To be a power couple, you need to dress the part. On Wednesday, Donald Trump and Melania Trump aimed to do just that.
During their state visit to the UK to meet with the British royals on Wednesday morning, the president and first lady were photographed walking hand in hand around Windsor Castle while wearing dark outfits with matching purple accessories.
Lauren Rothman, a style strategist and image coach who works with business leaders and politicians, told Business Insider that their coordinated looks signaled unity.
“In terms of diplomatic optics, matching as a pair communicates stability and solidarity, especially when standing next to another power couple like Charles and Camilla,” she said.
WPA Pool/Getty Images
Three matching couples
The president’s outfit consisted of a navy suit, black dress shoes, an American Flag pin, and a purple tie — a departure from his signature bold red.
“By choosing a more muted tie that aligns with Melania’s deep purple, it’s still commanding attention, but it’s interesting because it’s more subtle and more united, and that’s not always what we see with him,” Rothman said.
The first lady paid her respects to European fashion with a full Dior look. It comprised a gray blazer with a peplum waist, a matching pencil skirt, and black pumps. She accessorized with a statement purple hat from the French brand, complete with a wide brim, which Rothman said “reinforces her role as a visual equal to the king and Camilla.”
Representatives for Dior did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.
The British royals took similar approaches with their looks.
Prince William wore a burgundy tie that matched the red Emilia Wickstead ensemble worn by the Princess of Wales, and King Charles sported a navy blue suit and tie that complemented Queen Camilla’s blue outfit.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/Getty Images
The meaning beyond the clothes
Politicians wearing matching outfits with their spouses isn’t new by any means. Donald and Melania Trump have done so on numerous occasions.
Related stories
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
First ladies have even matched outfits with each other. Melania Trump, for example, did so with Brigitte Macron in 2018.
Anita McBride, who served as first lady Laura Bush’s chief of staff from 2005 to 2009, previously told Business Insider that Queen Elizabeth II’s dressmaker also conferred with the first lady’s office ahead of state visits to ensure that their outfit choices would complement each other.
Though some matching outfits might be accidental, they’re often worn as a simple and subtle tool to showcase major figures standing together with a united front.
In Melania Trump’s case, the outfit also further cements menswear as her signature second-term style and large hats as her go-to accessory. After all, who can forget the navy-and-white hat she wore on Inauguration Day?
WPA Pool/Getty Images
While the leaders’ coordinated tones presented a harmonious image of the “special relationship” between the US and the UK, Rothman also noted the possible messaging behind subtle differences in their shades.
“You see the monarchy in a bright, unified royal blue, and then you see the Trumps in the darker, more austere shades,” she said. “Each couple is projecting identity through color — one that’s approachable and ceremonial, and the other is, I think, deliberately commanding.”
“There’s visual symmetry, but there’s an unspoken competition of influence, status, and authority whenever world leaders are together,” Rothman added.
