Melania Trump has responded to the criticism that she received when she was pictured wearing a pith helmet in Africa. The first lady’s decision to wear the hat led some to accuse her of having an “outdated understanding” of Africa, due to the association between the headwear and colonial rule in the continent. When questioned about the controversy in Egypt as part of her first international solo tour since her husband was sworn into office as president, Ms Trump expressed her wish for people to stop focusing on her clothes. “You know what, we just completed an amazing trip, we went to Ghana, we went to Malawi, we went to Kenya, here we are in Egypt,” she said. “I want to talk about my trip and not what I wear. “That’s very important what I do, what we’re doing with USAID and what I do with my initiatives. “I wish people would focus on what I do, not what I wear.” The pith helmet was frequently worn by military personnel from countries including Britain, France, Spain and Italy while commanding colonial armies, which is why many people found Ms Trump’s choice to wear it in Africa highly contentious. While Ms Trump has stated that she’d prefer for people to focus more on her actions than her sartorial choices, some people have explained why she needs to be taking greater responsibility when she wears clothes that cause controversy. “. @FLOTUS we don’t want to talk about your fashion choices either. We’d rather talk about the message you send with your fashion choices,” one person tweeted. “The pith helmet in Africa was a terrible look, and the ‘I Really Don’t Care’ jacket at the border was pretty awful. Colonialism is your thing?” “For a woman that knows fashion, she knows fashion speaks and sends messages, political or otherwise,” another person commented. “Own your responsibility in your wardrobe choices.” Earlier this year, the first lady came under fire for wearing a jacket adorned with the slogan “I Really Don’t Care, Do U?” while visiting children at the US-Mexico border who’d been separated from their parents.<doc-sep>US first lady Melania Trump is in Africa this week for humanitarian reasons, but she also may be attempting to resurrect Ralph Lauren’s now-defunct Safari clothing line. On a short safari in Kenya, she wore a crisp white button-up shirt, khaki jodhpurs, knee-high riding boots, and a blazing white pith helmet. Pith helmets—also known as topees, according to The Fairchild Dictionary of Fashion—were originally made from a cork-like material called sholapith and designed to provide protection from the sun while allowing for ventilation. But the pith helmet’s historical legacy goes beyond European cork varietals. The headgear was standard-issue for 19th century British officers in India and Africa, making it a potent symbol of colonial rule. They’ve long since been abandoned, making them nearly cartoonish in their connotations today (or actually cartoonish: when TinTin went to Congo in 1931, he wore a pith helmet). This makes the helmet an odd choice for a first lady supposedly on a goodwill trip—but precisely what you’d expect from the one currently in the White House. Did she wear it with the intention of offending? I don’t purport to know what Melania Trump could possibly be thinking, ever, but I certainly didn’t expect REI cargo shorts and a fanny-pack. Given the first lady’s legacy as a 1990s-era fashion model (not to mention the wife of a man who reportedly referred to African countries as “shitholes”), her look is spot-on. Mrs. Trump, after all, was working in fashion when Ralph Lauren’s Safari collection had magazine ads depicting white models cradling lion cubs. During the same time, Banana Republic stores had vintage Jeeps “crashed” into their fronts. In an oral history of Banana Republic (the store, not the questionable moniker), the store’s former production manager recalled the “safari craze” of the late 1980s—a sort of shopping suburban interpretation of fashion photographer Peter Beard’s shots of Veruschka posing with a rifle over her shoulders. (The stores apparently carried pith helmets until Mickey Drexler got a hold of the place after it was brought under Gap’s umbrella.) “Having flocked to movies like Out of Africa, Romancing the Stone and especially the Indiana Jones films, Americans were nuts about khaki twill and far-flung, steamy destinations,” wrote Robert Klara. “For those who couldn’t afford a ticket to Sri Lanka, Banana Republic’s mall stores offered a substitute of sorts.” All of these totems of western pop culture—Banana Republic’s “safari craze,” Ralph Lauren’s well-appointed tents, Peter Beard’s fashion shoots, Karen Blixen’s Out of Africa—are problematic because they exoticize and generalize the people and places surrounding their white subjects. Melania’s pith helmet and its accompanying clothing seem to celebrate this legacy, whether knowingly or not. They fit perfectly with the first lady’s tradition of dressing for her role, as the New Yorker’s Jia Tolentino once put it, “as if she were a paper doll, every outfit a costume.” Costumes are frequently offensive, and this one of a white westerner in Africa is no exception. But is it surprising? Not even a little bit.<doc-sep>US First Lady took a asafari tour in Nairobi National Park in Kenya wearing a pith helmet. (Source: AP) US First Lady took a asafari tour in Nairobi National Park in Kenya wearing a pith helmet. (Source: AP) First Lady Melania Trump is currently on her maiden solo visit to Africa. And the FLOTUS has riled people with her choice of clothing. During a safari in Kenya, Trump donned a crisp white shirt, khaki pants and high-boots and paired her outfit with a white pith helmet which many claimed is “evocative of colonialists”, something that did not go down well on social media. While visiting the Nairobi National Park in Kenya, she was seen touring in an open-air vehicle, taking photos on her iPhone of zebras, giraffes, impalas, rhinos and hippos and feeding baby elephants. Things done by most tourists and dignitaries visiting the national parks. “Pith helmets — so-called because they are made of the material sholapith – were worn by European explorers and imperial administrators in Africa, parts of Asia and the Middle East in the 19th century before being adopted by military officers, rapidly becoming a symbol of status – and oppression,” Guardian reported. “That pith helmet you have carried was used by colonialists during the dark days. Doesn’t sit well with us Africans. Who advised you?” Pauleen Mwalo from Nairobi said on Twitter. While others asked how could be so “ignorant” an “tone deaf”. Melania Trump went on a safari in Kenya wearing a pith helmet – a symbol of European colonial rule across Africa 🤦🏿‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/JSvNghTs3p — Hamza Mohamed (@Hamza_Africa) October 6, 2018 #Melania goes to Africa wearing a pith helmet – symbol of colonialism. Is there no-one in the White House to advise these idiots or as where Trump was seen with toilet paper stuck to his shoe, staff too scared or purposely keeping their mouths shut? #Trump — Richard Bevan (@RichardBevan79) October 6, 2018 She’s wearing a pith helmet! A pith helmet!!! If there is 1 hat you don’t want to wear in Africa or India is a pith helmet. https://t.co/vm58JYNiRU — Tahar (@laseptiemewilay) October 6, 2018 Clueless, no empathy, spoiled, elitist, self-centered and racist to boot. Pith helmet, riding boots and pants? — Screw Civility #the Resistance (@screw_civility) October 6, 2018 her pith helmet of a husband — Kelli Maxwell (@Kmax3050) October 6, 2018 Wow, here it is in all it’s resplendent cultural baggage. Where did FLOTUS even find a pith helmet? ‘Jumanji cosplay’ on eBay? pic.twitter.com/p7XYUHmXdZ — Will Swanson (@willswanson) October 5, 2018 Melania Trump wore colonial era pith helmet and jodhpurs to the NNP ivory burn dump site!#CONservation#TheBigWhiteLie pic.twitter.com/B7mlC46UBl — TheNortherner (@alaminkimathi) October 5, 2018 Oh my goodness I thought she would stop at belted khaki but FLOTUS actually brought a pith helmet on her Africa jaunt. #IReallyDontCareDoU https://t.co/9QlbKIK6Oe — Ruth Maclean (@ruthmaclean) October 5, 2018 (For those who don’t know – including many Nigerians ignorant of their history), there is no better known symbol of colonial rule in Africa than the pith helmet. For the U.S. First Lady to wear one in 2018, is a horrible faux pas. She should fire her stylist. pic.twitter.com/a4OXg6gy7P — Onye Nkuzi (@cchukudebelu) October 6, 2018 Melania’s in Africa shows she’s completely tone deaf. She was sad over the slaughter of elephants, but her stepsons hunt & kill them & her husband reopened trophy hunting. . But her outfit in Kenya! She wore a white pith helmet: a symbol of Colonial rule. https://t.co/A4nqqjnMQk — ProfHelen (@Helenhs) October 6, 2018 Melania must have bought her pith helmet from the person who used to supply Kenya Provincial Commissioners with theirs! — WNgugi (@WarpBlaze) October 6, 2018 Should i tell her that the Pith helmet or sun helmet , used in many other contexts , is something of a symbol of colonial rule. Reminds me of #Zangalewa #WhiteHat pic.twitter.com/hPzUF3J9S8 — Caroline Kere (@carolinekere) October 5, 2018 Melania Trump in pith helmet on Kenya safari likened to colonialist | “Controversial hat of imperial administrators in Africa became symbol of oppression.” Ignorant people do ignorant things. Devoid of any sense of history. https://t.co/X8gTBTBj9b — Michael Behiels (@67Capt_Canuck) October 5, 2018 #FLOTUS showing some excellent cultural judgement here, appearing in #Africa wearing a pith helmet. Nothing says cultural understanding better than an accessory widely associated with colonial rule. Classy. https://t.co/b6SMDmCd3T — Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) October 5, 2018 Melania: What should I wear on my Africa trip to pay tribute to the culture and history of my hosts? WH staff: A pith helmet. Definitely a pith helmet. https://t.co/JSmNkWM2RF — Owen Barder (@owenbarder) October 5, 2018 Colonial chic, complete with a DC’s pith helmet. https://t.co/itqa2mmYAf — Ken Opalo (@kopalo) October 5, 2018 She’s touring Africa in a Pith helmet! It’s Colonialist Barbie! pic.twitter.com/FRHW7p2Y0L — No Dana, only Zuul Schwartz (@DanaSchwartzzz) October 5, 2018 Melania Trump wearing a pith helmet on her trip to “Africa” is more than a silly sartorial choice. It’s a reflection of her outdated understanding of Africa. (Also, she was photographed in safari attire multiple times on this trip.) #FLOTUSinAfricaBingo https://t.co/aCnkOnPBF8 — kim yi dionne (@dadakim) October 5, 2018 With #FLOTUSinAfricaBingo many are documenting her ‘tone-deaf fashion’ and stereotypes choices. Actually, maybe she’s got bigger goals. OF WEARING A SAFARI OUTFIT EVERY DAY IN AFRICA. See, e.g., this photo from the other day in #Ghana. Siri, how do I set a news image alert for Melania in a pith helmet? pic.twitter.com/I0I6BDnMtU — kim yi dionne (@dadakim) October 4, 2018 Earlier in June, she was criticised for wearing the “I really don’t care. Do U?” jacket on the way to visit detained migrant children in Texas, as well as wearing heels to meet hurricane victims. Trump is in Africa on a four-nation tour, with plans to visit Egypt this weekend after stops in Ghana, Malawi and Kenya.<doc-sep>
First Lady Melania Trump wore a white pith helmet on Friday while on a safari during her trip to Kenya. The first lady’s first solo trip included visits to four African countries in five days — including Malawi, Kenya, Ghana, and Egypt — but liberals latched onto her choice of headgear during a visit to Nairobi National Park in Nairobi, Kenya to criticize her for wearing a supposed symbol of colonial rule. “Pith helmets — so-called because they are made of the material sholapith – were worn by European explorers and imperial administrators in Africa, parts of Asia and the Middle East in the 19th century before being adopted by military officers, rapidly becoming a symbol of status – and oppression,” the Guardian reported. Mrs. Trump received plenty of Twitter backlash for her headgear: For some, the sight of Melania Trump on a Kenyan safari wearing a white pith helmet — a common symbol of European colonial rule — was a glaring mistake https://t.co/p7dq5ZpGIr — The New York Times (@nytimes) October 5, 2018 Melania Trump went on a safari in Kenya wearing a pith helmet – a symbol of European colonial rule across Africa pic.twitter.com/JSvNghTs3p — Hamza Mohamed (@Hamza_Africa) October 6, 2018 Melania Trump wearing a pith helmet on her trip to “Africa” is more than a silly sartorial choice. It’s a reflection of her outdated understanding of Africa. (Also, she was photographed in safari attire multiple times on this trip.) #FLOTUSinAfricaBingo https://t.co/aCnkOnPBF8 — kim yi dionne (@dadakim) October 5, 2018 #FLOTUS showing some excellent cultural judgement here, appearing in #Africa wearing a pith helmet. Nothing says cultural understanding better than an accessory widely associated with colonial rule. Classy. https://t.co/b6SMDmCd3T — Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) October 5, 2018 New York Times White House Correspondent Katie Rogers reported via Twitter that Mrs. Trump was “clearly irritated” about being asked about the helmet, responding with: “You know what? We just completed an amazing trip.” FLOTUS was clearly irritated with a question about her white pith helmet. “You know what? We just completed an amazing trip.” Then she slayed the shit out of this pyramid shot as dramatic music played. pic.twitter.com/melvavZ83r — Katie Rogers (@katierogers) October 6, 2018 She then said, “I wish people would focus on what I do, not what I wear.” When Asked About Pith Helmet, FLOTUS Responds: ‘Focus On What I Do, Not What I Wear’ https://t.co/MTPQM7A3R7 — NPR (@NPR) October 6, 2018 Follow Scott on Facebook and Twitter.