A Look Into Melania Trump's Top Fashion Choices
Gabriella Sandoval, Events Liaison and Manager
Even before Melania Trump became the first lady of the United States, she has drawn attention with her impeccable taste in high fashion. From styles by labels such as Ralph Lauren, Burberry and Valentino, Melania continues to showcase her meticulous, eccentric, and elegant style choices.
Gabriella Sandoval, Events Liaison and Manager
Even before Melania Trump became the first lady of the United States, she has drawn attention with her impeccable taste in high fashion. From styles by labels such as Ralph Lauren, Burberry and Valentino, Melania continues to showcase her meticulous, eccentric, and elegant style choices.
Here is a list of Melania Trump’s most favorable high fashion moments:
1. Sophisticated Silver Gown - debuted in 2005
Here, Melania is photographed at the Vanity Fair’s Oscar Party in 2005, dressed in a head-to-toe dazzling silver gown with a fluffy feathering end. The matching accessories that gleam with her every move top off the lustrous look.
2. Baby Blue Elegance - debuted in 2017
At the inaugural parade held in 2017, incoming First Lady Melania Trump wore a simple yet fashionable sky blue dress with matching sleeves, and a cropped jacket by designer Ralph Lauren. Her look here is similar to the style of former First Lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis.
3. Zebra Print Coat - debuted in 2024
On October 27th, 2024, Melania took the stage at a campaign rally in Madison Square Garden. She wore a zebra-striped Michael Kors in New York City.
4. Black With a Hint of Gold - debuted in 2021
Melania made a stylish exit from the White House in an all-black designer outfit.
She wore a Chanel jacket with gold buttons, Dolce & Gabbana dress, Louboutin heels, and a matching black and gold Birkin bag as she left the White House on Jan. 20, 2021. Talk about a farewell outfit!
5. Pretty Pink Coat - debuted in 2019
Melania stunned in a gorgeous pink coat by designer Fendi, which she wore ahead of Valentine's Day in 2019. Hot pink mink fur coat cuffs as well as nude-colored heels accompanied the vibrant look. This has got to be one of my personal favorite outfits of hers.
6. Bright in White - debuted in 2018
Melania wore an all-white Michael Kors outfit which included a white crepe blazer and skirt suit ensemble. It was topped off with a matching, wide-brimmed hat designed by her personal stylist Hervé Pierre. This simple, yet elegant look was worn on the South Lawn of the White House for a traditional state arrival ceremony in 2018.
7. Lovely Lilac - debuted in 2020
Melania was photographed in a very pretty lilac purple, robe-style Ralph Lauren coat which she paired with a wine-colored turtleneck and Birkin bag. The color coordination is absolutely perfect!
8. Military Inspired Ensemble - debuted in 2017
For a meeting with the former Argentine president, Melania stepped out in a military-inspired ensemble, wearing an army green matching skirt and peplum-style blazer from Altuzarra's Spring 2017 collection. She accessorized the look with a pair of white-black python heels.
9. Christmas Style - debuted in 2019
Melania attended the annual White House Christmas tree lighting in a chic black ensemble with a white, red and green floral coat. She tied the super stylish look together with stiletto boots. Talk about ringing in the holidays!
10. Fiercely Classy - debuted in 2019
Melania stepped out in London in a crisp collared, white and navy belted Dolce & Gabbana suit along with a matching hat designed by her stylist Herve Pierre. She finished the look with navy heels.
11. Pleasing Patterns - debuted in 2021
Melania arrived in Florida on the same day as President Biden’s inauguration, wearing a captivatingly patterned blue, orange, and white Gucci dress. She paired it with contrasting black sunglasses and flats. This patterning is so abstract and vibrant!
First lady Melania Trump tends to keep a fairly low profile, but when she does step out in public, she ensures that her fashion looks are on point. From public appearances as First Lady, to earlier days at the Met Gala, it’s safe to say Melania Trump is a fashion icon.
Coping with Post Election Feelings
Caleigh Montoya, Staff Writer
If you are feeling sad, disappointed, shocked, or defeated by the results of this election, you are not alone! Even if you are happy with how the election turned out, there is still a collective feeling of, “What now?” Many of us are terrified about what will come next but we must accept the decision made. However this acceptance can be aided by some tips to handle this stressful and uncertain time.
Caleigh Montoya, Staff Writer
If you are feeling sad, disappointed, shocked, or defeated by the results of this election, you are not alone! Even if you are happy with how the election turned out, there is still a collective feeling of, “What now?” Many of us are terrified about what will come next but we must accept the decision made. However this acceptance can be aided by some tips to handle this stressful and uncertain time.
Many people simply move on with their lives and get over the shock of the election results, but realizing and processing these emotions is very important. Psychologists equate the feelings of those disappointed with election results to feelings of grief. Unacknowledged grief can build and manifest itself into other emotions and affect other parts of our lives.
Stress from the election may manifest as feeling on edge, feeling worried, lacking motivation, trouble sleeping, and thoughts or feelings of hopelessness. Some voters may think that an election is not able to stir up these many conflicting emotions, but for at least nearly half of the U.S., these feelings are very real and should be treated as such.
There are several ways to cope with these feelings. First, know that you are not alone. Limiting screen time, avoiding the rabbit holes of conspiracy theories,, partaking in enjoyable activities, and pursuing conversations with other like minded people, are other ways to decompress from this frustrating time.
Whether you were pleased with the election results, or were hoping for a different outcome, election time is a very intense season. Together, we can get through these feelings and continue to fight for our beliefs by giving both ourselves and each other some grace and compassion.
The Influence of Money in Politics
Gabriella Sandoval, Events Liaison and Manager
Among a variety of ways in which political work can be swayed, money is by far one of the most effective tools used to influence decision making. Today, thanks to Supreme Court decisions such as Citizens United v FEC, money dominates U.S. political campaigns to a level not seen in decades.
Gabriella Sandoval, Events Liaison and Manager
Among a variety of ways in which political work can be swayed, money is by far one of the most effective tools used to influence decision making. Today, thanks to Supreme Court decisions such as Citizens United v FEC, money dominates U.S. political campaigns to a level not seen in decades.
According to 2023 studies conducted by Pew Research Center, they have found that:
Roughly seven-in-ten Americans (72%) say that there should be limits on the amount of money individuals and organizations can spend on political campaigns.
More than six-in-ten Americans (63%) say that all or most of the people who currently serve as elected officials run for office to make a lot of money.
Around eight-in-ten U.S. adults say the people who donate money to political campaigns have too much influence on decisions made by members of Congress.
First, I must introduce what PACs and super PACs are, which is key to understanding the connection between money and politics.
PACs, known as political action committees, are entities that gather money from members and donate that money directly towards political campaigns which can include ballot initiatives and legislation, but are more commonly used towards candidates. These contributions are used for two specific reasons which is to promote a candidate, and to defeat a candidate. PACs must abide by restrictions that limit the amount of funds that can be sent out towards candidates, party committees, and other PACs.
Unlike PACs, Super PACs are regulated under separate rules. Super PACs allow for unlimited spending towards campaigns, however, super PACs cannot contribute funds directly to candidates or political party committees. Super PACs do however, have the ability to donate through sources like non-profits which make it easy for donors to mask their identity. In return, this raises concern over the ethicalness of undisclosed contributors and how it leads to a lack of transparency.
Super PACs allow wealthy donors to pour unlimited amounts of money into campaigns, which can result in drowning out the voices of ordinary Americans because of the high influence of money on campaigning efforts. When a donor’s identity is not publicly disclosed, this can prevent voters from knowing who’s trying to influence them through these campaigns. This problematic gesture of an “unknown donor identity” is commonly referred through a term called “dark money” which is when the source of funds for a campaign are simply unknown. More interestingly, super PACs have the ability to enable wealthy individuals and special interests to underwrite a candidate’s campaign, raising even more concerns about corrupt activity.
Additionally, here are some fascinating facts about PACs and Super PACs:
Outside spending on 2024 federal elections has hit a record of $4.5 billion, with more than half of that spending coming from groups that do not fully disclose the source of their funding.
The 2024 presidential race is the most expensive U.S. election in history, with a high value of over $2 billion in outside spending.
Elon Musk alone donated $75 million this year to a PAC that supported Donald Trump.
So, it’s no surprise that PACs and super PACs play significant roles in federal election campaigns through raising and spending money to influence elections. There is nothing inherently bad about the use of outside money in politics, however, if not effectively regulated, that money can be used to undermine the integrity of politicians and political processes.
The Influence of Lobbying in Politics
Gabriella Sandoval, Events Liaison and Manager
Persuasion in politics is a tactic that has been used for years. It is designed to convince individuals with power in government positions to support and implement certain ideas and policies. This form of persuasion is known as “lobbying” and is also associated with advocacy. Lobbying can be carried out by either individuals or organizations undertaking public campaigns (which are legally registered with the government) to pressure people in government positions into taking action towards specific policies.
Gabriella Sandoval, Events Liaison and Manager
Persuasion in politics is a tactic that has been used for years. It is designed to convince individuals with power in government positions to support and implement certain ideas and policies. This form of persuasion is known as “lobbying” and is also associated with advocacy. Lobbying can be carried out by either individuals or organizations undertaking public campaigns (which are legally registered with the government) to pressure people in government positions into taking action towards specific policies.
Lobbying can be executed in many ways. It is done through conferences, seminars, public meetings, consultations, face-to-face meetings, and written or telephone communications. The main purpose of lobbying is to create awareness and educate prestigious members on how public policies can and will affect individuals and communities. Because of this, it’s relatively fair to make the claim that lobbying plays a crucial role in our political system.
Everyone is affected by lobbying, because lobbying seeks to address many important social and economic issues that without a doubt, affect the majority of citizens. Actions brought out by the government do not pertain to specific individuals, however, all laws and policies are applicable to all citizens. Therefore, lobbying is a way to influence legislative action that affects everyone.
Lobbyists are a sort of representatives that take into account the interests of individuals that do not have the opportunity or access to represent them personally to the government. Although lobbying is perfectly legal, the practice has previously and continues to face harsh criticism, with many implying that the use of heavy persuasion in politics is a form of bribery, due to the amount of influence it has on legislative action. While lobbying isn’t itself a corrupt practice, there is still wiggle room for self intent and self interest to be displayed. This can then lead to false acts of working in the public’s best interest.
The complexities of lobbying include:
Lobbyists have a habit of bribing members of Congress with advantageous job offers. This term is also referred to as “the revolving door”. With multi-million-dollar future salaries on the line, most members of Congress are more than willing to protect the best interests of the lobbyists who may one day be their employers.
Lobbying is legally protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. While the term “lobby,” isn’t explicitly mentioned, the right “to petition the Government for a redress of grievances” is specifically implied. This translates into modern times, as a right to lobby.
In 2023, the total lobbying spending in the United States amounted to 4.26 billion U.S. dollars. In 2022, the total lobbying spending was around 4.11 billion U.S. dollars. This significant amount of money is recorded by Statista.
The bottom line is that the practice of lobbying is integral to decision making in our political system, and, like many things, there are both pros and cons to it, all depending on the circumstances.
What To Expect on the Upcoming Colorado Ballot
Charlie Means, Guest Writer
Hello Rangers! My name is Charlie Means, and I am thrilled to be writing for The Regis Highlander this year. Since this is my first article as a Guest Writer, I assume that they will give me something easy to write about… and it’s politics. Oh dear. All kidding aside, I actually wanted to take this opportunity to shift focus away from the presidential race, and look at some of the propositions and amendments that are on the ballot in Colorado for November.
Charlie Means, Guest Writer
Hello Rangers! My name is Charlie Means, and I am thrilled to be writing for The Regis Highlander this year. Since this is my first article as a Guest Writer, I assume that they will give me something easy to write about… and it’s politics. Oh dear. All kidding aside, I actually wanted to take this opportunity to shift focus away from the presidential race, and look at some of the propositions and amendments that are on the ballot in Colorado for November.
You can find the full State Ballot Information Booklet here, if you are interested in looking at the whole thing. But, since I like hearing myself talk, or in this case write, I’m going to go through a brief summary of some of the things that are in this booklet so that you don’t get caught flat footed come Election Day (November 5th).
The first section of the booklet is about State Constitutional Amendments. While there are seven on the ballot, I have football to wat- I mean homework to get through so I’m going to condense it into the two that concern what I consider to be the most high profile issues. The first is Amendment J, which, if passed, would repel the statement in the Colorado constitution that marriage is between a man and a woman. Essentially a vote for Amendment J would be a vote supporting same sex marriage.
The second amendment that I would like to focus on is Amendment 79. If you are like me, you are probably wondering why one amendment is a letter while the other is a number, and to be honest, I have no clue. Hopefully someone can tell me. Anyways, where was I? Right, Amendment 79! If passed, Amendment 79 would enshrine abortion into the state constitution and would repel the current ban on state and local funding for abortion services.
How are you guys doing, are you hanging in there? Don’t worry, this next section is going to be about guns! Specifically, proposition KK, which, if passed, would institute a new tax on firearms, firearm parts and ammunition, and would use that money to fund things like crime victim service and school safety programs.
Ok, last one, I promise, and this one is probably the most boring but I still think it is worth talking about and that is Proposition 131, which would dramatically shift the way that we vote in state primaries. Essentially this proposition would remove the separation of the Democratic primaries and Republican primaries and would make the primaries one giant thing. With this, you could vote for whoever you choose, regardless of your affiliated political party. After that, the top 4 candidates would advance to the general election, where voters would rank the candidates on their ballot from 1 to 4, rather than voting for just one candidate.
I know that was a lot, and there were some things I didn’t touch on, but I do think it’s important to stay informed about the issues on the ballot where you live, or at least go to school. This ensures that when you do go to vote in November, you are making your decision with all the information available to you so you can cast your vote the way that you want.
On a lighter note, if you did manage to make it through this article, here is a video of some sloths in a bucket!
Thanks for reading and Go Rangers!
The Department of Education Under Attack
Gabriella Sandoval, Staff Writer
Despite differing political affiliations, everyone should be in mutual agreement that the Department of Education (DOE) and the various programs within the department, are vital and that their work is imperative. The DOE is responsible for providing necessary assistance and aid towards our education system, and to those that benefit from it. Recent news regarding Trump’s plan to completely defund, and shut down the DOE has sparked controversy on what this could mean for the millions of American families and individuals that rely on federal support from the DOE.
Gabriella Sandoval, Staff Writer
Despite differing political affiliations, everyone should be in mutual agreement that the Department of Education (DOE) and the various programs within the department, are vital and that their work is imperative. The DOE is responsible for providing necessary assistance and aid towards our education system, and to those that benefit from it. Recent news regarding Trump’s plan to completely defund, and shut down the DOE has sparked controversy on what this could mean for the millions of American families and individuals that rely on federal support from the DOE.
The Department of Education is responsible for establishing, distributing, and monitoring policies on financial aid for education. They also collect data and research on schools, focus national attention on key educational issues, and prohibit inequalities while ensuring opportunistic access to education and other resources.
Although Trump has not fully clarified how he plans to shut the DOE down, there is no doubt that this threat could be monumentally impactful. Project 2025 (the Republican policy initiative) has recommended entirely abolishing the DOE, which would result in various programs to be transferred to other federal agencies, or completely terminated.
There are several necessary and revolutionary programs that the DOE is responsible for, and that are at risk for permanent removal. The first program is known as Head Start. The Head Start program provides comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to a plethora of low-income children and families.
The next program in jeopardy is known as Title 1. The Title 1 program helps provide funding in schools where a high percentage of students are from low-income families. The purpose of Title 1 funding is to help schools develop and establish programs that provide necessary resources to deserving students whose families cannot fully provide for them.
Another program is the IDEA program. This program ensures children with disabilities receive an appropriate education by imposing requirements on school districts and other local education agencies, to make all aspects and locations equally accessible and up to date.
Trump’s threat to terminate the DOE is also hugely worrisome for college students. One of the most prominent functions of the DOE are Pell Grants. According to a recent NCAN report, each year, nearly 7 million undergraduate students benefit from Pell Grant aid. So, if you’re a student (like me), or a parent of a student that is reliant on Pell Grant aid, the potential threat on Pell Grants should concern you, and to some extent, even disturb you.
It’s fair to say that all of these programs are important, and because of this, it’s also fair to say that any presidential candidate that doesn’t deem these programs as necessary may not be considered worthy of a vote. Make your opinion known and your voice heard by voting in the upcoming presidential election. Many futures depend on it!