The beauteous Melania and Ivanka’s Middle Eastern fashions
Yes, this is a frivolous post. I need a pleasant escape for a little while from the heaviness of the news. Maybe you do, too.
And the world cares about these things, as measured by the buzz about the way Melania and Ivanka Trump dressed on their visit to the Saudis and then in Israel.
Here they are in Saudi Arabia, just two outfits of many:
And here they are in Israel:
The Saudi outfits show respect for Saudi tradition, because there is no need for Westerners to wear head scarves—only to dress somewhat modestly, and Melania and Ivanka also add “elegantly.” In Israel, Ivanka is dressed Orthodox-style, but that’s because she is an Orthodox Jew (or some approximation of Orthodoxy; I’m not sure how strict), and she will be going to the Western Wall in that outfit.
Orthodox can be elegant, as I learned years ago in Brooklyn at a store run by Orthodox Jews and often frequented by Orthodox Jewish women, whose chic wigs and long silk dresses surprised me with their sophisticated style. Here Ivanka looks very retro, as well (1930s, perhaps?). Both she and Melania show themselves to be the models they both once were (Melania had much more of a career than Ivanka, of course). These two aren’t just incredibly attractive women who know how to wear clothes; they’re both in the fashion industry now or in the past, and very successful at it.
Both Melania and Ivanka are tall and slender, with excellent carriage. I doubt we’ll again have such a physically stunning distaff side of the First Family.
And I may as well remark on an odd thing I noticed: both remind me of animals. And that’s not meant to be anything but a compliment. For example, Melania reminds me of a lioness:
And Ivanka of a female gazelle:
And if you look at this uncropped version of the photo of Melania and Ivanka in Israel, you can see why I say I wouldn’t want to be photographed standing next to them:
However the woman on the right side of the photo (Ivanka’s left) fits in nicely.
Sharon W:
Probably only because she’s not standing right next to them 🙂 .
Women in the Trump family truly do know how to dress with style.
And, I gotta say, while I never would have thought of it, I do like your lion and gazelle comparison. It is perfect!
They are lovely and do America proud on the world stage.
to neo-neocon
“And if you look at this uncropped version of the photo of Melania and Ivanka in Israel, you can see why I say I wouldn’t want to be photographed standing next to them:”
Being totally unschooled in these matters – why? Are we talking a good thing or bad thing?
Just curious.
Those two dresses Ivanka is wearing are stunning, they may match in sophistication any that came before.
I really like the top photo – or rather, Ivanka in the top photo. Is she really that tall? I don’t think that’s just heels.
🙂
And most people never do see them up close…
I must be jaded after years of backstage fashion photography…
Addendum. After expanding the photos, the second deep blue dress by Ivanka is IMO less successful. It’s the top that for me is a bit off putting. I’d have preferred that the bottom part continue up into a full dress. The crossed ‘sash’ effect I find a bit affectatious.
But I love her little hat. What a naturally elegant woman. The very definition of a woman that would look good in a burlap bag.
Michael:
If I stood next to them I’d look like a dumpy tree stump.
I have had the experience of standing next to tall, model-like women, in front of a mirror, so I know whereof I speak.
I like that little hat, too. Just learned it’s called a “fascinator” — “a fashionable head-covering in American Modern Orthodox circles”.
And yet you still see lefties repeating the inane lie that Michelle Obama was “elegant” and “an icon.” They have completely abandoned reality.
Trimegistus:
Sometimes Michelle Obama WAS elegant. Sometimes not. Much of the time I thought she looked good. She had a lot more limitations, figure-wise, than Melania or Ivanka do.
So do 99.9999999% of the human race.
Philip:
Ivanka is really that tall. She is somewhere between 5’11” and 6′, and that’s without the heels. Her mother, Ivana (who was also a fashion model), is 6 feet tall as well. Donald Trump is tall, but not all that tall. It’s the women who are unusually tall.
Melania is the same height as Ivanka. And son Barron looks to become very, very tall, I would wager a lot taller than his father.
What a huge upgrade from Michelle. She never looked good and she walked like a truck driver.
The media who boosted Michelle are suddenly silent on Melania.
Michelle got a big plug today for wearing a rather odd looking outfit to Sienna Cathedral. I’ve been there.
It was not appropriate but the media doesn’t care.
Neo: “So do 99.9999999% of the human race.”
So true. It is well not to compare our looks to the those most blessed with beauty. For they are the cream of the crop.
Thanks, neo, love this!
Both are strikingly beautiful women with a great sense of style. I could literally look at Ivanka all day long and not get tired of her.
We all know about the burqa etc., but I never really thought about male sunni muslim garb until recently. It’s all designed to cover up the fact that they are all portly and bald.
It is my impression that a lot of European’s appreciate fashion and style, perhaps more than most of us in the USA, so I wonder how the press and fashion magazines will treat these elegant women over the next month or two.
At the same time I am reluctant to bring up the appearance of the previous first ladies in comparison because I don’t see it as a contest of any consequence.
Still, they have to be careful. Model bone structure results in long, usually graceful, hands. You can see that in other pictures of the two better than here, although it’s suggested here.
I saw a pic o Melania on a platform, presumably getting ready for something, with guys in suits. Might be Secret Service, aides, whatever. I swear she had the longest feet. Goes with the package.
I saw the picture of Michelle in Siena. She was headed into a church. A woman dressed like that would normally be prevented from entering. I was hoping that Neo would have a comment about it.
Whereas Michelle usually tried to show how cool she was with the young and hip (and not just in clothing), Melania and Ivanka are setting a standard for grownups. If only the young would want to be grownups. It’s hard to spot a person on the street that looks decent today. Nothing matches or contrasts in an interesting way. Everything is a hodgepodge of prints stripes and exposed bellies. The press should make these two a model for style.
neo, thank you for the photos. Very enjoyable. :>)
From these photos, anyway, it seems to me that Ivanka has a considerably better sense of what is attractive and what is truly elegant than does Melania.
Ivanka’s dresses are beautiful in themselves (but I do agree with Geoffrey about the blue sash crossed over Ivanka’s upper storey) and emphasize her natural elegance and beauty. That is, they suit her!
.
Side note: I looked at her stock photos on Getty Images. Even Ivanka does not always wear dresses that fit properly. Pity, at the prices the Beautiful People pay for what I assume are Designer Dresses.
Apart from being blessed with vast wealth, and long, lean natural grace and poise, wearing the same color top and bottom, i.e. a dress or suit, photographs well. See the woman in the distance behind Ivanka. (Note to self:-)
The both of them seem to always appear so elegant and appropriately dressed. I have yet to find myself cringing over the way they present themselves and their country to others. My sole complaint, if you will, is that I wish Melania would smile a bit more often. Certainly not to become some grinning clown of course, but she appears to be pissed as all get out so much of the time. Perhaps she just naturally has RBF? As a woman who achieved the height of 5’0″ and not a tiny bit more, I am envious beyond words at their carriage! Believe me when I say, no matter how altered the clothing might be, nothing would ever look on my frame like it does on them! Short legged women stand at a sincere disadvantage in the “elegance” contest. 🙂 Always enjoy the fashion posts Neo!
Perfect characterization of each woman’s stature and poise.
That said, we should all strive to present ourselves in the best possible light.
Note also their arms are straight down, minimizing apparent width and emphasizing the long vertical line.
They know when they’re “on”.
Geoffrey Britain; Julie:
I really like that blue criss-cross thing on top.
“Yes, this is a frivolous post. I need a pleasant escape for a little while from the heaviness of the news.” [Neo]
Then it’s not frivolous, is it? Besides, an essay dwelling on the presence of the first lady, whether Melania Trump, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush (etc.) and how she, too, represents our country isn’t IMO really frivolous.
For the men’s attire, yet again we see that there are no modern alternatives for the standard dress suit, always in shades of black, blue, or gray. Menswear for business and politics just seems so limited in the last 100 years. It would be nice to have a change.
In Saudi Arabia, those royals wore their traditional attire, making them look quite distinguished. The honor guard at the airport looked very sharp in Western-style military uniforms of green with gold trim, and with a red-and-white checked keffiyeh as headwear for the right cultural touch.
Mr. Trump is consistently well-dressed, which is not surprising considering his background and personality. And while he is 70 now, with some added weight and a rougher complexion, he was really good-looking in his younger days.
Re Melanie smiling, it’s an Eastern European thing. My mother was constantly telling me NOT to smile. So, naturally, I have a gigantic American grin…
Oh, my mother was born in Poland. Didn’t come to the US until her 30’s. She said smiling makes people think you’re an idiot. It must be cultural. She could rarely overcome that belief.