First lady Melania Trump created a stir this morning by wearing a green khaki jacket with the words “I really don’t care do u?” written across the back in graffiti lettering, the Daily Mail of London reported. She wore the jacket to board her plane in Maryland on the way to a surprise Thursday morning visit to a shelter for migrant children near the Texas border, and had removed it by the time she was seen deplaning in Texas. The jacket came from fast-fashion retailer Zara in 2017 for $39, a change for Trump, who is known to favor European designer clothes costing thousands of dollars.<doc-sep>While boarding an Air Force plane to visit migrant children at the Texas-Mexico border on Thursday, Melania Trump wore a jacket with the phrase “I really don’t care, do u?” scrawled on the back. It’s a bizarre and insensitive choice both for the nature of the occasion and in a cultural moment where public outrage for Trump’s “zero tolerance” family separation policy is fervid and widespread. Though the first lady arrived at Andrews Air Force base in Maryland wearing the jacket, by the time the plane landed in McAllen, Texas, she had changed into a far more innocuous cream colored jacket instead. In a rather brazen move, however, she changed back into the jacket upon landing back in Maryland later in the afternoon, despite the swift criticism and the fact that the temperature was 81 degrees. This time around, photographers were also given full view of the offending garment. The jacket isn’t only notable for its seemingly offensive phrase — it’s notable because the first lady has a tendency to wear exclusively high-end designers like Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino when she appears in public. Instead, the green army jacket is made by fast-fashion behemoth Zara, cost a mere $39, and also happens to be a favorite of young fashion bloggers. Fashion bloggers love that Zara jacket Melania wore. pic.twitter.com/4C8H8lj6Rs — Kim Bhasin (@KimBhasin) June 21, 2018 This isn’t the first time Melania Trump has caused controversy with her wardrobe choices. She famously wore stiletto heels while traveling, coincidentally, to Texas previously to survey the damage from Hurricane Harvey. (On Thursday, however, she wore Adidas Stan Smith sneakers.) While in McAllen, the first lady toured two facilities: the Ursula Border Patrol Processing Center, where the Customs and Border Patrol keep migrant families for a few days; and the Upbring New Hope Children’s Shelter, run by the Health and Human Services Department, which currently houses about 60 children ages 5 to 17 from Honduras and El Salvador. Six of those children were separated from their parents, while the rest arrived as unaccompanied minors, according to a senior administration official. Trump’s spokesperson Stephanie Grisham addressed the jacket, when asked. “It’s a jacket,” she reportedly said. “There was no hidden message. After today’s important visit to Texas, I hope this isn’t what the media is going to choose to focus on.” For what it’s worth, the president does not seem to agree with this assessment: “I REALLY DON’T CARE, DO U?” written on the back of Melania’s jacket, refers to the Fake News Media. Melania has learned how dishonest they are, and she truly no longer cares! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2018 Indeed, it’s hard to believe that nobody involved — Melania herself, her stylist Hervé Pierre, or her spokesperson — couldn’t have foreseen the backlash to such a jacket. Yet in an administration characterized by equivocation and outright falsehoods, it’s not that surprising to hear that it’s hoping people ignore a statement that’s literally printed on a jacket. Plus, in an essentially infinite world of fast-fashion jackets, why wear one that implies you don’t care about the issue you’re on your way to deal with?<doc-sep>While traveling to meet detained children at the Texas border, First Lady Melania Trump wore a jacket with a message printed on the back: "I REALLY DON'T CARE, DO U?," Daily Mail reports. Photos of FLOTUS boarding her plane at Air Force Base in Maryland don't show the slogan in full, but the Mail identifies the poor outerwear choice as a $39 cargo green jacket from Zara. (It's no longer available online.) Perhaps on any other occasion, and on any other person, the jacket would've been nothing more than a sassy addition to a casual outfit. A rainy day walk? Sure. Lunch with friends? Have at it. A cold day in the office? If your dress code permits, go right ahead! Getty Images Zara But one occasion you'd think to absolutely refrain from wearing the (literal) statement piece is in the middle of an immigration crisis created by your husband's administration that entails separating young children from their parents. Especially when you are literally en route to meet said children where they are being detained. Just a thought. Getty Images Shutterstock When asked about the jacket choice, Trump's spokesperson told ABC reporter Meredith McGraw: "It's a jacket. There was no hidden message. After today's important visit to Texas, I hope this isn't what the media is going to choose to focus on." Shutterstock The first lady didn't wear the jacket for long; she took it off once she arrived in Texas. But the internet was still furious over the sartorial flub. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. i'll see your irma stiletto and raise you a fuck you jacket https://t.co/zXgDeMVNjK — Bridget Read (@bridgetgillard) June 21, 2018 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. This is very odd. https://t.co/OjzGzlntuf — Philip Bump (@pbump) June 21, 2018 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Ok, I'm ready to wake up now. https://t.co/lXj9Y5gLXM — Schooley (@Rschooley) June 21, 2018 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Michelle. Robinson. Obama couldn’t even SHOW HER ARMS but now Melania Trump’s teen rebellion message jacket... you know what, never mind. pic.twitter.com/uyNQLxOOpL — R. Eric Thomas (@oureric) June 21, 2018 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Wait, wait, wait. I just got wifi to work on my flight. This Melania jacket thing cannot be real. Can't. I'm choosing to not believe it. — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) June 21, 2018 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. bet Melania is really wishing she'd gone with the "IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN THE APPEARANCE OF CARING" jacket instead — Alexandra Petri (@petridishes) June 21, 2018 The first lady visited the Upbring New Hope Children Center in McAllen, Texas at the southeastern border, USA Today reports. According to her spokesperson, her agenda included “taking part in briefings and tours” at the center. "Her goals are to thank law enforcement and social services providers for their hard work, lend support and hear more on how the administration can build upon the already existing efforts to reunite children with their families,” her rep added in a statement. FLOTUS was no longer wearing her controversial jacket upon arrival. Getty Images Melania Trump's appearance today arrives days after she issued a statement saying she "hates to see children separated from their families and hopes to both sides of the aisle can finally come together to achieve successful immigration reform." President Trump signed an executive order yesterday ending the separation of families at the border, though it's unclear if or when those already separated will be reunited. This isn't the first time the first lady caused uproar with her fashion choices. She was also under fire for wearing stilettos while traveling to help hurricane victims last year. Erica Gonzales Erica Gonzales is the Culture and Content Strategy Senior Editor for BAZAAR.com, where she oversees news and culture coverage, including celebrity, music, TV, movies, and more. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>
First lady Melania Trump wore a green military jacket that says "I really don't care, do u?" on her surprise visit to Texas to visit immigrant children on Thursday. The jacket is made by Zara and costs $39, according to the Daily Mail. Her spokeswoman told Business Insider that "there was no hidden message." First lady Melania Trump wore a green military jacket that says "I really don't care, do u?" on her surprise visit to Texas to visit immigrant children on Thursday. The jacket is made by Zara and costs $39, according to the Daily Mail. "It's a jacket," her spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement to Business Insider. "There was no hidden message. After today's important visit to Texas, I hope the media isn't going to choose to focus on her wardrobe. (Much like her high heels last year.)" First lady Melania Trump boards the plane as she departs Joint Base Andrews on her way to Texas, in Maryland on June 21 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Trump's visit to McAllen, Texas, came amid the firestorm over President Donald Trump's "zero tolerance" immigration policy that has led to children being separated from their parents at the US-Mexico border. The purpose of the visit was "to take part in briefings and tours at a nonprofit social services center for children who have entered the United States illegally," a statement from Grisham says. On Wednesday, the president signed an executive order designed to end the family-separation policy. When asked whether the first lady had seen the images of detained children, Grisham said she had. "She's heard the recordings ... She was on top of the situation before any of that came out," Grisham said. "She was concerned about it. The images struck her as a mother, as a human being."