

Melania Trump turned heads again for a stunning fashion choice during her five-country overseas jaunt with President Trump, this time when she emerged from a car outside a palace in Sicily where her husband is attending the G7 Summit.

The First Lady on Friday donned a floral coat from the fashion house Dolce and Gabana, according to White House Wardrobe, a Twitter count dedicated to tracking Mrs. Trump’s style.

The coat was absolutely breathtaking in all its three dimensions, but then it should be. USA Today, citing the luxury website, ModaOperandi.com, says that interested buyers can purchase it for $51,000 — with a $25,100 deposit.

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USA Today added that $51,000 is the equivalent of an average American’s household income.

That’s certainly an interesting comparison, but the president’s vow to put more Americans to work sparked curiosity about what $51,000 could purchase in terms of an American man or woman’s labor.

It turns out a lot, even in a expensive state like California where salaries are scaled higher than the national average. That amount is enough to cover the annual salary for jobs across the country and in industries that are vital to preserving America’s safety, health, democratic values, educational achievement and economic competitiveness.

A perusal through websites like Salary.com, Glassdoor.com or Payscale.com, as well as the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the California Department of Education, Poynter.org and a recent Sacramento Bee analysis of average salaries for public safety workers in California found that $51,000 would pretty much cover the annual salary for a:

— Police or sheriff’s deputy in many parts of the United States

— Firefighter in some rural California counties

— Starting public elementary or high school teacher in California

— Coal miner in certain locations in the United States

— Newspaper reporter in most locations in the United States

— Registered nurse in many locations in the United States, but not in California where the average salary is higher

That $51,000 could also cover a sizable chunk of the salary for a:

— Police officer in some rural California counties

— Firefighters in other California counties, not including the Bay Area

— Locomotive engineer

— Entry-level software engineer

— Flight attendant

— Post-secondary teacher in liberal arts, as well as many math and science fields

— Librarian

Certainly, this comparison doesn’t mean to suggest that the president is in any way responsible for diverting his wife’s fashion expenses into the coffers of local government agencies or private companies so that they can put some people to work. The occupations listed above are just presented as a way to offer some perspective on the value of a stunning designer coat in real-life terms.

But this latest point about comparative value also raises the question: who pays for Melania or who has paid for any First Lady to don fabulous clothes at official events?

Well, that’s always been something of a mystery. The New York Daily News tried to get to the bottom of this question in regards to former First Lady Michelle Obama, who was known for wearing a mix of off-the-rack everyday items as well as pricey formal gowns by American designers like Marchesa and Naeem Khan.

“The financing of the first lady’s wardrobe is something the Obama White House is loath to discuss,” the Daily News reported at the time. “It’s a subject that has bedeviled presidents and their wives for centuries. First ladies are expected to dress well, but the job doesn’t come with a clothing allowance or a salary.”

When it comes to Michelle Obama, the Daily News found that, no, taxpayers didn’t foot the bill for her clothes, and designers never loaned her outfits to wear. According to Mrs. Obama’s press secretary, designers would sometime give her a dress, which she would accepted on behalf of the U.S. government, which in turn would store it in the National Archives. Otherwise, Michelle Obama would buy her own clothes — but probably would look for bargains.

Meanwhile, Melania Trump is married to a self-proclaimed billionaire so you would think she doesn’t have to worry too much about a clothes budget — even when it comes to purchasing a $51,000 coat she might only wear once and just for a few hours. It was reported several months ago that she would be buying her own clothes.

And again, it’s not up to the president to personally foot the bill for putting any American back to work in any of the above-listed jobs.

On the other hand, his sons, who are running the Trump Organization, could bring some karmic balance to Melania’s Friday fashion excess by hiring a new employee at president’s eponymous company. According to Glassdoor.com, $51,000 would cover the following jobs in Trump’s eponymous company: Assistant, chef, and positions in security, Human Resources and security.