Hats, jewels, gowns, and tiaras!
State visits are significant not only for the discussions and agreements made, but also for the sartorial choices on display.
These events become a showcase of fashion diplomacy, as exemplified during US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s recent visit to the UK.
From the First Lady’s striking hats and vibrant yellow gown to the Princess of Wales’s golden dress and historic tiara, here’s a look at some of the visit’s most memorable fashion moments.
Melania Trump made a bold statement at Wednesday night’s formal state banquet.
She chose yellow, accented with a baby pink belt.
The strapless, floor-length, long-sleeved gown by Carolina Herrera was undeniably striking.
Without her signature hat, her face was fully visible for the first time on Wednesday. She wore her hair down, complementing the look with sparkling, dangling earrings.
According to celebrity stylist and Vogue contributor Marian Kwei, Melania’s gown was “not the expected colour to see at a high state banquet.”
“Although it perhaps is in keeping with state dress protocol, the strapless gown is a little on the daring side,” she observed.
This isn’t the first time Melania has worn a strapless crepe gown for an evening event; she chose a similar design for her first dance after President Trump’s inauguration.
Queen Elizabeth II, 78, attended the banquet in a royal blue, silk, marocain embroidered dress by Fiona Clare, paired with a sapphire and diamond tiara and the King’s Family Order.
King Charles’s regalia was in keeping with the high pomp and pageantry expected of a state banquet.
He wore a formal tuxedo, looking “every inch the monarch,” Kwei noted.
King Charles, 76, completed his look with a royal blue sash, a color that complemented Camilla’s dress.
Meanwhile, President Trump, 79, adhered to the white-tie dress code.
Melania, 55, is known for her impressive headwear; her white and navy wide-brimmed hat was a prominent feature at her husband’s inauguration earlier this year.
An awkward moment occurred when Trump attempted to kiss her, and the hat’s brim made it a challenge, sparking internet buzz.
The First Lady opted for a similarly dramatic style during Wednesday’s initial official events, arriving at Windsor Castle in a wide-brimmed purple hat that partially obscured her eyes, paired with a classic, dark grey Dior suit.
“Melania’s hat is not by chance,” Kwei commented.
“The hat with the wide brim that hides her face is pointing to a stance where she wants all eyes on her husband and his agenda while here,” she added.
Kwei noted that Melania’s hat matched the exact color of Trump’s tie, “in a nod to her support for her husband’s agenda during this state visit.”
Dior is a favorite fashion house for Melania, and, for Kwei, her decision to wear it is a nod to America’s support for Europe.
For Wednesday evening’s state banquet, the Princess of Wales chose a couture gown by British designer Phillipa Lepley, featuring a full-length gold Chantilly lace evening coat.
The coat was adorned with hand-embroidered roses with couched gold cording, accented with French knots and satin-stitched blooms.
The 43-year-old, sporting a new, blonder hairstyle, completed her look with the Lover’s Knot Tiara.
“Formal state banquets are one of the rare occasions when royals wear tiaras,” Kwei explained.
“Kate is wearing her favourite tiara, which is no surprise. It was a favourite of Princess Diana, and originally belonged to Queen Mary.”
“This is a really show-stopping dress and for me it really fits with the theme of this state visit being extra,” royal expert Victoria Murphy added.
She noted that gold isn’t a colour we see Catherine wear a lot.
“But when she has worn it in the past, for example for [film] premieres, it has always been a real red-carpet moment,” she said.
The dress code for the state banquet was white tie, and the Prince of Wales, 43, did not disappoint.
He was decked out in formal regalia and his orders, and wore an elegant Windsor tail coat.
“This is William at his most formal,” said Murphy.
She noted that on day-to-day engagements, the younger royals, in particular, can often be quite informal – but for an occasion like this, they pull out all the stops.
“The formality is all part of honouring the visiting guest,” she said.
Upon arriving in the UK on Tuesday night, Melania wore the most British of fashion items: a Burberry trench coat.
She wore the honey-colored, floor-length coat with the collar turned up, revealing flashes of its signature lining.
Melania completed the look with black sunglasses and boots.
Vanessa Friedman, chief fashion critic at The New York Times, suggested that wearing a British-made coat could be an example of sartorial diplomacy, a practice often employed by first ladies.
During the Trumps’ last state visit in 2019, Melania, a former model, also showcased British fashion, opting for brands such as Burberry while incorporating European houses like Celine and Dolce & Gabbana, along with American designers like Michael Kors.
Kwei notes that it will be interesting to see how the choice of a British brand on this trip will be perceived back at home, given Trump’s message is about prioritizing the interests of the United States.
The Queen was seen during the day in a vibrant, sapphire blue dress, a matching coat by Fiona Clare, and a hat by Philip Treacy.
She completed the look with a sapphire and diamond brooch.
The Queen coordinated with King Charles, who wore a blue suit and pale blue tie at the daytime events.
The Princess of Wales wore a burgundy Emilia Wickstead dress and a matching hat by Jane Taylor to greet the US president and first lady on Wednesday.
Both the Queen and the Princess chose to showcase British designers.
Catherine completed her look with a feather brooch.
Kwei noted that, similarly to the Trumps, the princess also chose to match her outfit to her husband William, who wore a burgundy tie.
“As with Melania, this is to show support and that she’s at one with her spouse and home country’s agenda,” she said.
“Blue and red!,” royal expert Murphy said of the outfit choices by the Queen and Catherine.
“This seems a clear example of coordinated diplomatic dressing to me, to reflect the US flag.
“It’s an example of how the outfits can send a powerful diplomatic message.”
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