Twitter Chastises Melania Trump for Wearing «Colonial» Headgear in Africa

Local Editor

Following the PR disaster surrounding the ‘I don’t care, do u?’ jacket Melania wore on her way to a migrant child center, the first lady is in hot water again for one particular piece of her safari outfit during the Kenyan trip which evoked unpleasant memories of colonial rule in Africa.

US President’s wife Melania Trump has prompted a social media storm with the “chic woman on safari” look she picked for her African tour, which happened to be her first solo foreign journey. She’s been seen wearing chinos, safari jackets, riding pants and boots as well as cotton shirts and khaki linens, but it was the white pitch helmet she wore on the day before her departure that enraged some netizens and startled others.

Photos were released of Melania sitting in a safari vehicle, taking photos of giraffes and zebras in the national park in Kenya and eventually stopping by a site where tons of ivory had been burned to battle poaching. However, it was her hat which triggered a predatory response online, as many users rushed to slam the first lady for her perceived insensitivity.

Some described the pith helmets, made of material called sholapith, as a part the brand image of the European explores and imperial administration of the colonial times in Africa and a symbol of racism.

Others jokingly slammed Melania for striking the colonial bingo and ridiculed her whole ensemble.

Criticism of outdated understanding was also a popular rebuke.

Many connected Melania’s faux pas to the infamous statements, attributed to her husband Donald Trump, who reportedly referred to African countries as “sh**holes.”

However, some still tried to defend Melania Trump, stating there’s no racism in the pith helmets often worn by Africans themselves.

The first lady was at the center of another “clothing controversy” this summer, after she wore a designer khaki jacket with a print on the back reading: "I really don't care, do u?" as she departed to visit a migrant child center in Texas. After media and social networks exploded in outrage about the alleged "hidden message," her spokesperson Stephanie Grisham dismissed all allegations, saying it was just a piece of clothing.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team