Deciphering the message of Melania’s jacket

By

Opinion

June 25, 2018 - 11:00 PM

A professional model, first lady Melania Trump knows the power of fashion. Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/TNS

Melania Trump just gave the world a lesson in the ambiguity of clothing as a language — even when it contains literal words.

On Thursday, the first lady boarded a plane wearing an olive-green Zara jacket with graffiti-style writing on the back that read “I really don’t care do U?” The former fashion model understands the substance of style, and she undoubtedly knew that her back would be particularly visible as she mounted the airplane’s steps. So why, on the way to visit a shelter for migrant children separated from their parents at the Texas-Mexico border, would she wear such a thing?

It’s just a jacket. Her clothing choice was completely meaningless. That was her spokeswoman’s take on it. But, as many people noted, she’s not in the habit of wearing cheap fast fashion, so why pick this to wear?

Related
December 24, 2019
July 1, 2018
June 24, 2018
May 14, 2018