Everyone calm down: Melania Trump is not wearing mile-high stilettos in a disaster zone.
The first lady and wife of President Donald Trump drew some criticism Tuesday morning as she was spotted boarding Marine One and then Air Force One in sky-high heels, about to take off to Texas to survey the damage caused by Tropical Storm Harvey.
Although it's fair to say that the former supermodel likely feels pretty comfortable in four-inch heels, the first lady's fashion choice nonetheless spurred a wave of disapproval from some on social media.
Live look at Melania Trump offering assistance in Houston: pic.twitter.com/IumsriGojS
— TrumpsTaxes (@TrumpsTaxes) August 29, 2017
I fear Melania Trump’s four-inch heels may not last the day. pic.twitter.com/cEngzLn3ck
— Christina Wilkie (@christinawilkie) August 29, 2017
It was very thoughtful of Melania trump to bring her water shoes. She's ready to wade in the Houston floods ! https://t.co/bBzUGCT5VX
— Adelino Camara (@ADIC33) August 29, 2017
Melania taking off for Houston on AF1...in stilettos.
— Chelsea Handler (@chelseahandler) August 29, 2017
And here we have Melania Trump modeling what NOT to wear to a hurricane: 5-inch stilettos.
— Holly O'Reilly (@AynRandPaulRyan) August 29, 2017
How out of touch can you be? pic.twitter.com/tZR8o3dYxY
I wouldn't normally comment on Melania's shoes but I'm not sure if this is what you wear to go meet ppl who've lost all of their belongings https://t.co/TP3YYgPIwj
— Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) August 29, 2017
However, as the Trumps disembarked from the plane in Corpus Christi, Texas, the first lady was wearing much more sensible footwear: white sneakers.
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Pres. Trump and First lady Melania Trump touch down in Corpus Christi, TX pic.twitter.com/cYGspZAUgT
— CBS News (@CBSNews) August 29, 2017
She'd also donned a black baseball cap sporting the acronym "FLOTUS" — short for "first lady of the United States" — which drew a bit more mockery over her fashion choices.
Melania Trump is now thoughtfully wearing a hat saying FLOTUS so we know who she is
— Krishnan Guru-Murthy (@krishgm) August 29, 2017
.@FLOTUS has a FLOTUS hat folks
— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) August 29, 2017
Please tell me she didn't really show up wearing a FLOTUS hat?! #tackymuch #IdiotInChief #flotushat #tacky #noclass
— Denise (@Arizona_Denise) August 29, 2017
Of course, this is just one moment in a long history of fraught optics when it comes to presidential visits to disaster zones.
President George W. Bush was heavily criticized in 2005 after he flew over the destruction from Hurricane Katrina, with many saying he was detached from what was happening on the ground.
In 2016, President Obama was criticized for not ending his vacation on Martha's Vineyard to visit areas of Louisiana hit by floods.
Material from the Associated press was used in this report.