Things may have been heated from the off between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden at the first 2020 presidential debate – but that didn’t stop several eyes from turning to their incredibly chic wives, who both put on a very stylish display while supporting their spouses at the milestone event.
Melania, 50, looked like she was ready to get down to business in a $3,340 figure-flattering pinstripe suit from one of her favorite designers, Dolce & Gabbana.
Meanwhile Jill, 69, opted for a more classic look, donning a green silk dress that featured funky fringing detail on the front – a design that she was first snapped in back in October 2017 when she attended a fundraising event with her husband in New York City.
Style showdown: While their husbands took to the stage at the first 2020 presidential debate, Melania Trump and Jill Biden went head to head in a battle of fashion, with the two women wearing equally chic, but very different looks for the evening
Slick: Melania, 50, opted for a chic $3,340 striped Dolce & Gabbana suit, which she paired with a crisp white button-up shirt
Glam: Meanwhile Jill, 69, went for a more classic look, opting for a long-sleeved green silk dress that featured some funky fringe detail on the front of it
Safety first! While their styles may have been very different, the two women had one thing in common when it came to their looks – their protective face masks
Support system: Before the start of the debate, Melania joined her husband on stage to help conclude the event, holding his hand supportively after his verbal battle with his political rival
Hello! Jill also got her turn on stage, standing arm in arm with her husband ahead of the debate, and showing off her dress to full effect, while holding on to a black clutch bag
Real heels! Melania finished her look with some $695 Christian Louboutin pumps, while Jill donned $995 black-and-tan Valentino Rockstud slingback heels
But while the women may have chosen incredibly different designs for the evening, they had one clear style choice in common: face masks.
The First Lady opted for a disposable white face covering to match the white button-up that she wore under her suit, while Jill chose a dark green cloth design from Athleta that was almost exactly the same shade as her fringed frock.
However it was there that sartorial similarities ended.
Melania, whose fashion choices have been the subject of much interest throughout her husband’s time in the White House, appeared as though she had dressed to complement the President’s style for this evening – mirroring his signature suit with her own fashion-forward spin on the look.
But while President Trump chose a navy design for the evening, Melania chose a black design with white pinstripes and sharp shoulder pads for added oomph, which she paired with a crisp white button-up shirt, and a pair of $695 sky-high Christian Louboutin heels.
She kept her accessories for the evening to a minimum, wearing a single ring on her finger, while her long brunette locks were styled in her signature loose waves for the evening.
Going all out: Melania had her long brunette hair styled in her signature loose waves, and she also showed off her favorite smokey eye above her face mask
Style squad: The First Lady showed off her glamorous ‘do from the back as she took her socially-distanced seat alongside her stepdaughter Ivanka Trump
Say cheese! The First Lady showed off her ensemble ahead of the live televised debate while posing for a backstage selfie alongside her stepdaughters Ivanka and Tiffany, and her stepson Eric’s wife Lara
Behind the scenes: Kimberly then joined the Trump women for an elegant Instagram snap that was posted by Lara, with all of the women proudly showing off their outfits ahead of the debate
Debut: Jill was not seen in her outfit earlier in the day, when she was busy campaigning for her husband in Cleveland
Golden girl: The wife of the former Vice President also went for a loose wavy style for her hair, and she was seen modeling plenty of mascara to highlight her eyes above her mask
Hi there! Jill showed off her chunky gold bangle as she turned around to wave to a friend in the audience after taking her seat
While she covered half her face with a mask, the First Lady didn’t let that stop her from injected some great glamor into her beauty look, showing off her signature smokey eye above the protective covering, which she appears to have removed once she took her socially-distanced seat in the front row at the venue, alongside her stepdaughter Ivanka.
Earlier in the evening, Melania had a chance to show off her glam for the evening to better effect when she was pictured boarding Air Force One with her husband as they prepared to fly to Cleveland for the event.
She also flaunted her fashion choice in a quick selfie snapped by her stepson Eric’s wife Lara that shows the two women posing happily alongside Donald’s daughters, Ivanka and Tiffany.
Jill on the other hand debuted her look at the debate itself, having spent the day campaigning for her husband in Cleveland, leaving him to travel to the event by himself, while she traveled ahead to try and drum up supporters for Joe.
However, longtime Biden supporters and followers will no doubt recognize the ensemble, which Jill has worn on a number of occasions in the past, including during an appearance on MSNBC in February of this year.
The design is clearly a favorite for the former Vice President wife, who was also pictured stepping out in the green dress back in October 2017, when she and Joe attended the 5th Annual Save The Children Illumination gala at The Museum of Natural History in New York City, where they rubbed shoulders with actress Jennifer Garner.
Civil: The foursome were all pictured on stage together after the heated debate had come to an end, with Jill still wearing her face mask, while Melania had removed hers
Thrilled: Melania seemed very happy with her husband’s performance in the debate, and was smiling from ear-to-ear as she joined the President on stage
Happy as can be: Jill also seemed delighted with the outcome of the heated debate, and happily waved to spectators as she stood alongside her husband
Accessories: Earlier in the day, Melania showed off her chic look on the tarmac at Cleveland Hopkins Airport, where she was seen disembarking Air Force One alongside her husband
Switching things up: When she arrived in Cleveland, the First Lady was not seen wearing a face mask, however she was modeling an oversized pair of sunglasses
Sky-high: The mother-of-one wore a pair of chic $695 Christian Louboutin heels with her suit look
Like Melania, Jill chose to pull out all the stops with the glamour, wearing her blonde hair in chic waves, while her eyes were framed with several coats of mascara.
Unlike her counterpart, she chose to add several accessories to her look, including a few gold bangles around her wrist, and a simple gold necklace. Jill finished the look off with some statement earrings and a pair of $995 black-and-tan Valentino Rockstud heels.
Both women had the chance to show off their ensembles in full at the end of the evening, when they each joined their husbands on-stage to celebrate the end of the first presidential debate of the year – with both Melania and Jill grinning happily, despite the rather heated and tense arguments that took place throughout the event.
Melania held her husband’s hand in a supportive gesture, while Jill stood arm in arm with Joe, with both pairs offering waves to the spectators.
However it was not just Melania and Jill who made a stylish splash at the debate.
Joining the First Lady in supporting the President were her stepdaughters Ivanka and Tiffany, who were joined by Eric’s wife Lara, and Don Jr’s longtime partner Kimberly Guilfoyle, with all four ladies going the extra mile to ensure that they represented the President in fashionable form.
The group were pictured together ahead of the start of the debate, waiting in the wings as they prepared to head out into the venue and assume their seats, with Ivanka leading the way as they all entered together.
Supporters: As well as Melania, Donald was also joined at the debate by his wider family, including (left to right) his sons Don Jr and Eric, their partners Kimberly Guilfoyle and Lara Trump, and his daughters Tiffany and Ivanka
All white on the night! Ivanka, 38, looked every inch the style star in a $3,210 Gabriela Hearst blazer, which was belted at the waist to emphasize her trim figure
Sleek: The First Daughter kept her blonde locks styled straight, and she showed off a glamorous makeup look after removing her face mask when she sat down
Protection: Ivanka wore a floral blue-and-white face mask when she arrived at the event, however she removed the covering when she took her seat alongside her stepmother Melania
Strutting her stuff: The mother-of-three finished off the look with a $4,700 white Chanel handbag, and a pair of strappy heels
Proud daughter: After the debate came to an end, Ivanka shared a photo of herself posing with her dad on Air Force One
Chic: Ivanka wore a simple white blouse under her suit, and she kept her accessories to a minimum, carrying essentials in her Chanel tote, and adding a pair of dangly pearl earrings
Mother-of-three Ivanka, who appears to have attended the debate without her husband, fellow White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, followed in Melania’s fashion footsteps by wearing a pantsuit, however unlike her stepmother, she opted for a cream design from Gabriela Hearst.
The focus of the look was the $3,210 blazer, which she paired with some matching pants, and a pair of sky-high strappy heels. She was also seen carrying a pricey white $4,700 Chanel handbag to complete her look.
Ivanka, who wore her hair in a pin straight style around her shoulders, finished off her ensemble by donning a protective face mask, plumping for a fun floral design that she removed as she took her seat alongside Melania – with relations between the two women seeming cordial, despite recent rumors that they do not get along.
Ivanka also had the chance to show off her look of choice earlier in the day when she joined her father and other family members at Andrews Air Base, where she boarded Air Force One to join the President on his journey to Cleveland ahead of the debate.
The First Daughter was joined on on-board the presidential aircraft by her brothers, Don Jr and Eric, and their respective partners, as well as her sister Tiffany, with the ladies all happily snapping social media photos ahead of the debate – including the mask-clad selfie with Melania.
Mirroring Ivanka’s look, Kimberly, 51, wore a white pantsuit for the evening, however she followed Melania’s lead when it came to styling her long brunette hair, which she wore in loose waves around her shoulders.
When she boarded Air Force One with Don Jr, former TV host had been seen carrying a funky embellished tote that read Rock and Roll in pearls – no doubt a nod to Cleveland’s much-loved Rock & Roll Hall of Fame – however when she arrived at the venue, she was no longer carrying it.
Matchy matchy: Kimberly, 51, mirrored Ivanka’s look in her own white pantsuit, and she even donned a matching blue embellished mask
Twins! Ivanka and Kimberly’s pantsuits complemented each other perfectly as they made their way into the debate venue
Deluxe ‘do: Like Melania, Kimberly’s dark brunette locks were styled in loose waves that hung around her shoulders, and she also showed off perfectly-manicured pink nails
Rock on! By the time she arrived at the debate venue, Kimberly appeared to have abandoned the Rock and Roll tote that she was seen boarding Air Force One with – no doubt in a nod to Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Support squad: Ivanka led the charge as the four women made their way to their seats ahead of the debate
Lined up: Tiffany wore her long blonde hair in a straight style like her sister, who was seated beside her in the venue
She continued the pearl theme while in attendance at the debate by wearing a blue pearl-embellished Lele Sadoughi face mask that added a fun hint of color to her other-wise all-white look.
President Trump’s female family members appeared to have coordinated their looks in pairs for the evening; while Ivanka and Kimberly both wore white pantsuits, Tiffany and Lara were both pictured in form-fitting dark dresses at the event.
Georgetown Law graduate Tiffany, who has become a much more regular feature at her father’s event since she finished her studies, donned a simple frock with a plunging neckline and a flattering peplum-style ruffle at the waist, accessorizing with a number of gold bracelets on her wrist and a gold locket-style necklace.
Much like her older sister and her stepmother, Tiffany, 26, amped up the glamour as far as her makeup look was concerned, modeling long, thick eyelashes, smokey shadow, and pretty pink blush that helped to accentuate the big smile on her face as she took her seat alongside Don Jr, Ivanka and Melania.
The younger First Daughter appears to have changed her ensemble while on-board Air Force One; she was pictured in a selfie with sister-in-law Lara wearing a bright pink blazer and a black turtleneck, however by the time she arrived at the venue, she had donned her navy debate dress.
Just like Ivanka, Tiffany’s long blonde locks were styled straight and sleek around her shoulders, and she completed her look for the evening with a navy blue face mask.
Mother-of-two Lara meanwhile also kept things simple with her dress choice for the evening, modeling a chic black frock that featured a flattering scoop neckline and short above-the-elbow sleeves that emphasized the runner’s toned arms.
Smile for the cameras! The Georgetown Law graduate grinned happily as she took her seat at the debate, looking very chic in a form-fitting navy dress
Style star: Tiffany amped up the glamour with lengthy eyelashes, dark eyeshadow, and some pink blush
Wild side: Eric’s wife Lara jazzed up her black ensemble with a leopard-print face mask that almost perfectly matched her blonde locks
Wavy lady: Lara’s hair was styled in chic waves, while her dress featured a flattering scoop neckline
Changing it up? The Georgetown Law graduate appears to have changed her outfit while on Air Force One, having worn a pink blazer and black turtleneck while posing for a selfie with her sister-in-law Lara as they boarded the plane
The 37-year-old completed her look with a leopard-print face mask, and she was seen carrying her iPhone in her hand as she entered the venue alongside her husband and his siblings, choosing to go without a purse for the evening. She did however accessorize with several bracelets and an iWatch that was clearly visible on her wrist as she headed to her seat.
Lara wore her blonde locks in chic waves for the evening, and – just like her husband’s family – she made sure to go all out with the glamour, wearing a nude lipstick, plenty of bronzer, and several coats of mascara.
All of Trump’s support group had smiles on their faces during and after the debate, despite the ugly brawl that took place between the two political rivals on stage – with Joe telling Donald to ‘shut up’ early on in the event, before the two men began savaging one another over hot-button topics including healthcare, the Supreme Court, and the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Joe, 77, also called Donald, 74, a clown on numerous occasions during their contentious first presidential debate, slapping him down as the President repeatedly interrupted his answers.
The President tried to command the stage from out of the box, interrupting his rival repeatedly to make his point, counter Joe, and push himself into the conversation.
It happened so many times that moderate Chris Wallace stepped in, asking the president to let Biden finish his answer and chided, ‘I’m the moderator of this debate and I would like you to let me ask my question and then you can answer.’
The 90-minute show down between the presidential contenders proved early on that it would a be a knock-out, drag-down match, and their rivalry became increasingly heated throughout the evening as they repeatedly spoke over one another, with Wallace stepping in again and again to urge both men to give the other their turn before voicing their own point.