Decoding Melania Trump’s new official portrait

Her shirt might be undone, in contrast to the severe, buttoned-up tailoring of last week, but her shoulders are sharp and accentuated. Her wide lapels could be reminiscent of the suiting of 1980s New York, a time and place when Melania’s husband cut his teeth, but the silhouette is more sculpted and modern.

During Trump’s first presidency, Mrs Trump was largely quiet, beyond a slogan jacket that read “I really don’t care, do you?” worn to a migrant child detention centre, and her Be Best platform, which had somewhat vague aims such as promoting healthy living.

This time around, her appearances have hinted at a more intentional second run. The Washington Monument stands in the background, locating her very firmly in DC and not New York or Mar-a-Lago.

And gone is the soft focus, the half-smile and the parted lips from her official portrait last time she was in the White House. Gone also is the colour: this time around the portrait is black and white.

Much can be read into her eyes. The mere fact that they are so directly looking at camera – and the viewer in turn – in contrast to inauguration day when she opted for a boater hat that shrouded her eyes, feels noteworthy.

But while eye contact can be about approachability, here it doesn’t read that way. If previous first ladies such as Michele Obama and Jill Biden made accessibility their brand, in her official portrait, Melania remains enigmatic.