Melania Trump's outfit from the state banquet held at Windsor Castle has already made headlines and raised questions: she opted for a yellow dress from Carolina Herrera with an off-the-shoulder neckline and a leg split, as well as a bold lilac belt and a matching pair of velvet pumps from Manolo Blahnik. According to celebrity style expert and designer, Tyler Ellis, her look served as a brilliant symbol of the visit: "For her grand finale, Melania chose Carolina Herrera, the Venezuelan-born designer whose legacy was built in America, a choice that reflected both national pride and the spirit of inclusivity."
© Getty ImagesShe continued: "The gown’s refined silhouette stayed true to her sophisticated style, while the soft, luminous yellow hue brought a warmth that allowed her elegance to shine through." However, the entire ensemble, bold as it was, has raised one major question among royal watchers worldwide – did Melania Trump break royal etiquette and protocol for the state banquet?
Did Melania's daring dress break protocol?
Etiquette expert Jo Hayes, from EtiquetteExpert.Org, doesn't seem to think so. She commented: "Despite the naysayers, the US First Lady did not break royal protocol with her off-the-shoulder canary yellow gown, for last night’s state banquet at St George’s Hall. She did, however, make a very daring sartorial choice, but not one we should necessarily be surprised by."
© Getty ImagesAt white tie state banquets, she points out that women are required to wear a floor-length gown, and the more formal the design, fabric and material, the better. The etiquette expert notes: "Covered shoulders, gloves and a tiara are preferred, but not 'mandatory' in today's day and age, where the rules have relaxed – but only slightly."
Melania's dress 'veered from tradition'
Calling the dress a "very bold choice in style and colour", Jo states that it "may veer from 'tradition'", with its off-the-shoulder style, but is made more formal by the long sleeves. In fact, she is a fan of the look: "I personally love her 'statement' colour pairing - any colourist or designer will tell you that yellow and purple are a complementary colour pairing, and work supremely well together. The lilac shade of purple, the colour of royalty, also a nod to the regal event."
© Getty ImagesOn the other hand, she does assert that it perhaps isn't modest enough in the cleavage area: "Royal state banquets call for a level of discretion and modesty. So while the off-the-shoulder look is completely acceptable for a state banquet, a slightly higher neckline would have been preferred." In fact, Princess Kate
She does point out that the leg-split, however, is "not an issue at all", adding: "It's not scandalously high – it appears to stop at her knee. Completely acceptable. The dress is column-style – one wants to be able to walk comfortably, and a decent leg split is necessary to allow for this."
So, the verdict is, though Melania may have been pushing some boundaries with the low neckline, she did not, in fact, break any royal protocols with her brightly-coloured, eye-catching gown.
It’s been a week of high stakes diplomacy, showstopping glamour and spectacular pageantry, and HELLO! royal editor Emily Nash was lucky enough to watch some of it up close (in case you missed it, here’s her video report from Windsor on day 1).
Over on The HELLO! Royal Club, Emily has just posted her top three takeaways from a week when the worlds of royalty and politics collided in unforgettable fashion. Click the button below to read the post.
Tiffany Trump's gown
Tiffany Trump, the only daughter of Donald Trump and his second wife, Marla Maples, followed in her stepmother's footsteps at the State Banquet. Accompanied by her husband, Michael Boulos, with whom she welcomed a son just four months ago, she stunned in a royal blue off-the-shoulder gown adorned with glittering sequins and an elegant drape to the side, with a similar design to the piece worn by her mother, though the leg split on her dress was slightly lower.
© Getty ImagesShe accessorised with a pair of black heels, a blue clutch and diamond jewellery, wearing her long blonde hair in tumbling waves that fell down her back.
