Ivanka Trump's Most Inappropriate Outfits Ever

"My top three style tips for women at work are context, modesty, and femininity," Ivanka Trump said in a 2010 Forbes interview. "Understand what is appropriate for your industry and in terms of how much skin is being shown." Ivanka was a fashion model and a fashion designer before she was the United States' first daughter. But when her father began involving himself in politics, the context surrounding Ivanka's clothes shifted and made way for several fashion faux pas.

Once Donald Trump entered the White House, Ivanka's fashion line fell into the crosshairs of a storm of controversies, including ethical concerns and conflict-of-interest accusations. Within weeks of the 45th president's inauguration, Nordstrom announced it would pull Ivanka's clothes, shoes, and accessories from its shelves, citing poor performance. Fashion has continued to be a contentious subject in the conversation surrounding the former first daughter, particularly when she has worn outfits that have been deemed inappropriate or insensitive to political events that have directly involved the Trump administration.

Women of the White House are often scrutinized for what they wear, and some of this scrutiny has, in turn, been scrutinized for its sexism. But when the sartorial gaffes in question relate to purposeful trolling, political insensitivity, or even sheer ignorance — Melania Trump's "I Really Don't Care, Do U?" jacket falls into at least one of these categories — they become part of a larger political discussion.

The 2016 Republican National Convention had several speakers, including four of Donald Trump's five children. Ivanka Trump, who has been christened "Daddy's little girl" by the former POTUS, delivered a speech on American labor laws and women in the workforce. She also unabashedly used her RNC appearance as an opportunity to publicize her own business interests.

Capitalizing on her own work, Ivanka wore the baby pink "Ivanka Trump Sleeveless Studded Sheath Dress" from her fashion line. The following day, a tweet was posted on her verified X, formerly known as Twitter, account that said, "Shop Ivanka's look from her #RNC speech," followed by a link to the dress on the Macy's website. It was an affiliate link, which indicated Ivanka could have earned additional commission from any purchases made. The $138 dress promptly sold out at both Macy's and Nordstrom. Some saw the outfit choice and the subsequent tweet as shameless self-promotion. And despite Ivanka's mention of American labor, the Macy's website (via NBC News) listed that her dress was sourced from overseas.

In November 2016, four months after the RNC controversy, Ivanka Trump wore the $10,800 "Metropolis Diamond Bangle" from her jewelry line in an appearance on "60 Minutes" alongside her family. When host Lesley Stahl asked whether Donald Trump's polarizing campaign had negatively impacted the Trump brand, Ivanka responded, "I don't think it matters. This is so much more important. And more serious ... That's the focus."

Ivanka's decision to wear the bracelet was not particularly controversial in itself, but the marketing tactics that followed were. After the interview aired, Monica Marder, former vice president of sales for Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, sent out a promotional press release to journalists that read, "Style Alert: Ivanka Trump wearing her favorite bangle from the 'Metropolis' collection on '60 Minutes.'" "Please share this with your clients," Marder wrote.

The botched marketing tactic caused an uproar online. New York Times reporter Eric Lipton tweeted, "White House as QVC. It has started." The next day, Abigail Klem, the former president of the Ivanka Trump brand, told NBC News that the email "was sent by a well-intentioned marketing employee at one of our companies who was following customary protocol, who, like many of us, is still making adjustments post-election."

In January 2017, Ivanka Trump posted a photo on X of herself posing alongside her husband, Jared Kushner, wearing an iridescent silver gown. Her timing couldn't have been more inappropriate, as it was two days after Donald Trump had issued an executive order that temporarily banned Syrian refugees and Muslim immigrants from select countries from entering the United States. Ivanka's dress, which was designed by Carolina Herrera and cost $5,000, drew criticism because it highlighted Ivanka's lavish lifestyle at a time when racism and human rights were central to the cultural conversation.

The following year, the Trump administration came under fire for the separation of children from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border. Photos circulated of immigrant kids using sheets of silver thermal blankets, and the photo of Ivanka's silver dress resurfaced. It was used to paint a picture of the disparity between those in power and those affected by their policies. Multiple X users, including comedian and writer Orli Matlow, posted split-screen photos of Ivanka's dress and the detained immigrant children. "Who wore it better: Children detained in McAllen, Texas or Ivanka Trump," Matlow wrote.

In February 2017, Donald Trump gave his first address to Congress. The speech pushed the slogan "Buy American, Hire American" and focused on encouraging Americans to buy American products. Ivanka Trump did not appear to have known the contents of the speech in advance, because she wore a fuchsia cocktail dress by French designer Roland Mouret to the event. A representative for the designer told The Independent that the dress cost $1,868 — a figure that pales in comparison to other ridiculously expensive outfits Ivanka has worn — and was made in the United Kingdom.

Many onlookers pointed out the irony and hypocrisy of Ivanka's dress, given her father's message. Members of the public also questioned why the first daughter was not treated the same as former first lady Michelle Obama, noting the off-the-shoulder cut of Ivanka's dress. "Remember all that crap about Michelle Obama showing her arms and if it was appropriate? Well, behold Ivanka and her shoulders," one X user wrote (via The Independent).

The Senate passed the Trump administration's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017. The bill included a Child Tax Credit provision, which Ivanka Trump had publicly lobbied for. While Ivanka was lobbying, critics were of the opinion that she wasn't the right person for the job because of her affluent background. Nevertheless, the Trump tax cut applied to working families in need, as well as those who were already rich (below a combined two-parent income of $400,000).

In June 2018, Ivanka posted a photo on Instagram and X of herself at a celebration of the tax cuts at the White House, posing with working parent LaSonya Hill and her family. "Today marks 6 months since the passage of #TaxCuts," Ivanka's caption read. "Thanks to the doubled Child Tax Credit, American working parents, like LaSonya Hill, will have more money to invest in caring for & educating their children. #CTC #TaxReform."

Ivanka wore a $2,110 Emilia Wickstead dress and a Chanel handbag and stilettos for the appearance. According to Express, Ivanka and her family later boarded the helicopter Marine One from the White House to Bedminster, New Jersey, which is home to the Trump National Golf Club, for a vacation with the rest of the Trump family.

Black-tie events indicate a formal dress code, but the lesser-known white-tie dress code is even fancier. For men, that would mean more complicated rules, such as donning an evening tailcoat, which, in fact, has a different make than a morning tailcoat. Women, on the other hand, don't have the option of playing around with the lengths of their dresses as they would at a black-tie event. A full-length evening dress will suffice, and the wearer can always throw in a long glove for good measure.

During the Trump family's visit to the United Kingdom in June 2019, they attended a state banquet at Buckingham Palace held by Queen Elizabeth II. The event was reportedly a white-tie affair. The Trump family dined alongside then-Duchess Kate Middleton, who was on theme in a white ruffled Alexander McQueen gown, sash, brooch, tiara, and diamond and sapphire earrings. Ivanka Trump wore an embellished, collared, cornflower blue dress by Carolina Herrera, which provoked commentary from the people of X for being too casual. "Ivanka looks like she's wearing a denim dress that she personally bedazzled," one of the platform's users wrote.

Ivanka Trump wore a cozy, knee-length, floral-print jacket tied with a sash to work in Washington, D.C., in February 2018. She paired the jacket with a set of matching pastel pink pants and finished the look with gray, closed-toe, stiletto heels. The navy blue-gray coat was reportedly designed by Rebecca Taylor and cost $895. The look also sparked discourse on whether Trump was starting a new pajama-inspired trend.

Well, it didn't become a habit, but it wasn't the last time Trump wore what looked like a housecoat outside of the house. On October 10, 2019, she posted a photo to Instagram of her visit to the Guadalupe Center childcare facility in Kansas City, Missouri. Trump captioned the picture in part, "We are striving to ensure all hard-working Americans have access to high-quality, affordable childcare."

Once again, her dressing didn't quite cut it in the minds of viewers. The photo showed her wearing a white wrap dress with a large sash, which some found to be an odd choice for visiting children. "Is she having a sleepover with these kids? Can't think of another reason she would be in her bathrobe," one X user wrote (via Express).

At the beginning of 2020, Ivanka Trump took a trip to India in the company of her husband, Jared Kushner. Although the duo's relationship has its strange aspects that everyone ignores, they still looked cute while posing in front of the Taj Mahal. "The grandeur and beauty of the Taj Mahal is awe inspiring!" Trump captioned a series of snaps on Instagram and X on February 24, 2020.

She wore a Proenza Schouler dress splattered with striking crimson flowers that seemed harmless at surface level, but a close inspection by an X user showed that the design resembled the COVID-19 virus under a microscope. Trump's timing was off, since her visit to the South Asian country happened when the virus had begun to spread stateside. The dress attracted horror and delight online in equal measure. As some X users openly expressed their distaste, others gave Trump props for being sustainable and re-wearing the dress, which she had previously worn during a September 2019 visit to Purmamarca, Argentina.

In today's pop culture-informed world, some voters have compared right-wing politics to the silencing and policing of women and their bodies in Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" and its acclaimed TV adaptation. The Hulu show features the "Marthas," a crop of servant women who wear dull green uniforms, which is in contrast to the teal shades donned by the higher-ranking "Wives."

On December 3, 2020, Ivanka Trump joined her father and several administration officials in the Oval Office as the then-president signed the Technology Modernization Centers of Excellence Program Act. Per usual, she shared a picture of the moment on X. While the act itself got lost among the headlines swirling around Donald Trump at the time, many noticed Ivanka's teal dress.

She had previously worn similar shades on multiple occasions, including in March 2018 (as pictured). The dress she wore in December 2020 was long and tailored, with a high neck and a secretary-bow tie around the collar. The style is worn on "The Handmaid's Tale," most notably by the character Serena Joy, the anti-feminist wife of Commander Fred Waterford, and a key figure in the creation of the oppressive Republic of Gilead.

Ivanka Trump attended the World Assembly for Women conference in Tokyo, Japan in November 2017. During her speech, she touched on work-life balance and her support for the economic empowerment of women. Trump later posted pictures of herself alongside the country's dignitaries on X with the caption, "Wrapping up a productive day of mtgs w/ FM Kono, Minister Kato & Minister Noda on workforce development & women's economic empowerment." 

Although her visit to the country was for a good cause, she received as much backlash online for her supposed lack of qualification as she did for her choice of outfit. Trump wore a peach-colored Miu Miu two-piece suit with a miniskirt and full sleeves, retailing at $1,960. She paired it with closed-toe black stilettos. The length of her skirt landed far above the knee, which was deemed inappropriate for such a high-level engagement. "We never hear what becomes of these meetings. BTW your skirt is way too short to look professional," one X user wrote. While this criticism towards her can be seen as misogynistic, users online wondered whether the traditionally conservative country would take offense to the showing of skin.

Trump didn't get the memo because she was in the spotlight again a few days later. During a discussion on tax reform at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, she dressed in a short, black number with off-white ruffles around the collar. This time, she added sheer tights to the outfit.

Ivanka and Melania Trump visited Saudi Arabia alongside former president Donald Trump in 2017. During the then-first family's arrival on their first trip abroad, the former FLOTUS sported a long, all-black jumpsuit with golden accessories, while Ivanka looked splendid in a patterned long-sleeved, calf-length dress. There was nothing controversial about the duo's outfits during the state visit, as the country's only strict law at the time affected tourists; foreign travelers were required to wear the conservative abaya.

Melania and Ivanka were, however, not wearing headscarves, and the only reason it stirred up a storm online was because of a previous tweet written by Donald Trump. When former first lady Michelle Obama accompanied ex-president Barack Obama to Saudi Arabia back in 2015, she wore a reserved loose-fitting blue patterned coat and black pants combo. Michelle chose not to wear a headscarf, and Donald called her out for it.

"Many people are saying it was wonderful that Mrs. Obama refused to wear a scarf in Saudi Arabia, but they were insulted.We have enuf enemies," Donald tweeted. It seemed ironic that when the shoe was on the other foot, Donald wasn't as vocal. In the past, key political figures, including Laura Bush and Hillary Clinton, have visited Saudi Arabia without headcovers.