JUST IN: The Trumps departing White House en route to hurricane zone. pic.twitter.com/a2s8uma7qd
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) August 29, 2017
"Why, oh why, can't this administration get anything, even a pair of shoes, right?" asked Vogue. "The emblematic first image of the first lady heading off to visit a hurricane in heels...instead became another symbol of a White House that can often seem out of touch," noted Politico
And here we have Melania Trump modeling what NOT to wear to a hurricane: 5-inch stilettos.
— Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) August 29, 2017
How out of touch can you be? pic.twitter.com/tZR8o3dYxY
God grant me the serenity not to comment on the shoes.
— Ben White (@morningmoneyben) August 29, 2017
"In Mrs. Trump's job, as in her husband's, details matter. Even shoes. Put your best foot forward, and all that," noted New York Times' chief fashion critic.
On Twitter, many jumped to the First Lady's defence. "Hey, everyone, please shut up about Melania Trump's shoes," begged Mashable.
I gotta believe Melania is going to change out of the stilettos on the plane. Those were just her "walking to Air Force One" shoes.
— April (@ReignOfApril) August 29, 2017
Anyone talking about Melania's shoes has clearly never been to Russia or Eastern Europe in the winter get over it
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) August 29, 2017
There are many reasons the Trump administration concerns me...Melania Trump's shoes aren't one of them. Not today kids.
— Kathy Griffin (@kathygriffin) August 29, 2017
#Shoegate pic.twitter.com/tbm9QkZ5gc
— B.Elliott Baker (@spiritform) August 30, 2017
Others reacted with dry humour:
Melania headed to a disaster zone in stilettos is my Halloween costume. pic.twitter.com/BWhUSKWVQ8
— Zach Braff (@zachbraff) August 29, 2017
MELANIA TRUMP BE LIKE: "Theres only so much I'm willing 2 do for this country." #BlackTwitter #ShoeGasm #ShoeGate #BlackTwitter #HarveyFlood pic.twitter.com/4ADbd70Z7W
— BlackPressRadio (@BlackPressRadio) August 29, 2017
Following the criticism, the White House was forced to issue a statement.
from @FLOTUS comms dir: "It's sad that we have an active and ongoing natural disaster in Texas, and people are worried about her shoes."
— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) August 29, 2017
A @FLOTUS spokeswoman tells @hausofcait that yes, Melania brought a change of shoes for Texas https://t.co/qMKcwbCWBp
— MadeleineMorgenstern (@MadeleineinDC) August 29, 2017
Ms Trump stepped off Air Force One wearing black trousers and a crisp white button up shirt and Adidas Stan Smith sneakers.
Update for everyone who is obsessed with this: Melania Trump is now in tennis shoes. pic.twitter.com/6nwboiEZfk
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) August 29, 2017
if i may, ahem, I told you so. @FLOTUS #stansmiths pic.twitter.com/wwACuJZmbj
— Kate Bennett (@KateBennett_DC) August 29, 2017
And..... @FLOTUS steps off Air Force One in Corpus Christi wearing.....running shoes....rendering the whole shoe debate irrelevant....
— John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) August 29, 2017
She also wore a black baseball cap that read "FLOTUS," or the abbreviation for First Lady of the United States.
The US President and First Lady spent time in Corpus Christi and Austin during their trip to Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, which made landfall during the weekend as a monster Category Four hurricane and later weakened to a tropical storm. The rain has led to severe flooding in parts of the state.
Harvey has killed at least six people and left large parts of Houston - America's fourth largest city - underwater.
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