Melania Trump's Most Outdated Looks In Donald's Second Term (So Far)

Back at the end of 2024, we took a look at Melania Trump's most outdated outfits, which looked like they were plucked from decades past (hello Y2K babydoll tops and '80s power suits!). And now we're flipping through her proverbial style portfolio to see what old-fashioned 'fits she's worn during her second stint as first lady. While she's still showing off her expensive taste by wearing high-priced shoes, she's also been rocking more understated looks – her style has become more low-key during Donald's second term as president, suggesting she's over it.

During her White House encore, many of her outfits feel more boring, less adventurous, less considered than in the 2017 to 2021 era. She's falling into a minimalism routine with basic suits and nondescript coats. Sure, it all still highlights her elegant aesthetic, but a lot of her looks feel flat. Blah ensembles plus retro styles that harken back to the past are leaving the first lady looking outdated rather than aspirational this term.

When it comes to accessory trends for 2026, big is in, and that extends to belts. The chunkier, the better. Though skinny belts were spotted for a while in early 2025, they definitely haven't had a moment since the aughts, when a metallic skinny belt would've been right on trend. So when Melania Trump ushered in the new year at Mar-a-Lago wearing a skinny waist cincher on her competing-with-the-disco-ball dress, it felt outdated.

Over the past several years, we've seen celebs like Rihanna, Sabrina Carpenter, and Elle Fanning sampling Christian Dior's celebrated New Look aesthetic from the 1950s, which paired a cinched-at-the-waist jacket with a skirt. But where Melania Trump, appearing at a January 2026 screening for her "Melania" documentary in Dolce & Gabbana, failed with the look was omitting a 2026 touch. The outfit needed a modern element, or something bold that would keep it from feeling so outdated.

Participating in a Toys for Tots charity drive in December 2025, Melania Trump, flanked by a Santa Claus impersonator, wore a crisp black-and-white outfit. Though a pea coat has been a classic for decades since Yves Saint Laurent popularized it in the '60s, the first lady's outfit looked a bit passé with her knee-high boots worn over pants. It gave the look too much go-go dancer spirit, taking it right back to the swinging '60s.

In December 2025, Melania Trump went to a Red Cross event at Joint Base Andrews wearing brown pants, suede Christian Louboutin boots, and a gray shirt jacket. Two years prior, in the fall of 2023, it was shacket season, but fast-forward two years and it was feeling stale. Shackets were being stashed away to avoid looking outdated. Something fresher in a pop of red or with a dramatic neckline (looking at you, funnel necks) would've solved the issue.

At the end of November 2025, Melania Trump welcomed the official White House Christmas tree. But it could've just as easily been either side of Y2K, when chunky highlights were having a moment. The thick strip of un-colored roots on the top of her head was uncharacteristically sloppy for the first lady, who usually looks groomed to perfection. The heavy wintertime bronzer also missed the refinement mark.

While Melania Trump usually looks elegant and sophisticated for public outings, she's also suffered a few blunders when it comes to appropriate fashion choices, especially on official overseas visits. When she and the president made their second official trip to the U.K. in September 2025, Melania made a misstep in her safari-inspired look when she toured Frogmore Cottage with Catherine, Princess of Wales. Her suede jacket looked outdated and more appropriate for when Nixon, Ford, or Carter were in office.

It's been said that fashion is moving past it's Covid-era athleisure, ready to embrace more powerful statements, including ones that show bold, feminine silhouettes. What that doesn't equate to is looking like a demure housewife from 75 years ago, as Melania Trump did at a September 11th observance in Arlington, VA. To look less outdated, she could've leaned more into the power suits she almost always pulls off well.

At the annual Congressional picnic at the White House in June 2025, Melania Trump wore floral-printed pants by Dolce & Gabbana that coordinated with her husband's tie. Floral prints can feel outdated when they're on a piece that also has a retro vibe, like Melania's cigarette pants. It all screamed '50s and '60s. Traditional and pulled together, yes. Fresh and modern? Not so much. We can imagine this same print featured on curtains that Ladybird Johnson had put into the White House in the '60s.