Did Jill Biden Just Throw Shade At Melania Trump With This Fashion Choice?
Back in 2018, then-President Donald Trump and first lady Melania were boarding a plane to head to Texas to go to a facility where immigrant children were being detained. Melania infamously wore an army green jacket with the phrase "I really don't care, do U?" emblazoned on the back in white. This seemed tone-deaf at best and downright problematic at worst. At the time, the president tweeted out that the message was aimed at the "Fake News Media," per the New York Times.
The irony, of course, is that Melania is an immigrant herself. At the time, the first lady's office said, "It's just a jacket," according to the NYT. But the press (and the public) were highly critical of Melania's style choice and pointed out that as a former fashion model she has a deep understanding of her own image, and how the choices she makes in clothing reinforce that.
Now, current first lady Dr. Jill Biden has donned a jacket with a phrase on the back, too — and it's in stark contrast to the message Melania sent.
Dr. Jill Biden's jacket has significant meaning
On a June 10 diplomatic trip to the U.K., Dr. Jill Biden wore a dark jacket with the word "LOVE" outlined on the back in silver beading. Was she throwing shade at Melania Trump with this fashion choice?
Dr. Biden accompanied her husband, President Joe Biden, to England and sported the jacket during a meeting with President Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie.
Reporters asked her, "Can you explain the message on the back of your jacket?" Per C-SPAN, Dr. Biden said, "Oh, the love? I think that we're bringing love from America." She went on to say, per Today, "This is a global conference, and we're trying to bring unity across the globe. And I think that's important right now that people feel a sense of unity for all the countries and feel a sense of hope after this year of the pandemic."
Though Dr. Biden did not mention the former first lady when delivering her remarks, all of Twitter seems to think that it was a jab at Melania's own ensemble. The contrasting coats certainly highlight the stark differences between the two first ladies, if not the two administrations of former President Trump and President Biden.
Dr. Jill Biden wore her 'LOVE' jacket once before
This wasn't the first time first lady Dr. Jill Biden wore her "LOVE" jacket to a public event. She was spotted in the bedazzled number in May 2019 when she and her husband, now-President Joe Biden, were on the campaign trail, according to The Washington Post.
Although anger seemed to play a role in politics at the time, it appeared Joe was trying to lead with unity, or "love politics," per the outlet. Jill obviously made a great fashion statement that day with her jacket. Love politics, the site notes, "flattens anger" and advocates believe "calmer conversations will heal our dysfunctional political system."
The navy Zadig & Voltaire coat, which costs about $600, is currently sold out on their website. It appears everyone wants to dress like the first lady! Jill apparently has a thing for statement-making pieces — in September 2020 wore a pair of $695 Stuart Weitzman boots with "VOTE" emblazoned on the side, per Insider.
Dr. Jill Biden generally keeps a low profile when it comes to fashion
Although former first lady Melania Trump favored designer couture when she made appearances, Dr. Jill Biden takes a more casual approach to her style.
In February, Jill was spotted in Washington, D.C. buying sweets for Valentine's Day, according to Insider. She set Twitter aflame not for her dessert selections, but for her scrunchie. When her daughter Ashley approached her about it, Biden replied, "What scrunchie?" She also discussed her viral fashion moment on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" that month and told Clarkson, "I didn't know what [Ashley] talking about. I still don't understand it."
It doesn't seem like Jill cares about who she's wearing, and her press secretary Michael LaRosa told Women's Wear Daily in March that her press team would not be discussing her clothes. Still, as Insider noted in May, "Everybody is looking at her clothes. Even if you don't give a hang about it, you're still going to be analyzed and criticized, and the question will be raised if you're trying to send any message. I think she's saying that she wants us to pay attention to what she's doing."
In general, Jill seems to go for a classic look, like blazers over sheath dresses accessorized with pearl necklaces and pumps. Working woman chic!