What will make Trump's inauguration memorable for a long time - Anna Chaplygina

About Donald Trump's Inauguration

During yesterday's ceremony, I was particularly looking forward to one moment—the arrival of the Trump couple for tea at the White House. This moment is intriguing because, during the previous occasion, Donald Trump "lost" Melania. He exited the vehicle and, without waiting for his wife to get out, walked around the car and approached the entrance alone, heading straight for Barack and Michelle Obama. Melania had to chase after him alone and maintain her composure.

This blunder was widely discussed in the media at the time, comparing Trump's and Obama's behavior towards their spouses. It was in this misstep that people began to suspect the reason for Melania's subsequent "revenge." She no longer made an effort to maintain a facade. For most of the previous inauguration and subsequent events, the lack of emotion on her face led to a wave of memes online saying, "Melania, give a sign if you need help."

This time, Donald Trump patiently stood by the car until his wife approached him. I assume some work was done behind the scenes. As for the general public, Melania took a proactive and bold approach—essentially hiding her emotions from prying eyes behind the wide brim of her hat. Cunning and subtle. However, this still did not prevent new memes from surfacing.

Out of context, Melania's appearance was beautiful and elegant. But in the context of the ceremony and her role—it was an exquisitely veiled slap in the face. So skillfully veiled that it is hard to even call it a slap. It feels as if she's saying, "I will allow you to look at me, but not to see me." Complete privacy amidst maximum publicity. It reminds me of Jude Law in the series "The Young Pope": "The Pope will be like a rock star! Everyone knows he exists, but no one has seen him yet. You will see me only when you repent for your sins."

Ivanka Trump looked elegant and appropriate. The muted green color of her outfit allowed her to stand out among the other honored guests without drawing excessive attention. This is how Melania's hat could have looked if the wide brims didn't have a particular task. Besides hiding her eyes and emotions, it also prevented anyone from getting close enough to kiss her. It seems that the only person who managed to kiss Melania was Donald Trump, and not on the first try.

The dissonance of the wide-brimmed hat was further emphasized by the fact that most of the inauguration events took place indoors. The primary purpose of wide brims is protection from the sun.

The weather conditions generally diminished the ceremonial effect of the event. Due to the cold and the event's script, participants and guests were dressed in a haphazard manner, which did not add to the visual appeal. Some guests wore outerwear and headgear, while others were in short-sleeved dresses. Some managed to take off their outer clothing, while others chose to keep it on.

And here’s an important detail that I recommend taking note of. When in a cool indoor space, we typically remove our outerwear and throw it over our shoulders if we feel chilly. But we don’t remain with our hands in the sleeves. That’s an appropriate way to behave in a public passage, for instance, in a train station. This is precisely the awkward impression that arose yesterday.

Of course, we have a special case; due to the unique publicity of the event, the main participants needed to maintain a flawless appearance, where there isn’t always time for outfit changes or fixing hairstyles and makeup.

Well, yesterday's ceremony is an example of how sometimes, for the sake of safety and health, one has to choose between a bad decision and an even worse one (freezing everyone outdoors). It’s simply about making the best of what is possible, knowing that it won’t be perfect and graceful.

P.S. How many shades of blue could be observed in men's suits yesterday. A true pleasure for the eyes. And when people in Ukrainian business say someone can show up in anything because "he can already," I simply suggest looking at the guys in the last photo. I think these guys have more leeway than anyone else, yet no one's crown has fallen. Just like wearing tuxedos the night before.