Noted sports radio personality, Mike Francesa, renowned as the “Sports Pope” during his 30-year tenure at WFAN in New York, has made an unusual foray into fashion critique. He recently gave his thoughts on First Lady Melania Trump’s navy hat worn at President Donald Trump’s inauguration in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2025.
“Melania is stunning. She has great clothes,” Francesa commented on his podcast. “She’s a beautiful woman. I did not like her hat. And I usually like hats on women, especially on someone as stylish as she is. I did not like her hat at all. Did not like her hat, that’s it. That was very odd. I just did not like her hat. I saw her walk in, and I did not like her hat.”
Francesa, known for dominating New York radio ratings from 1989 to 2017 at WFAN before transitioning to podcasting, seldom offers opinions on fashion or politics. Therefore, the 70-year-old broadcaster’s critique is noteworthy as his typical focus is on sports, marking this as a deviation from his regular topics.
The navy hat in question, made by acclaimed New York-based milliner Eric Javits, quickly became a talking point of the inauguration. Accompanied by a navy silk wool double-breasted coat, silk wool pencil skirt, and an ivory silk crepe blouse crafted by independent American designer Adam Lippes, the hat’s wide brim obstructed the traditional inaugural kiss between the President and the First Lady, leading to considerable discussion.
The hat’s unique style led to comparisons on social media to iconic figures such as Carmen Sandiego and Spy vs. Spy. This unexpected attention resulted in a viral moment with over 500,000 tweets posted within hours of the ceremony.
Eric Javits, the creator of the hat and a prominent figure in Manhattan’s fashion scene since 1985, defended his design. He described the hat as an elegant choice fitting for the solemnity and grandeur of the event. Javits also emphasized the hat’s symbolic significance as a blend of tradition and modernity, expressing great pride in contributing to the First Lady’s ensemble at such a historic event.
The timing of Francesa’s critique coincided with his own appearance issues. During his podcast, he explained to his listeners that he had sustained a significant head injury earlier that day. “The wind blew the trunk down on my head and cut my head open” while he was assisting his son Harrison in returning to school. “Under this bandage I actually need stitches,” he added. “But I can’t get stitches because the cut is too wide. It has to heal first. Then they’ll stitch it and re-stitch it when they can re-stitch it. I actually bashed my head open with the trunk of my car today. So, that was my afternoon.”
Francesa, along with Chris Russo, started the Mike and the Mad Dog show in 1989 on New York City’s WFAN. The show, which ran until 2008, is considered one of the most successful sports talk radio programs in American history. Francesa now hosts a podcast available on several streaming platforms.
