At the inauguration

Secret message from Melania Trump’s hat revealed!

Melania Trump covered her face behind a wide-brimmed hat during her husband Donald Trump's inauguration. Boss-like, according to many. And a clear message.(Bild: APA/Chip Somodevilla/Pool Photo via AP)

While Donald Trump was ceremoniously sworn in as US President for the second time on Monday, his wife Melania's look was a talking point. Her hat in particular - as has now been analyzed - sent a clear message!

While some compared the hat to the oversized accessory from Jim Carrey's cult film "The Mask", to a Zorro hat or even a buzz saw, others saw it as a clear message: "I'm the boss lady here and I do as I please!" or as one Twitter user put it: "Melania in her mafia 'don't mess with me or my family' era."

This time, Melania Trump did not take to the stage in a bright "Tradwife" costume like at her husband's first inauguration, but in an elegant ensemble by American designer Adam Lippes.

Melania Trump covered her face behind a wide-brimmed hat during her husband Donald Trump's inauguration.(Bild: APA/Chip Somodevilla/Pool Photo via AP)

Melania Trump at her husband's inauguration. Boss-like, in the opinion of many. And a clear message.(Bild: APA/Chip Somodevilla/Pool Photo via AP)

The look was graceful and strong, consisting of a navy blue silk wool coat, a pencil skirt and a white silk crepe blouse. The outfit was rounded off with an eye-catching hat with a white band by Eric Javits - an accessory that, according to the designer himself, reflected "a thoughtful expression of herself".

Melania Trump at her husband's first inauguration in 2017 in powdery light blue(Bild: APA/Evan Vucci / POOL / AFP)

Sophisticated staging
But there is more than just fashion behind the stylish façade. Fashion historian Nancy MacDonell told the New York Post: "Melania is saying with her look: 'I am flawless and in control. She's sending a message that this time she's going to do things her way."

Indeed, Melania Trump's outfit looked like a well thought-out production - simple, understated and yet with an unmistakable message: she cannot be influenced. 

"Understated, classic - yet powerful"
 Hat designer Eric Javits was deeply impressed by the effect his work had on Melania. "When I held the hat in my hands, it was a simple hat," he said. "But on her head it became something powerful. Everything fit together, and her grace and presence made it a very strong visual statement."