Is There A Secret Meaning Behind Melania's State Of The Union Outfit Or Not?

Some weren't even sure if she would turn up, but there she was, First Lady of the United States Melania Trump, resplendent in an off-white Christian Dior pantsuit at today's State of the Union address.

Melania arrived separately from her husband, President Donald Trump, breaking with tradition and travelling to the Capitol in her own car. (Barack and Michelle Obama and George W. and Laura Bush journeyed to all 16 of their combined State of the Union addresses together.)

But despite this week's rumours of Trump's affairs with porn stars, not to mention all his usual bluster, Melania was there, quite literally standing by her man in a couture outfit that probably cost more than the GDP of a small African nation.

At first, upon taking in Melania's crisp, angelic outfit, my first thoughts ran to 'Well, it's not black.' What's the opposite of black? Because that's what Melania's wearing. While female Democrat senators donned the colour of mourning in solidarity with the Time's Up movement and the recent red carpet black-outs, Melania practically parted seas at the event with her pristine white outfit.

Melania Trump reflects on her first year as First Lady

But then, on second reflection, a deeper meaning emerged. White is symbolically one of the colours of the suffragette movement, and has been worn, particularly in pant suit form, by several notable women in the year since we last had a State of the Union address.

There was Katy Perry in a white tux with a 'Persist' armband, and Samantha Bee in the same at her 'Not The White House Correspondent's Dinner' back in August. Nancy Pelosi, American politician, wore white to Trump's address in February, alongside more than 40 other female Democratic reps.

Of course, the most famous woman in a white pant suit is Hillary Clinton herself. The Presidential candidate wore a Ralph Lauren white pant suit to the third Presidential debate in October, 2016, a nod to both her love of a tux and the original suffragettes, the first women to get bloodied through the barrier.

So is there deeper meaning here or what?

Melania loves getting everyone riled up about her fashion choices. At one of Trump's debates - held in the wake of the 'Grab her by the pussy' tapes - Melania turned up in a hot pink Gucci shirt. With a pussy-bow necktie.

Back then, I wondered if she was making a pointed remark about her husband's prior behaviour. But I also wondered if, sometimes, a blouse - even one with a pussy bow - is only ever just a blouse.

Fool me once, shame on you. But fool me twice, shame on me. I'm going hard on this one. Melania in a white pant suit, refusing to travel to the State of the Union address with her husband, is about as close to a silent protest as the First Lady is likely to get.