If you know me or you’ve been reading my blog for very long, you already know that I’m not a Trump supporter, but what does that have to do with fashion?
Earlier this week, while traveling with her husband, Melania Trump stepped into the Sicilian sunshine wearing a colourful appliquéd jacket by Italian fashion house, Dolce & Gabbana, that sells for $51,000 USD.
Excuse me?
$51 000!
And that probably doesn’t even include the matching clutch!
For those of us north of the border, that’s almost $70 000 CAD!
Contemplate for a moment the fact that electing Donald Trump was considered a triumph for the common man. He fashioned himself as a proud champion of the ordinary American who was fed up with big money running the country. Then consider that his wife’s jacket sells for just $5516 less than the median household income for the United States in 2015 (the most recent year for which data is presently available) which was $56 516. I don’t know of any common man, or woman, with a clothing budget like that one!
I can’t help wondering what the common American would do with that $51 000. Pay off their mortgage? Send their kid to college? Pay for health insurance? $51 000 would buy a lot of groceries!
One of the things to consider when trying to decide if the price of a garment is too high is cost per wear. It makes sense to put more money into an investment piece that will be worn many times season after season than an item that will only be worn a few times. If Mrs. Trump wore her jacket once a week for the next five years, it would still cost almost $200 a wear!
Unbelievable, and in my opinion, inexcusable!
Following Augustine 
Inexcusable – yes! And how about the fact that the American public pay out $1 million dollars every weekend, so that he can fly to Florida to play a round of golf??? Not many common Americans can afford that every week either….unbelievable…
It’s difficult to find accurate information, but several sources claim that those weekend getaways cost the American taxpayers more than $3 million USD each!
Just to point out on the campaign trail Hillary Clinton wore many pant Suits and jackets that held similar value and no one batted an eye…. Same with the previous first lady.
There is no question that Hillary also spent a fortune on her wardrobe. The Giorgio Armani tweed jacket that she wore while giving her New York Primary victory speech in April cost a whopping $12 495 USD. Michelle Obama was known for mixing off-the-rack garments with custom creations from top designers that may have also run into five figures. My complaint with the Trumps in this case is the fact that it points out so glaringly that they are not representative of the common American people. His victory was not a triumph for the common man as he and many of his supporters claimed.
In America you can become financially a success. So, if you can afford something it is okay.
Personally, I have a problem with anyone spending that much money on an item of clothing even if they can afford it, but especially someone who claims to identify with the common person.
They have the money… they are not us… it look fabulous on her.
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