Melania Trump Made A Major Style Mistake At Governors Dinner & Everyone Noticed

First lady Melania Trump did not impress with her choice of silver pants while hosting the annual National Governors Dinner and Reception at the White House with husband Donald Trump on February 21, 2026. As expected, the black tie event called for formal evening dress. The president adhered to the style code with a black tuxedo, but Melania missed the mark by wearing pants, a silver belt, and a black blouse. 

This isn't to say that Melania's outfit was cheap by any means. The trousers were the Dolce & Gabbana Metallic Floral Puff Brocade Slim-Leg Ankle Pants, which retail for $2,395 at Neiman Marcus. Still while the 'fit was pricey, it did not adhere to formality of the event, a dress code that requires floor-length gowns for women. Of course, there are some exceptions where women can wear cocktail dresses in some cases. However, there is nowhere in the dress code that allows for ankle-length slacks for women. The fact that Melania, who was a host of the event alongside her husband, missed this  made the look that much more unfortunate.

Along with highlighting her lack of awareness around dress code etiquette, this silver pants outfit deserves a spot on the list of Melania's outfits that totally missed the mark. Naturally, people on X had a few thoughts about the relaxed look. "Did she get dressed thinking she was going to a girls' lunch with some old school friends?" one person tweeted. "I like this outfit but not for this event am I wrong? It's giving casual," another commented.

Melania Trump made the exact same fashion mistake at the previous National Governors Association Evening Dinner in February 2025. She arrived with Donald Trump in a suit that was also designed by Dolce & Gabbana. While she was technically wearing a tuxedo-style fit, Melania dressed it down by leaving the top buttons of her shirt undone. The trousers were also ankle-length, which added to the casual vibe. While this was far from one of Melania's worst style choices, the look itself was still in violation of a formal dress code. It was also quite boring. Melania has worn a few outfits that had us yawning, but this plain black ensemble seems low-effort for such an important dinner.

 As for why Melania keeps making these fashion mistakes remains a mystery. It's worth noting that during her husband Donald's Trump's first presidential term, she hit it out of the park when it came to styling choices for big events, like the Governor's Dinners. In 2020, she wore a fabulous, floor-length black gown that was black tie perfection. Melania's clearly using clothing this second time around to send a message that she's doing things her own way as first lady; while this is laudable, it's still a good idea to wear black tie attire at a black tie event.