Melania Trump's wardrobe choices during Africa trip stir controversy

She wore a pith helmet — seen as a symbol of colonialism — in Kenya. Kenya, like India, was colonised by the British. 

File photo of Melania Trump. 

The four-country trip was a coming out of sorts for the US first lady on the world stage. It was her first major solo trip abroad and a rare example of a time when she has answered questions by reporters on a variety of topics.

She also said she did not always agree with her husband’s tweets and shared her opinions with him directly, even though he did not always follow her advice.

The first lady rarely talks to reporters, and she chose a historic site to do so, near the Great Sphinx.

Asked about her wardrobe choices, the first lady lamented the fact that her clothes drew more attention than her work on children's issues.

“I wish people would focus on what I do, not what I wear,” she said, before posing for pictures in front of some of Egypt's greatest landmarks.

Trump drew some criticism for wearing a white pith helmet during a safari in Kenya because of its association with the exploitation of Africans. That type of hat was favoured by 19th-century European colonialists.

It was not the first time her clothing choices have sparked controversy.

The first lady spurred outrage earlier this year when she wore a jacket bearing the words “I really don’t care, do u?” during a trip to a Texas shelter that housed migrant children separated from their parents.

(Inputs from Reuters)