first lady usually favoring high heels. That same year, she was snapped in flats again in the Big Apple, this time a nude pair with black toes which she paired with a calf-length beige, A-line skirt and a simple black top.

In 2024, Hervé Pierre made it clear to WWD that Melania no longer felt the need to keep up with ever-changing trends. "When you are 54 [as Trump is], you own your personality and you are not following the trends," he said. "You have your own style. And if you are secure in your own look, you have character and you are in charge of who you are."

Melania Trump's quiet life was uprooted in 2025 when Donald Trump began his second term in office. On his second inauguration day, she made a statement in a long navy coat with a white scarf and a unique, square hat with a wide brim. The ensemble's designer Adam Lippes told WWD that, during his tenure at Oscar de la Renta, "There was no greater honor than to dress a first lady." Unfortunately, the outfit was one that totally missed the mark at Donald Trump's inauguration, feeling too costume-y for such an important event.

Melania got the memo, because she wore a far chicer look later in the year. When she and her husband attended a performance of "Les Misérables," Melania proved age is nothing but a number in a Grecian black gown that hugged her figure, with simple, gold embellishments on her shoulder and hip. The gown worked because it was elegant, but still fun and interesting thanks to the metallic additions. Sophisticated looks with a twist are exactly what we're expecting to see more of as Melania's style continues to transform.