To everyone complaining about @FLOTUS Melania tRump's 6" CFM stiletto heels:
Don't worry she came to #HoustonFlood prepared. ? pic.twitter.com/77a516CYAM— STOP (@DisTrumpia) August 29, 2017
Twitterers are working themselves into a debilitating meme-producing frenzy after photos emerged of Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump languorously departing the White House on Tuesday morning to assess the Hurricane Harvey damage in Texas.
Related: But of course Donald Trump is using Hurricane Harvey to promote his new $40 campaign hats
In what’s proven to become a controversial fashion choice, Melania decided the occasion called for a bomber jacket, tight black jeans, and hell-a-rockin’ stiletto heels. It’s that last detail people are having a hard time wrapping their head around.
As Washington Post’s Robin Givhan put it:
Observers were baffled by her shoes in particular. Those shoes. Those shoes. Good Lord, those shoes. She is fond of Manolos and Louboutins. But it’s not the brand or the cost: It’s the heels. She defies gravity in them. She floats above it all. They aren’t power heels; they’re sexy heels. Heading off to Texas, she looked dressed to view a natural disaster from a distance, from on high, not up close.
The decision also galled The New York Times’ fashion writer Vanessa Friedman:
When is a shoe not just a shoe?
When it is a pair of very high, needle-thin heels worn by the first lady of the United States on her way to the site of a natural disaster. Then it becomes a symbol for what many see as the disconnect between the Trump administration and reality; another example of the way in which this president and his family continue to define “appropriate” their own way; and an excuse for partisan name-calling.
While it’s true Mrs. Trump had changed by the time the plane landed in Texas — she entered the state wearing white sneakers, white T-shirt, and a baseball cap with the word “FLOTUS” across the front — that didn’t stop the American people from falling into a highly suggestive alpha state to begin conceiving stiletto-fixated memes at an alarming rate.
Here’s how that’s been going:
Stiletto rescue
Melania to the Gulf Coast
Retaining class strut#haiku @BobKincaid @deadlee2213 @KBOO @kpfa @CBCNews @CBCSunday @anniebacon pic.twitter.com/bKfLx1vq8f— Clarity (@plerf) August 29, 2017
Which stiletto should Melania wear next time she's visits people who've lost everything pic.twitter.com/2PNqn154Y2
— David Samples ? (@NatureGuy101) August 29, 2017
W H communique
Donald wears Barbour bomber and Timberlands.
Melania wears woolwich blouson and Bruno magli stiletto. pic.twitter.com/dNJ80VCzyb— John Einar Funck (@EinarFunck) August 29, 2017
I know where I have seen Melania Trump before…Stiletto Gate. pic.twitter.com/QHDGEmIDNU
— ??IDIOCRACY??? (@buzzbuzz7987) August 29, 2017
Thank u so much for lending your fashion support to the good people of Texas! Wow Melania! A fierce yet sensible stiletto rescued me 4 sure! pic.twitter.com/QDCvvTLX0E
— Anika Reitman (@AnikaCorina) August 29, 2017
"Stiletto pumps in da flood." – Melania pic.twitter.com/evFUZqqxOO
— Ashley (@happyveganista) August 29, 2017
A long distance dedication to Melania! Exclusive: Billy Joel performs Stiletto in Moscow in 1987 – video https://t.co/hyKrb9UlcZ #Resist
— California Satellite (@JerryBrownRocks) August 29, 2017
In Houston, Melania offers a sneak peek of the Trump family's new #HurricaneHarvey stiletto rain boots (available on the WH website). pic.twitter.com/ES7vqPcuHC
— Linda (@lindachilders1) August 29, 2017
#MelaniaStiletto ready to help in her stilettos. Can it get any worse? #nopinchewall pic.twitter.com/b6cn50bdOg
— Martín Paredes (@martinparedes) August 29, 2017
1st Lady Melania Trump In 5 inch stiletto heels
boarding AF1 Headed 2 Texas Disaster ?
***SO OUT OF TOUCH*** pic.twitter.com/r3GpHRPJKF— jeanann bogar (@JeanannBogar) August 29, 2017
Melania Trump is wearing stiletto heels to a disaster zone? Did she think the flooding was gone already? pic.twitter.com/0PQ8fOcTAx
— Stacey Looker (@staceylee1012) August 29, 2017
More Trump Tweets that did not age well. and Melania in Stiletto heels OMFG when the rich circulate among the peasants pic.twitter.com/uvHBKkOzx0
— Manolete John Garcia (@MJGarciaKCMO) August 29, 2017
@FLOTUS Melania #tRump wearing stiletto pumps ? nice touch for the soul-less. Cheeto dragged her on this stupid vanity trip. pic.twitter.com/liaKUPsaQ1
— Maverick™ ? (@spooney35) August 29, 2017
#Trump & #Melania ready to roll up their pant legs & help out those who have lost everything to #HurricaneHarvey! Great people! #Stiletto pic.twitter.com/fgq0i23ugD
— Marco Del Chiaro (@Getthefacts2016) August 29, 2017
Ummmm Yeah
No she didn’t. She wore them onto the plane. Then changed into tennis shoes before she arrived. Stop making up unimportant garbage.
leobaga
Umm.. you do know Queerty is Fake News, right?
The hatred towards Trump is unbelievable. Trump hates Muslim terrorists who want us thrown off the building.
BigWill
@leobaga Ah, a timeworn classic from the Mo Bro playbook.
Brody
leobaga –
And yet, liberals defend Islam while insisting Trump wants us dead.
Priorities seriously fu’d-up due to angry derangement.
Ummmm Yeah
It really has become that way the last few years Brody.
DCguy
Wow, THREE of Mo Bros Screenames all agreeing with each other in one post.
Anybody notice that the only postings that bring out more of his rage and trolls than things about the GOP are when anybody mentions the First Lady. Looks like our little anti-lgbt Basement troll has a crush on Melania.
BigWill
@DCguy: Mo Bro, et al is like Sybil—17 personalities (and screen names). Regrettably, they are all A-holes.
Sundance
@leobaga You got it all wrong. It’s the alt-right terrorists who want to throw of buildings, dear Islamaphobe.
1EqualityUSA
Trump’s shoes do not look as though they were worn once. Loose skin over the backs of stilettos, mmm, no, time for velcro. With Trump’s rest-home sensi-pants and over all, ill-fitting geek-wear, it appears to be family outing day at the facility. He must be back in time for Metamucil and Fox ‘n’ Friends.
am_psi
Talk about nitpicking. Melania is not going to be hauling boxes or wading in the water. She’s just there to show support.
1EqualityUSA
and suck resources away from the trouble zone so that they can have a photo-op. blah.!
Sundance
She was actually there to sale Trump’s caps. She changed shoes after they became aware of the Twitter backlash.
Caine
why is anyone on here defending Melania? #givemeabreak
leobaga
Because we ae not gullible like you. No terrorists killing gays at nightclubs so far. Thanks Trump.
Ummmm Yeah
It’ s not even about defending her. It’s about demanding honesty and no looking like fools to the rest of the country. Being seen as a bunch of hysterical liars sends voters to the republicans.
KaiserVonScheiss
When you have nothing better to talk about….
JaredMacBride
The stupidity of the attacks on the Trumps is off the charts, and it’s a big reason those attacks aren’t swaying the public.
leobaga
Trump won and will keep winning because the public is smart. 10 million voters who voted for Obama voted for Trump.
DCguy
Awwww, look. how adorable, the new Russian Troll accounts are on here trying to avoid the topic of Trump’s approval numbers being in the 30s.
Putin must REALLY love this guy.
Sundance
Oh, really? His approval rating is down to 16%. I think social media has had something to do with it.
mhoffman953
People are dying and starving in Texas and Queerty is more worried about Melania Trump’s shoe style or President Trump’s hat
DCguy
That’s funny, a woman was run down by Nazis and KKK groups in Charlottsville and you and your other screenames immediately started screaming about hats, and antifa.
So lets not try to pretend we don’t see exactly what your troll game is ok?
mhoffman953
@DCguy
Every story on here makes you come off as more unhinged. You’ve replied to nearly every person who commented on this topic.
Did you honestly compare a natural disaster that’s displacing thousands upon thousands upon thousands and causing damage that will take years to repair to a protest where groups of people fought each other?
I thought even you who claims to be a compassionate liberal would at least agree with my statement that her shoe choice is the last thing we should worry about, but you didn’t. It shows that you’re more worried about attacking Trump than the people who are starving in Texas. Plus I don’t remember anyone talking about hats regarding Charlottesville.
BigWill
LOL. You’re the one who thinks (supposed) 6-years-olds are thanking Ivanka Trump for being a role model for women, so that speaks for your level of intelligence. Delete your account.
mhoffman953
@BigWill
What does any of that have to do with the people of Texas? Keep deflecting from what I originally wrote by changing topics to something irrelevant
Kangol
This president is beyond corrupt and disastrous, but come on, people, Melania Trump had already changed into sneakers when she stepped off the plane in Texas. This is just manufacturing nonsense, and I say that as someone who finds the traitorous misogynistic, white-supremacist, homo-and-transphobic puppet monster Trump an abomination. Impeach him, but her outfit in Texas was cute and mostly unimpeachable.
jkb
No fan of the Trumps, but I really don’t see the purpose in trashing her for her choice in shoes. Yes, it is an odd choice, but it is hers to make. To what end do we criticize her for this? She can’t hand out food in high heels? Just not getting it.
BriBri
#TriggerMeTimbers How do you people get laid? Maybe that’s your problem, you’re not getting laid.
stevetalbert
The high heel was to keep her feet as dry as possible. I commend her practicality
BigWill
@leobaga I’d go with Trump’s tweet about President Obama: “Obama is now standing in a puddle acting like a President–give me a break.” Except updated, of course.
Prax07
The point of people pointing out her ridiculous shoes is that the dumb bitch looked completely overdressed for a visit to a disaster site. She looked as if she were on her way to one of Trump’s resorts, not the scene of an ongoing natural disaster. It gives the appearance she and her pig of a husband are completely out of touch.
If only the hurricane had downed their plane…one can dream though.
leobaga
You’re out of touch. Stop the hate. Life is too short. The Trumps were there to help and lend support. Bush and Obama hide in their mansions during disaster (I.e. Katrina).
1EqualityUSA
President Obama put the needs of the disaster over the photo-op’. I remember that he specifically chose not to go, to avoid siphoning resources from the site. He was correct. Trump is a chump. Trump cannot do anything right because he makes decisions based on his ego. Whatanass!
mhoffman953
@1EqualityUSA
Hmmm, odd that you didn’t bother to disavow what Prax07 wrote, but whatever.
Anyways, Obama spent that time on the golf course when Louisiana was flooded in 2016. Donald Trump visited Louisiana in 2016 while a candidate for President and brought supplies which he paid for. Even now, President Trump has pledged $1 million of his own money to the people of Texas.
Where is Obama and is he donating anything from the Obama foundation to the people of Texas? Where is Hillary and is she donating anything from the Clinton foundation to the people of Texas?
But let me guess, your response will be, “Stop mentioning Obama! Stop mentioning Hillary!”
You’re quick to give your opinion on President Trump’s handling of the situation but the only people’s opinions who matter are the people of Texas and the governor of Texas, all of which have praised President Trump for his response.
1EqualityUSA
How did that fly get in here?
mhoffman953
@1EqualityUSA
“How did that fly get in here?”
If you have flies all through your house, it’s probably because you didn’t change your diaper
1EqualityUSA
Hoff, You’re a real card that ought to be dealt with. Shhh, come here, I’ll tell you something. Your president can’t do anything right, and now his paid trolls are failing miserably. He just can’t do anything right. Now, go back to your twisted little Trumpian dream world and kick out more inane drivel, Queerty could use another “fly”-by. Or…you could take a friend out to bre’fast if you have a friend a friend, do something worthy, volunteer, work(?) –a real job, not some internet income for spewing b.s. all over the net for a racist pig of a man who is beyond dumb and a reprehensible con-man. How’s the weather in Russia?
mhoffman953
@1EqualityUSA
You’re really come off as unhinged now. Plus, I have a job that pays very well. I have a CPA. What do you do for a living?
Also, when you call President Trump, my President, I’m not sure if you know this but if you live in the USA, he’s your President too. I’m guessing you weren’t paying attention in Civics class in school when they taught that lesson
1EqualityUSA
Just got home from a fourteen hour day, Hoff. He’s not my president. The pornography this family did makes this so. I didn’t know about this until after P-r-e-s-i-d-e-n-t Obama left the White House and these rats chewed their way through the walls to get into the Oval. They are awful in every way. You never acquiesce, so just quit blathering and go away. Queerty, where’s that fly swatter. You used to have it hanging on a finish nail on the left side of the screen. This site is inundated with trump-trolls–yuck. I could care less that you make money. We all make money. You are a trumpster, and no level of solvency will take that stench away. Trump had money (other people’s money, whom he stiff and refused to pay) and look at what a Hell-ass he turned out to be. Money doesn’t make the man, nor the troll.
mhoffman953
@1EqualityUSA
“I could care less that you make money”
The correct phrase is -I COULDN’T care less-
Meaning you couldn’t care any less than you currently do. Saying you could care less designates you care a lot and have room to care less.
Now I know that you not only never took a civics class but now I know you failed English.
Just because you don’t like the President doesn’t mean you can claim he’s not your President but is the President of only some people. Imagine if you got a new boss at work that you didn’t like. You can’t say “Not my boss!!!” and just run amok at work. It comes off as childish. Plus you still haven’t said what you do for a living
1EqualityUSA
Clarice, is that a band-aid on your ankle?
Luna1979
As a few already pointed out, she changed into sneakers later. Some women can’t go anywhere without their heels. I’ve seen them at the beach and amusement parks hobbling around in them.
But that’s not really the point. Nit-picking does no good. If you have real complaints about Trump, then all this mess about her shoes, where he ate lunch in France, the shirt his son was wearing etc all take away from valid points. It looks like they’re just being picked on by cry-babies.
I’m really not political, as no candidate has gotten it right enough for me to vote for them in an age, but I do know its better to pick your battles wisely.
RomanHans
“The point of people pointing out her ridiculous shoes is that the dumb bitch looked completely overdressed for a visit to a disaster site.”
What is a sane person doing on Queerty? Don’t you know this is the central meet-up for trolls, Trump apologists and paid Russian bloggers? The internet agrees with you: those shoes are America’s “Let them eat cake.” You’d be better off hanging out with them than argue with folks that Trump (and Putin) pay by the word.
leobaga
You don’t know women. Enough said.
Prax07
Trump went to Texas for Trump, not because he’s a concerned and caring President. He went for a photo op and to sell his shitty hats. No idea why she even went along, she’s certainly no humanitarian.
1EqualityUSA
Because nobody sees Trump crying his eyes out, vulnerable, and whimpering in a fetal position, whilst Melania strokes his hairline and whispers into his flabby ears, caked with dead skin, “I will be by your side. We’ll get through this together.”
Brody
I see the institutional left is still pissy that we finally have a beautiful first lady after 8 years of “Mrs.” Obama, but the kicker is that if M.O. were still FLOTUS and wore the same shoes, the same pissers would be praising her “courageous decision” to “brave the elements” in “high fashion.”
DCguy
Awww, look, the Mo Bro Troll is now attacking Michelle Obama. So let me ask you, what exactly was it about Mrs. Obama you found so ugly? Oh wait, that’s right, you’re a bigoted anti-lgbt troll screename, so obviously her race.
Kangol
You’re really showing how disturbed you are with all the different names, MoBrody. And the attempted transphobic slur against Michelle Obama just underlines it. GET HELP for your internalized self-loathing and transphobia, and pronto!
Roan
This is the first time she’s been wet around her husband in decades.
DCguy
Look, I don’t think the story is that big of a deal, more humorous that somebody living in a gilded palace with a very unpleasant husband, who has seen her job as to always look good made a very silly fashion choice.
What I find gross is that Trump wore clothing and then the White House sent out a link to buy the same hats and jacket he was wearing. Tacky, cheap and disgusting.
Marc Cuban made a comment years ago that Trump lied about his wealth by saying that nobody who was a billionaire puts their name on steaks. It looks like Trump is more broke and more in debt to Putin than anybody knew.
Spike
In all fairness to lesbian soft core porn model FLOTUS, all she heard was ‘BRING PUMPS’ . . . . .
And she did.
DCguy
LOL! Brutal!
crowebobby
“Trump hates Muslim terrorists who want us thrown off the building.” Not if they’ll vote for him, he doesn’t.
calpoidog
What no one has seemed to consider is that those shoes may not have been her choice. Pres. Trump is a big enough a**hole micromanager that he may require his “arm candy” to look a certain way. Of course I don’t have any proof but wouldn’t put it past him to require that Melania look “hot” when she’s with him and that would include wearing stupid footwear.
1EqualityUSA
Well, she ought to know that Trump doesn’t do anything right.