Why Did Melania Trump Wear Head Covering in Rome but Not in Saudi Arabia?
Melania Trump was a picture of sophistication during her family's Papal audience in Rome. Some netizens even placed her alongside Jacqueline Kennedy in terms of style. She was chic in her black Dolce & Gabbana (incidentally an Italian brand) floral lace coat with matching veil.
The First Lady and stepdaughter Ivanka opted to follow protocol by appearing before the pope in black, long-sleeved dress. According to Huffington Post, it was also keeping with tradition after Michelle Obama also wore black when she had an audience with Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.
Traditionally, women who were granted a private audience with the pope must adhere to a strict dress code which is a long, black dress, a veil and gloves. Only a handful of women has the "privilège du blanc" or "privilege of the white." These women consist of Catholic queens and the princess of Monaco.
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The veil, also called a mantilla, is worn on the head as a sign of respect when meeting the pope. Women can alternate this with a black hat. The lace covering was worn by Catholic women to church until the 1950s and is a symbol of humbleness, just like that of the Virgin Mary.
However, Pope Francis "relaxed" the dress code when he was elected in 2013 and allowed women to dress formally in whatever color as long as it is knee-length and as long as the shoulders are covered. But women continued to adhere to the dress code despite the lifting of restrictions.
However, some netizens made a fuss about Melania and Ivanka not wearing headscarves in Saudi Arabia which they interpreted as a mockery of the Muslim culture. Spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham explained there was no requirement for the First Lady to wear a head covering when she and the president met with King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.
While Muslim women are required to wear a headscarf, locally called a hijab, this doesn't apply to foreigners. Hilary Clinton and Michelle Obama and other powerful women didn't wear a hijab when they went to Saudi Arabia. Even if Melania didn't cover her head, her arms and legs were fully covered in respect to the Muslim culture of modesty.
