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Is Ivanka Trump trying to win over millennials with her new wardrobe?
When Ivanka Trump became one of the most prominent first daughters in history, her initial strategy for dressing in her unusual role could hardly have been more traditional. For the Inauguration Ball in January, she opted for a sequinned gold tulle gown by American designer Carolina Herrera- it was a classic, referential to first lady history and, well, safe. It was her stepmother Melania Trump who took the far bolder step of collaborating with unknown designer Herve Pierre on a simple, modern column design.
For a while, she stuck with heritage US names such as Oscar de la Renta (or her eponymous label) and very grown-up silhouettes. But in recent weeks, an intriguing new strategy has emerged from the first daughter which has seen her develop a more relatable style which taps into the mores of millennials. Whether it's under-the-radar names, ultra-affordable, trend-led brands or the buzzworthy labels which prompt some to part with a month's rent for a pair of shoes, Ivanka has- curiously- been trying them all.
Earlier this week, Ivanka arrived for a meeting on tax reform wearing a pink polo neck top with clashing red trumpet sleeves. Bravo to Ivanka for defying stuffy dress codes and all, but the top came from Staud, the L.A cool girl label which has become catnip for the street style crowd and Insta-influencers over the past year or two. She has also been seen wearing a velvet turtle neck top by Tibi, a label whose shows have fast become the most anticipated of New York fashion week thanks to its understated yet interesting pieces.
Like any self-respecting millennial (at 35, she is just on the cusp of being part of the social group), Ivanka has, seemingly out of the blue, developed a serious Zara habit. Just today, she left her Washington home wearing a checked trouser suit by the Spanish brand which has made Amancio Ortega the world's richest man. Earlier in October, she also wore a pencil skirt and sweater from Zara, amongst numerous other pieces which pepper her recent outfits.
The first hint that a first daughter wardrobe transformation was afoot came over the summer when Ivanka wore two dresses by Reformation, another L.A-born label which creates sustainable but on-trend summer and party dresses which are also beloved of Karlie Kloss, Emily Ratajkowski and Taylor Swift- not exactly the Washington elite demographic. Wearing a breezy white cotton design to board Air Force One, Ivanka would not have looked out of place sipping green juice in Echo Park.
So what's behind Ivanka's wardrobe switch-up? Perhaps it's simply that she's loosened up since those uncertain first months in the White House when it might have seemed more sensible to Washington-ify her image than experiment too much. She has also sought to distance herself from her personal brand which frees her up to try different designers at similar price points.
This could also be the scheme of Cat Williams, the stylist who Ivanka is said to have enlisted to dress her while she advises her father. Although she's not a first lady, Ivanka will be conscious of the impact which women in similar positions to her have had over the years- so why not make her mark by bringing millennial favourites to the corridors of power, perhaps she even hopes to win some over in the process? That's a tall order, but as soon as we see her wearing Supreme, we'll know she's serious.