She has never been merely a gown or a cardigan.So what’s that to say for the next four years? Plagiarized speech aside, Melania Trump is a vastly different person from her predecessor, especially since we’ve learned the family’s intention to live at Trump Tower in New York. This means that already, Melania is showing how disinterested she is in engaging the American people in political discourse, and how separately she’s keeping herself from the capital’s dealings. But despite that, Trump has worn clothing that could be read by some as small tokens of subversion — whether it’s wearing a pussy-bow blouse to the debates after news of her husband’s misogynistic comments were made public, or choosing to wear non-American designers during the campaign, when her husband has been an outspoken critic of globalization. But we’ll have to see — depending on what Trump chooses to do, engage in, and say beyond just her wardrobe, we’ll be able to see whether this First Lady’s clothing is also an intentional act of communication, or just an aesthetic choice.Which means that yet again, the First Lady’s clothing choices will be politicized. But unlike what seems to be taking shape with Melania, Michelle Obama’s style story wasn’t the only one she wanted to tell. Not to mention that when Michelle chose a piece, it was still always a secondary character — it was a part of her story, but not the star. Because even when she was cloaked in Gucci last week, making waves for wearing an Italian designer who’s best known for shaking up the establishment and redefining what’s considered desirable and beautiful, the questions weren’t about how the dress looked or its trendiness. It was just another avenue for examining Obama’s own political awareness. Which speaks volumes not just about the importance of fashion, but the power one can wield when working alongside, not in service of it.