Donald Trump's directive that female staff should ‘dress like women’ causes another social media backlash

Donald Trump has angered feminists all over again, after a new report revealed that he has told the female staff of his administration that they need to always "dress like women" when at work.

According to Axios, who spoke to sources inside the president’s team, Trump requires all of his employees to “have a certain look" and “be sharply dressed" at all times. But while, for male staff members that mostly equates to having well-groomed hair and an on-brand tie (“If it's not a Trump tie, you can get away with Brooks Brothers,” offers the source) the rules for women seem significantly more complicated.

“Trump likes the women who work for him 'to dress like women',” the report suggests. "Even if you're in jeans, you need to look neat and orderly." Insiders also told Axios that women who worked in Trump's campaign field offices and are public-facing, but only on a local scale, “felt pressure to wear dresses” to impress the president.

But what does it really mean to "dress like a woman" in Trumpland? Donald’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, has built a clothing empire off the back of her own Instagram hashtag #WomenWhoWork and a subsequent stream of daily posts showcasing her formulaic pencil dresses and pointed court shoes. Melania, too, favours this polished brand of power sheathing; figure-skimming dresses, double-breasted coats and nude Louboutin heels. 

ivanka trump style

It’s true that formal and corporate environments will often call for a professional, personality-minimal approach to fashion, but - as now seems standard practice for any Trump directive - it's sparked an instant backlash on social media. The hashtag #DressLikeAWoman has started trending on Twitter, with thousands taking to the social media platform to offer alternative suggestions of what it really means to “dress like a woman”.

#DressLikeAWoman - The backlash 

In response, female firefighters, soldiers and surgeons have all shared photos of themselves at work, while many are also circulating shots of tennis star Serena Williams and Game Of Thrones warrior Brienne of Tarth in her armour. Racing car driver Leilani Munter meanwhile has posted a picture of herself on the track.

Firefighters joined the debate

This surgeon is dressed like a woman

A mother and son got involved

Inspirational women from across the world have been highlighted on the hashtag

It would be a bit impractical to wear a skirt to this job

People have taken it as an opportunity to celebrate influential women

Women from popular sports...

...and politics

Women in the army past...

..and present

“[Trump’s] obsession with optics, style and TV glam are central to his being,” the Axios report muses, perhaps attempting to explain his overzealous concern for his employees appearances. “President Trump doesn't view life through the lens that most people do... he sees himself as The Producer, conducting The Trump Show, on and off stage.”  

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