Melania Trump and Usha Vance wore eye-catching gowns to the inaugural balls.
Jim WATSON/AFP/Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
The 2025 inauguration culminated with the inaugural balls.
The first and second families attended in eveningwear, but some looks were better than others.
Melania Trump and Usha Vance's gowns were stunning, while Tiffany Trump's dress fell flat.
Donald Trump officially became president again on Monday.
His return to office was marked with much fanfare, from the inauguration itself to the three inaugural balls the president stopped by that night — the Liberty Ball, the Commander-in-Chief Ball, and the Starlight Ball.
The first and second families swapped their ceremonial ensembles for evening attire before attending the balls, but some of their looks were stronger than others.
Take a look at the best and worst outfits of the night.
Melania Trump's black-and-white gown was a strong choice for the first lady.Donald Trump and Melania Trump at a 2025 inaugural ball.
Jim WATSON / AFP
Melania Trump wore a custom Hervé Pierre dress for the balls, as she did in 2017.
Much of the strapless dress was white, though it had a zig-zag of black fabric running across the bodice. The diagonal line picked up on the skirt, cutting across to form a slit on one side.
A coordinating choker completed the chic look, which felt cohesive with the navy and white ensemble Melania Trump wore earlier in the day.
Tiffany Trump's gray dress would have been stronger in another color.Tiffany Trump at a 2025 inaugural ball.
Jim WATSON / AFP
Her long-sleeve, empire-waist gown had an off-the-shoulder neckline. The bodice was adorned with sparkly embellishments, while the pleated skirt flowed to the floor and coordinated with a scarf on her neck.
The silhouette was pretty, but the sparkly top and monochrome skirt felt disjointed, and the color sapped energy from the dress.
Ivanka Trump's floral embroidered dress had Hollywood ties, but it was an odd choice for the inaugural balls.Ivanka Trump at a 2025 inaugural ball.
JIM WATSON/AFP/Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Like her stepmother, Ivanka Trump chose a black-and-white look for the inaugural balls.
Her custom Givenchy dress was a recreation of a Hubert de Givenchy gown Audrey Hepburn originally wore in 1954's "Sabrina." It featured a strapless neckline, an ankle-length skirt, and a separate, floor-length train that flowed out behind her and was trimmed in black fabric. Black florals adorned the bodice and lower portion of the skirt, and Ivanka Trump accessorized the look with black gloves.
The dress was beautiful, but the inaugural balls were a strange venue for paying homage to Hepburn. It would have been more fitting at a film opening or the Met Gala.
Usha Vance's sparkly dress stood out.JD and Usha Vance at a 2025 inaugural ball.
The strapless dress cinched at the waist and was overlaid with sheer fabric adorned with sparkly embellishments. The adornments flared above the neckline, creating the illusion that they were floating over the dress.
The look was elegant and modern, twinkling as Vance danced throughout the night.
Lara Trump's red gown was pretty but a bit boring.The Trump family at a 2025 inaugural ball.
Exposed boning gave the corset bodice structure, and the front of the skirt flowed straight down to her ankles. A ribbon sat on her waist, flowing into fabric ruffles covering the back of the form-fitting gown.
The ruffles were the most interesting part of the dress, and the gown would have been stronger if layers had continued onto the front of the skirt to bring volume to the look.
Lauren Sánchez's black gown was one of the best looks of the night.
Jeff Bezos' fiancée attended multiple inaugural balls, wearing two different gowns throughout the evening.
Her standout look of the night was a black strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline and a bodice covered in sparkles. The skirt was ruched around her waist in a crisscross pattern before falling to the floor in a delicate train.
Sánchez's look was glamorous, and the sparkle gave it a hint of a celebratory feel. Later in the evening, she also wore a romantic peach gown.
The author (not pictured) was 46 when she became a widow.
simonapilolla/Getty Images
My husband died when I was 46, and I received a wake-up call about financial preparedness.
His life insurance policy was a lifesaver as I developed a more long-term plan for our family.
I sought professional advice to get through that time, and I'm glad I did.
In the wee hours of the morning, several days after my husband's death in 2003 from sudden cardiac arrest, I awoke out of breath, my heart racing. Would my daughters be able to stay in their schools? Could I continue to pay the mortgage on our home?
When my husband accepted his first overseas diplomatic assignment, I gave up my career. Once back in the States, I began to slowly rebuild my professional life, but I was far behind my peers in earning power and savings. Still, I didn't worry too much about our income and my slow-growing 403b. We weren't diligent savers; we had mortgages, car loans, and two children in private schools. We relied on the assumption that Uncle Sam had our backs.
Insurance was a lifesaver for me during that time
Suddenly, with a base salary of $42,000 a year, I became responsible for my two teenage daughters and, as an only child, my elderly mom. My husband had good life insurance in place (with his morbid sense of humor, he often joked about how "well off" I'd be when he died), which was a godsend, but I needed to understand how to use our money efficiently.
Most financial experts say you should have enough money in your emergency savings fund to cover three to six months' worth of living expenses. Being unprepared is exacerbated if you are not used to navigating the finances. In my case, I was aware of our position in general terms, but large decisions, such as our daughters' education and buying or selling a home or vehicle, were always joint.
As my husband's beneficiary, I received his federal life insurance payout. Early on, I received incorrect information, leading me to believe that I needed to keep the insurance payout I received in the low-interest settlement account. Learning that I was able to move it to an account that delivered a higher rate of return eased a lot of stress. My initial priority was not investing but making sure I had enough money coming in to pay our bills. I chose to work with an advisor at our credit union to invest the money in instruments that would conserve — and hopefully increase — my principal and provide an income stream to supplement my small salary.
I developed a long-term financial plan
My advisor suggested investments that would help me achieve the goals we had planned for our daughters. I was happy to learn I'd be able to keep my younger daughter in parochial high school and enable my older daughter to remain at her current college. Next, I paid off some high-interest items with part of the insurance money, which eased the burden on my modest income and saved me from having to make large draws from our investment accounts. Later, I tackled estate planning issues such as updating my own will and beneficiaries on all financial items.
Even though I knew how to access our bill-paying software and bank accounts, having no real savings of my own and a meager retirement plan due to contributions of only the 10 years we'd been back in the States made me anxious.The reality of planning a possible solo retirement made me again wish I'd been wiser about my personal saving practices. Soon after tragedy strikes, many widows and widowers rush to make huge — and sometimes unwise —
major financial decisions. A short time after my husband's death, I considered selling our home. but an accountant friend advised me to wait until I was on steadier emotional ground. I'm glad I did because the house appreciated in value, and I was able to secure a good price when I did sell it 15 years later.
I learned a lot about financial preparedness when I became a young widow
In my grief support group, I saw firsthand others having to sell homes or move in with family after losing a spouse or partner's income. I know I was fortunate because of my husband's foresight in planning for a future that did not include him. Because my life insurance had always come as a benefit of my employment, I purchased additional insurance to guarantee that the girls would have some assets should my financial situation change, or I could no longer work.
Even though I learned a lot by becoming a young widow, I wish I'd known more about financial planning before tragedy struck. Having to shoulder the weight of a family's financial present and future only added to my already fragile emotional state. At least, seeking both professional and personal help and a dose of strategic planning eased one of the burdens I felt immediately after my husband's death.
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