Melania Trump is brilliantly copying Michelle Obama and becoming the most popular person in the White House

pulse

April 20, 2018 9:31 PM

First lady Melania Trump is replicating Michelle Obama’s style, and it's a powerful political move. See how it's getting her ahead in the White House.

Melania Trump was spotted wearing Converse sneakers that retail for less than $50.
Michelle Obama was also a fan of wearing Converse — and Trump is no stranger to replicating her look.
Creating a more accessible style like Obama's has proved a brilliant political move for Trump.

Spotted: Melania Trump wearing a brand for the people — Converse sneakers.

The first lady donned a pair of white Chuck Taylors, which cost less than $50, during a visit to Florida in September. In November, when she hosted schoolchildren in the White House Kitchen Garden, Trump wore $65 Converse Jack Purcell sneakers.

These affordable shoes are a far cry from the $675 Christian Louboutins she wore at the Republican National Convention and the $1,150 pair of René Caovilla sandals she flaunted while doing charity work.

But this isn't the first time a first lady has worn a pair of Converse. Michelle Obama sported the accessible footwear brand at the White House Easter Egg Roll in 2016 and again at MTV's College Signing Day in 2017.

Trump is once again pulling a hanger from the former first lady's wardrobe. No stranger to copying Obama, Trump also replicated her affordable style when rewearing a $75 J.Crew button-down (a favored brand by Obama) on Thanksgiving Day.

It's all part of the balance she's mastered when pairing high-fashion brands with more relatable pieces for public appearances. Swapping out high heels for All Stars is another brilliant move in her political playbook.

A recent Economist-YouGov poll found that Melania Trump's approval rating has soared to 48%, increasing from the 44% favorability she held at the same time last year. She's officially taken the spot as the most popular Trump in the White House, passing President Donald Trump, whose approval rating is 43%, and the second-most-popular female Trump, Ivanka, whose approval rating slipped from 44% to 41%.

In fact, she's the only Trump family member to have a higher favorable than unfavorable rating. So it looks like it pays to invest in a more approachable style.

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