When it comes to Donald Trump’s wives, most people think about Melania Trump. She is now a two-time First Lady of the United States, after all, and a fixture of her husband’s life for over two decades. Others might think of Ivana Trump, Donald’s first wife who gave him three prominent children: Donald Trump, Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump.
However, it’s easy to overlook the second wife, Marla Maples. She was once a famous celebrity in her own right, and she gave Donald a fourth kid, Tiffany. Sadly, though, Marla and Donald divorced, leaving the latter free to date and eventually marry Melania Trump.
Marla reacted the way any of us would: by giving herself the ultimate glow-up. What did she wear after divorcing Donald Trump, and what is the special significance behind her fashion choices? Keep reading to find out!
The Stepford Wife look
Before you can appreciate Marla Maples’ glow-up, you need to learn more about her previous look. When she married Donald Trump, the future president showed the Georgia native a different way of life. Trump being Trump, that meant plenty of time on the golf course, and it didn’t take too long before all that time on the links began influencing Marla’s wardrobe.
That’s because she dressed like she was headed to the country club almost all of the time. She looks good in these photos, of course, but it seems much of her personality is missing from these fits. In short, she looks more like a Stepford Wife than the fierce, independent woman we would come to know and love.
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Wearing black and never going back
Like the true fashion icon she is, Marla Maples experimented with many different looks over the years after she and Donald Trump got divorced. And one of those earliest looks involved trading out her country club aesthetic for something more at home in a goth-themed nightclub. For example, in 1999, she attended a Sex and the City party in Los Angeles and wore a black leather jacket and black slacks. Paired with her now shorter hair, she looked like she was either ready to hunt vampires, Buffy style, or maybe just enjoy a bit of blood herself.
That same year, Marla dressed dark again when she and daughter Tiffany Trump attended the LA Shanti celebrity fashion show wearing matching black dresses. Honestly, she looks absolutely stunning in this darker shade, and we wish that Marla’s goth phase had lasted a bit longer. But the very next year, she began dressing in vibrant and more colorful clothing. Regardless of whether you like her more in all black or a tapestry of colors, we can all agree on one thing: she looks better after ditching the country club look!
One killer revenge dress
Even those who love Donald Trump will be the first to admit that he has a petty streak a mile wide. As it turns out, though, Marla Maples is the same way. First, she got a bit of revenge on her famous husband by auctioning off the 7.5-carat diamond engagement ring Trump gave her, taking home a cool $110,000. Later, she got revenge in the same way that Princess Diana once did: with an absolutely stunning revenge dress.
At the 12th Annual Night of 100 Stars Oscar gala in 2003, Marla rocked a black gown complete with a ravishing spaghetti strap neckline. The stripes sparkled almost as brilliantly as her smile, and she finished the look off with a black clutch and gem necklace. While Marla didn’t make any specific comments about Donald Trump, many likened her fashion this evening to the famous black “revenge dress” Princess Diana wore after divorcing Prince Charles.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold. And whether revenge was really on the menu that night, we can all agree that Marla Maples was serving in a big way!
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A lighter shade of single
Eventually, Marla Maples’ post-divorce fashion came full circle. For example, she kicked off her initial independence from Donald Trump by wearing all black. And shortly before her famous ex began his political career, she wore much lighter shades. For example, when attending the 2014 British American Business Council’s annual Christmas luncheon, she wore a white, off-shoulder onesie. This look was Marla in a nutshell: it turned heads but didn’t look overly flashy.
Of course, she got even more casual by the time she was visiting Donald Trump’s home. In 2024, she visited Mar-a-Lago to attend a screening of the documentary A Line in the Sand. At this event, Marla wore a plain blouse and slacks, which seemed like a very comfortable outfit indeed. Some, though, thought she was sending her famous ex a message: in this case, that she’d never be dressing up for him again!