With her eyes almost entirely obscured by the rim of her wool boater-style hat, Melania Trump stood next to president-elect Donald Trump on stage at the inauguration ceremony as he pledged the oath of allegiance.

Melania Trump returned to Washington, D.C., in style this week.

Exploring how First Lady fashion became political theater, from Jackie O to Melania Trump,revealing gender bias where women's style overshadows policy in public discourse

The inauguration festivities started over the weekend, with a fireworks display at the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia. Melania wore a white jacquard pantsuit by Dolce & Gabbana under a gray Dior coat.

The inaugural hat was like nothing so much as the broad-brimmed white hat Mrs. Trump wore during a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife in 2018, which likewise made waves and which she auctioned off in 2022 as an “iconic broad-brimmed one-of-a-kind hat.” Her reference was herself.

Melania Trump wore a custom look -- a strapless white gown with a geometric black trim and a small slit -- to the inaugural ball Monday night, completing her series of the day's outfits with a show-stopper from her own stylist. The first lady completed the look with a black choker and white heels.

How viral was the hat? Global searches about what first lady Melania Trump had on her head were briefly higher than for President Donald Trump’s speech.

From the design process, to a shipping mishap, to the inauguration stage, here's how Melania Trump's hat was made.