The Fashion of the First Lady. Differences in the Media Portrayal of Michelle Obama and Melania Trump

The Fashion of the First Lady. Differences in the Media Portrayal of Michelle Obama and Melania Trump
Author: Nathalia Rölli
Publisher: GRIN Verlag
Total Pages: 38
Release: 2023-06-09
Genre: Literary Collections
ISBN: 3346887537

Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,7, University of Augsburg (American Studies), course: First Ladies, language: English, abstract: This work will focus on the two latest First Ladies, Michelle Obama and Melania Trump. Not only do they give an overview of how republican and democrat First Ladies eventually are depicted differently, but both first Ladies have a special connection to fashion. The First Lady of the United States, or FLOTUS, is the President's wife's official title. Her position is a job with no rules or descriptions, but she must fulfill duties, including attending events, giving speeches, supporting her husband, and being the mother of a nation. Unlike the President, her job is not a paid one. At first glance, the First Lady paints an outdated picture of wives. As the mother of a nation, the First Lady is supposed to be a role model. Therefore, magazines and news do frequently discuss the image of the President and the First Lady. Those articles often focus on the FLOTUS’ wardrobe, which might signify the wife's perception as an ornament of her husband. They discuss the wardrobe, considering appropriateness and message. FLOTUS studies study what kind of position the First Lady has, but it also studies her position as a role model. To what extent is the First Lady a celebrity, a politician, and a US-citizen, involving information about American culture, politics, and feminism? Gossip magazines might, at first glance, appear to focus on unnecessary details. However, fashion studies show that clothes have more meaning to them than just protecting the body from the weather. Already in 1950, John Carl Flugel studied the psychology of clothes and discussed the purpose of clothes. Roland Barthes followed Ferdinand de Saussure’s theory on semiology to study fashion magazines and their clothes' portrayal. Alison Lurie extended fashion theory with an actual fashion vocabulary. Theorists like Barthes have described fashion as a sign system, but Lurie specified how clothes talk. Fashion studies explain how clothes create and convey meaning. Furthermore, they ask who the creator of this meaning is and how culture and politics participate in creating meaning through clothes. Fashion and political studies have been done before and play an essential role in studying the country that wears it. After all, fashion also participates in social change and is even change itself, as Malcolm Barnard analyses. Therefore, the question about the colors and shape of a clothing item is not petty, but essential to understand a country.

Melania and Michelle

Melania and Michelle
Author: Tammy R. Vigil
Publisher: Red Lightning Books
Total Pages: 229
Release: 2019-09-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1684350980

At home or at the podium, the First Lady is uniquely poised to serve as advisor, confidant, and campaigner, with the power to shape American political and social conversation. At first blush, First Ladies Michelle Obama and Melania Trump appear categorically different from each other; however, as women rising from humble origins to pursue their ambitions and support their husbands, the two have more in common than one might think. In Melania & Michelle: First Ladies in a New Era, author Tammy R. Vigil provides a compelling account of our modern first ladies, exploring how each woman has crafted her public image and used her platform to influence the country, while also serving as a paragon of fashion and American womanhood. Both women face constant scrutiny and comparison—from their degrees of political activism to their cookie recipes—and have garnered support as well as criticism. From their full lives pre-nomination to their attitudes while occupying the White House, Vigil builds careful and thoughtful portraits of Melania Trump and Michelle Obama that provide a new appreciation for how these women, and the first ladies that came before them, have shaped our country.

Melania and Michelle

Melania and Michelle
Author: Tammy R. Vigil
Publisher: Indiana University Press
Total Pages: 156
Release: 2019-09-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1684351006

At home or at the podium, the First Lady is uniquely poised to serve as advisor, confidant, and campaigner, with the power to shape American political and social conversation. At first blush, First Ladies Michelle Obama and Melania Trump appear categorically different from each other; however, as women rising from humble origins to pursue their ambitions and support their husbands, the two have more in common than one might think. In Melania & Michelle: First Ladies in a New Era, author Tammy R. Vigil provides a compelling account of our modern first ladies, exploring how each woman has crafted her public image and used her platform to influence the country, while also serving as a paragon of fashion and American womanhood. Both women face constant scrutiny and comparison—from their degrees of political activism to their cookie recipes—and have garnered support as well as criticism. From their full lives pre-nomination to their attitudes while occupying the White House, Vigil builds careful and thoughtful portraits of Melania Trump and Michelle Obama that provide a new appreciation for how these women, and the first ladies that came before them, have shaped our country.

Media Relations and the Modern First Lady

Media Relations and the Modern First Lady
Author: Lisa M. Burns
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
Total Pages: 341
Release: 2020-02-06
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1793611254

Media Relations and the Modern First Lady: From Jacqueline Kennedy to Melania Trump examines the communication strategies first ladies and their teams have used to manage press and public interest in their private lives, to promote causes close to their hearts, and to shape their public image. Starting with Jacqueline Kennedy, who was the first to have a staffer with the title “press secretary,” each chapter explores the relationship between a first lady and the media, the role played by her press secretary and communication staff in cultivating this relationship, and the first lady’s media coverage. Contributors exploring the following questions: How effective were the media relations and communication strategies of this first lady and her team? What worked and what did not? Was the first lady a communication asset to her husband's administration? And what can we learn from their media relations strategies? Along with contributing to the scholarship on presidential spouses, the contributions to this volume also highlight the important role media relations plays in strategic political communication. Scholars of communication, media studies, gender and women’s studies, political science, and public relations will find this book particularly useful.

Melania and Me

Melania and Me
Author: Stephanie Winston Wolkoff
Publisher: Gallery Books
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2020-09-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1982151242

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER What Melania wants, Melania gets. The former director of special events at Vogue and producer of nine legendary Met Galas, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff met Melania Knauss in 2003 and had a front row seat to the transformation of Donald Trump’s then girlfriend from a rough-cut gem to a precious diamond. As their friendship deepened over lunches at Manhattan hot spots, black-tie parties, and giggle sessions in the penthouse at Trump Tower, Wolkoff watched the newest Mrs. Trump raise her son, Barron, and manage her highly scrutinized marriage. After Trump won the 2016 election, Wolkoff was recruited to help produce the 58th Presidential Inaugu­ration and to become the First Lady’s trusted advisor. Melania put Wolkoff in charge of hiring her staff, organizing her events, helping her write speeches, and creating her debut initiatives. Then it all fell apart when she was made the scapegoat for inauguration finance irregularities. Melania could have defended her innocent friend and confidant, but she stood by her man, knowing full well who was really to blame. The betrayal nearly destroyed Wolkoff. In this candid and emotional memoir, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff takes you into Trump Tower and the White House to tell the funny, thrilling, and heartbreaking story of her intimate friendship with one of the most famous women in the world, a woman few people truly understand. How did Melania react to the Access Hollywood tape and her husband’s affair with Stormy Daniels? Does she get along well with Ivanka? Why did she wear that jacket with “I really don’t care, do u?” printed on the back? Is Melania happy being First Lady? And what really happened with the inauguration’s funding of $107 million? Wolkoff has some ideas...

Diversity in U.S. Mass Media

Diversity in U.S. Mass Media
Author: Catherine A. Luther
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 519
Release: 2024-04-02
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1119844622

Provides students with clear and up-to-date coverage of the various areas associated with representations of diversity within the mass media Diversity in U.S. Mass Media is designed to help undergraduate and graduate students deepen the conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion in the media industries. Identifying consistencies and differences in representations of social identity groups in the United States, this comprehensive textbook critically examines a wide range of issues surrounding media portrayals of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, age, class, and religion. Throughout the text, students are encouraged to contextualize various issues, place one social group within the framework of others, and consider how diverse communities inform and intersect with each other. Now in its third edition, Diversity in U.S. Mass Media addresses ongoing problematic portrayals, highlights recent progress, presents new research studies and observations, and offers innovative approaches for promoting positive change across the media landscape. Two entirely new chapters explore the ways identity-based social movements, Artificial Intelligence (AI), gaming, social media, and social activism construct, challenge, and defend representations of different groups. Updated references and new examples of social group depictions in streaming services and digital media are accompanied by expanded discussion of intersectionality, social activism, creating inclusive learning and working environments, media depictions of mixed-race individuals and couples, and more. Offering fresh insights into the contemporary issues surrounding depictions of social groups in films, television, and the press, Diversity in U.S. Mass Media: Examines the historical evolution and current media depictions of American Indians, African Americans, Latino/Hispanic Americans, Arab Americans, and Asian Americans Helps prepare students in Journalism and Mass Communication programs to work in diverse teams Covers the theoretical foundations of research in mass media representations, including social comparison theory and feminist theory Contains a wealth of real-world examples illustrating the concepts and perspectives discussed in each chapter Includes access to an instructor's website with a test bank, viewing list, exercises, sample syllabi, and other useful pedagogical tools Diversity in U.S. Mass Media, Third Edition, remains an ideal textbook for upper-level undergraduate and graduate courses in Media Communication, Film and Television Studies, Journalism, American Studies, Entertainment and Media Research, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).

Free, Melania

Free, Melania
Author: Kate Bennett
Publisher: Macmillan + ORM
Total Pages: 356
Release: 2019-12-03
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1250307384

The first behind-the-scenes look at the life of the most enigmatic First Lady in US history. Melania Trump is an enigma. Regardless of your political leanings, she is fascinating—and one of the most groundbreaking First Ladies in history. A former model who speaks five languages, her upbringing in a former communist country spurred a relentless drive for stability. A reluctant pillar in a controversial presidential administration, she ran the East Wing like none of her predecessors ever could. But who is she really? In Free, Melania we get an insider’s look at Melania Trump, from her childhood in Slovenia to her days in the White House, and everything in between. We get a behind-the-scenes look at her relationship with Donald, and her role in Trump family dynamics, including her strained relationship with Ivanka. We get a rare glimpse into her famous clothing choices (including the message behind her controversial jacket, “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?”, worn on a visit to the US-Mexico border), and how a publicly quiet Melania actually speaks very loudly—if you just know where, and how, to listen.

Mrs. O

Mrs. O
Author: Mary Tomer
Publisher: Center Street
Total Pages: 313
Release: 2009-10-28
Genre: Design
ISBN: 1599953129

Celebrated for her style and substance, Michelle Obama has transformed the role of first lady and become a 21st century icon, attracting attention from all over the world. The qualities so admired in her - intelligence, strength and charisma - radiate through her personal style, which has united accessibility with high-wattage glamour. The clothes, like the woman, feel both familiar and inspirational. Readily mixing high-end labels with more affordable brands, with a focus on craftsmanship and artistry, Mrs. O has elevated the notion of real value and ushered in a new era of "fashion democracy". Building on the success of Mrs-O.org - the Web site that chronicles Michelle Obama's style -- Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy takes a closer look at America's modern style icon, featuring more than 120 photographs of the first lady and delving into the back story of her clothes and accessories. It also goes behind the scenes with interviews from her favorite designers, including Isabel Toledo, Jason Wu, Michael Kors, Maria Pinto and Isaac Mizrahi. Opening with a brief overview of Michelle Obama's early years, the book goes on to provide rarely seen photos from behind-the-scenes on the presidential primary trail through the 2008 Democratic National Convention, the monumental events of election night, the inauguration and early chapters of life in the White House. The final chapter hears the opinions of Mrs. O's adoring fans - giving the last word to the people. Original photographs of Michelle Obama's most iconic looks, along with commentary from fashion experts, top off this tactile visual feast. Woven together with sketches and illustration inspired by the first lady, the book reveals the story of a new era of American fashion.

The Art of Her Deal

The Art of Her Deal
Author: Mary Jordan
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 352
Release: 2021-05-04
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1982113413

In this “scrupulously reported biography” (NPR) Jordan documents how Melania Trump had discussing being First Lady nearly two decades before she landed in the White House and how she encouraged her husband to enter the race for president. Based on interviews with more than one hundred people in five countries, The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump is “an extraordinary work” (Salon) that draws an unprecedented portrait of the first lady. We see that behind the scenes Melania Trump is not only part of President Trump’s inner circle, but for some key decisions she has been his single most influential advisor. Jordan interviewed key people in Melania's close circle who speak publicly for the first time and uncovered never-before-seen photos and tapes of the tall woman with “tiger eyes,” as a judge in an early modeling contest said. The Art of Her Deal shows Melania’s ascent from a modest life, tracing her journey from childhood under a communist dictator to her complicated relationship with Donald Trump. The picture that emerges is “that the first lady is not a pawn but a player... and a woman able to get what she wants from one of the most powerful and transparently vain men in the world” (NPR). And while it is her husband who became famous for the phrase “the art of the deal,” this is the story of the art of her deal.