THE HEADSCARF: WHO DIDN’T WEAR IT BETTER?
As surely as Monday follows Sunday, there is some fresh political flak dogging the Trump presidency as he essays his first foreign policy trip since occupying the White House, stopping first in Saudi Arabia.
The flak isn’t about Russia, for a change, but about what First Lady Melania Trump wore on the state visit to Riyadh — or rather, declined to wear.
FLOTUS Trump ditched the traditional headscarf and abaya — a traditional floor-length Arabic dress — worn by Saudi women in favor of more “classy and conservative” attire, as was reported in Arab News.
This perhaps refers to the black jumpsuit from Stella McCartney (hey, what happened to “Buy American”?) that First Lady Trump sported when stepping off Air Force One and later meeting with King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in his palace.
That was paired with Christian Louboutin pumps, adding inches to her 5’11” frame.
She set off the jumpsuit with gilded accessories for extra bling factor (meeting with royalty, after all), and later wore her trademark Ralph Lauren, including a safari pocket suit, to visit the American International School in Riyadh.
Why does all this matter? Because back in 2015, a certain Twitter-happy businessman — Donald Trump — criticized a certain former US First Lady — Michelle Obama — for choosing not to wear a headscarf on her state visit to Saudi Arabia with US President Obama.
“Many people are saying it was wonderful that Mrs. Obama refused to wear a scarf in Saudi Arabia, but they were insulted,” the not-yet-President Trump gleefully tweeted in 2015. “We have enuf (sic) enemies.”
But as we’ve seen with President Trump’s frequent reversals — often contradicting his previous Tweets — hypocrisy never goes out style.
The Saudi press and dignitaries were not put out by the fashion disconnect. “We welcome any style in clothing,” said Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, according to Russia’s RIA Novosti. Well, within limits, one assumes.
While foreign female visitors are not required to wear headscarves and abaya, it is considered polite to do so before one’s hosts.
Presidential daughter Ivanka Trump also declined to don the headscarf and abaya, instead going for floor-length floral gowns.
No one noticed what President Donald wore.
Of course, the fashion wheel has turned now that Trump is in the White House, and he reveled in the gushing press from his Arab hosts. Perhaps the lavish business deals sealed between the US and Saudi Arabia — not including past construction of Trump Towers there — made Melania’s non-traditional fashion choices more palatable.