Marla Maples' Gorgeous Style Transformation After Divorcing Donald Trump

In many ways, Donald Trump and Marla Maples were an unlikely match. She was a Georgia girl with a Southern Baptist background. He was still married to his now ex-wife Ivana Trump. Despite this, the couple embarked on the romantic affair that would eventually break up Donald's marriage. Speaking about this on ABC News' "Journeys of Faith with Paula Faris" podcast, Maples admitted, "Do I wish more than anything that we could have had this relationship after the divorce papers were signed? Absolutely. With all my heart ... But it didn't happen that way. Everything had to happen in the way that it did to bring us to where we are now" (via People). 

At first, things between Maples and Trump went swimmingly. They welcomed a daughter, Tiffany Trump, in October 1993, and tied the knot just weeks later. As much as Maples originally believed in this relationship, however, it didn't take long for there to be trouble in paradise. She and Trump were very different people, and their marriage disintegrated. As Maples told The Telegraph in 1999, the relationship "was built on an illusion. I thought that I could change him. But he won't change" (via New York Post). That same year, the couple got a divorce, and Maples set out on a quest to find out who she was outside of her marriage. She embarked on a post-separation fashion transformation that would establish her as one of the best-dressed women of the American elite. 

Looking back on her marriage with Donald Trump, Marla Maples once said that the only reason she ever married him was that she had been young and vulnerable. "Donald was obsessed with me and was always running after me. I couldn't get away. From the time I was 22, he pursued me and, foolishly, I listened to some of his promises," Maples explained in an interview with The Telegraph later covered in the New York Post. She later wondered aloud, "What did a 22-year-old girl from Georgia know about life in New York?"

Although it's hard to say what exactly transpired between Trump and Maples, one thing is clear — the Georgia native was initially too young to have developed a deep understanding of the world outside her bubble. As such, it is perhaps unsurprising that Maples' fashion sense was deeply influenced by Trump and his interests during their marriage. Indeed, throughout this phase, Maples was often photographed wearing the country club chic attire that is part of Mar-a-Lago's strict dress code. 

This was especially evident on one occasion in 1998, when Maples was captured sitting behind the steering wheel of a golf course. In the shot, she posed beside Trump and their daughter, Tiffany Trump. Wearing an athletic green dress with a collared neckline, Marla appears to be dressed for a day at the club. Her long blond locks and silver jewelry match this golf-inspired outfit.  

Marla Maples may have worn a lot of country club clothing during her marriage to Donald Trump, but following her divorce, this quickly changed. In 1999, Maples moved to Southern California, where she was oftentimes photographed wearing bold, all-black attire. On one occasion, she posed for a picture at a "Sex and the City" party in Los Angeles. Dressed in a black leather jacket and a pair of black slacks, Maples looked like she'd be more comfortable on the set of "Grease" than at Mar-a-Lago. Her hair, which had been cropped short, also reflected a style that deviated considerably from what had once been expected of her. This outfit demonstrated, once and for all, that Maples was single and ready to mingle.

Interestingly, this was not the only time that Maples donned black in 1999. On December 14, the proud mama attended the LA Shanti celebrity fashion show, along with her daughter, Tiffany Trump. The mother-daughter duo dressed boldly in matching black dresses. While Tiffany wore a floor-length children's gown paired with a sparkly sweater, Maples, meanwhile, wore a statement piece covered in black feathers, which perfectly matched her strappy black heels. This rock-and-roll look established that Maples had her own identity outside of her famous marriage. No longer one to pursue the Trump lifestyle at Mar-a-Lago, Maples was officially a Los Angeles girl. 

The Trump family has been known to buy some pretty expensive engagement rings, and Marla Maples was no exception. When she got engaged to Donald Trump in 1991, Maples was presented with a massive 7.45-carat diamond ring. The emerald-cut rock, which was originally purchased at Harry Winston jewelers, was thought to be worth a pretty penny. When Maples and Trump parted ways, the former decided that she wanted to get rid of the ring once and for all. But, rather than simply tucking it away in a drawer, Maples auctioned it off to the highest bidder. In 2000, the piece sold for a whopping $110,000. Maples donated some of the proceeds to charity and then went on to flaunt her new bare-fingered look.

Although it's hard to say what motivated Maples to put up her ring to auction, part of the reason may pertain to her feelings towards Trump at the time. As she put it in an interview with The Telegraph, "Donald was never the man I wanted to marry. He and his world were alien to me ... I'm so happy to be away from Donald and I'm just trying to move as far away as I can" (via the New York Post). Ditching her ring — and thus changing her signature jewelry style — was a bold way for Maples to publicly achieve this goal.

As Marla Maples moved further and further away from her marriage to Donald Trump, her life changed for the better. She secured a role in the film "Black and White." Her mood seemed to improve, and these positive changes were reflected in her wardrobe. Indeed, the year after her divorce, Maples was frequently photographed wearing bright, colorful clothing. At the "Black and White" premiere on April 4, 2000, the actor donned a bright purple dress, which she paired with a handbag of the same color. Ever one to stick to a theme, Maples made her outfit even more vibrant by wearing violet eyeshadow. She rounded it all out by wearing a fashionable jean jacket, tying together an outfit defined by its cheerful colors.

Later that month, Maples was once again spotted in vibrant attire when she turned up at the Cannon Theatre in a particularly festive outfit. Her pencil skirt embraced shades ranging from orange to purple to green in a pattern that resembled a rainbow mermaid's tail. Her sweater, meanwhile, was bright turquoise — bringing an extra dash of color to the ensemble. Even her turquoise handbag reflected a light-hearted, playful vibe. These cheerful outfits could certainly reflect Maples' feeling that her dreams were finally coming true. "I always felt that I was going to be famous. I wasn't quite sure how," she once told Vicki Lawrence in the early '90s.

Making movies was not the only thing that Marla Maples did to seek peace after her divorce from Donald Trump. She also began to attend events at the Kabbalah Center, a spiritual organization that was once popular among celebrities like Winona Ryder, Madonna, and Michael Jackson. These sessions, Maples felt, were key to helping her overcome the trauma of her divorce. "During that period of time [right after your separation], you think you've cleared out a lot of the pain by the time you decide to move on," she told Vanity Fair. "But, as I started looking deeper at myself, I realized there were still places inside where I held anger or had blame. [Kabbalah] helped me learn to take responsibility for my own choices and no longer be the victim."

When attending Kabbalah events, Maples did not exactly show up wearing the best trends from the '00s. Instead, she kept her clothing simple. This was obvious at one of the Kabbalah Center's massive Rosh Hashanah or New Year celebrations, where Maples blended in with the crowds by wearing basic clothing. She donned a plain white long-sleeved T-shirt with a pair of black slacks. This choice of attire perhaps reflected her desire to prioritize her spiritual journey over all the glitz and glamour of her Hollywood life. Since much of Kabbalah's philosophy focuses on de-centering the individual, it would only make sense for Maples' clothing to reflect that. 

There's trash-talking to get over you ex and then there's showing the world that you're actually over your ex. In 2003, Marla Maples proved that she was over Donald Trump in a really big way when she showed up to the 12th Annual Night of 100 Stars Oscar gala wearing a dress like no other. Donning a black gown with a stylish spaghetti strap neckline, Maples looked trendy and cool. The piece alternated sheer black fabric with sparkly streaks that looked strikingly like a zebra's stripes. Never one to dress down for a formal occasion, Maples accessorized the dress with a gorgeous gem necklace, a black clutch, and her Kabbalah red string bracelet to ward off negative energy.

Although it's hard to know what exactly inspired Maples' outfit that night, her dress does call to mind Princess Diana's iconic revenge dress. Like the princess' gown, Maples' dress was black and form-fitting. Both Diana and Maples' dresses also accentuated the wearer's neckline and shoulders — making each woman shine in her own way. If there was ever a moment for Maples to prove that she had started a new phase of life, this dress was definitely it.

As the years went by and her marriage to Donald Trump faded into the background, Marla Maples underwent a complete transformation. She focused quite a bit on charity work and was spotted at one celebrity fundraiser after the other. In 2004, she positively shone during a benefit concert. At the event — which was held in support of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria agency and the UCLA Aids Institute — Maples took the stage and gave a speech. She wore more neutral clothing for this occasion, potentially in reference to the serious nature of the event. Dressed in a brown blouse and silver skirt, Maples came across as trendy yet professional. Her choice of attire revealed a whole new side of her personality.

This was not the last time that Maples dressed seriously for a philanthropic occasion. Over time, the actors' fans would see her pull out her most neutral tones for these events. For instance, in 2010, when Maples attended The Old Bags Lupus Luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel, she wore a long black dress and floral red shirt. Paired with a modest pair of black tights and a serious pair of pumps, this outfit shed light on Maples' sense of professionalism. No longer was Maples the same 22-year-old girl who fell for Trump; now, she was a full-grown woman who was ready to champion important causes. 

Although Marla Maples pursued a world outside of Donald Trump, she couldn't ever flee from the Trump name — at least not entirely. Not only was she publicly known as the real estate mogul's second wife, but she was also granted professional opportunities based on this fact. The most obvious instance of this took place when she was cast on the "Ex-Wives Club," a reality TV show that helped people get over messy divorces. "Producer Andrew Glassman came to me with an idea. When I heard the title, I said, 'Don't put me in a box. I don't see myself just as an ex-wife. I see myself as so much more,'" Maples admitted in an interview with Larry King.

Despite her initial reservations, Maples decided to do the show as a way of helping other people who have gone through a divorce. With this serious goal in mind, she tended toward a more neutral wardrobe during filming. In one episode filmed in Clearwater, Florida, Maples wore a beige top, black slacks, and a brown blazer. In another episode, she appeared in a brown overcoat layered over an army green jacket. These outfit choice show that Maples was committed to seeming as approachable as possible on television. Whereas many reality TV stars wear eye-grabbing clothing during filming, Maples avoided any sort of over-the-top glamor. Unfortunately for her, this might have backfired, as the show was canceled after only one season. 

Before Donald Trump was elected to be president of the United States in 2016, Marla Maples had largely stepped down from the spotlight. Although she occasionally dabbled in acting work, Maples would often go years without appearing on screen. Instead, much of her efforts were dedicated to her non-profit, the Marla Maples Foundation. During this low-key time preceeding Trump's first presidential run, Maples dressed comfortably in light, breezy attire. Many of her outfits were loose and white — including the snowy off-the-shoulder onesie that she donned at the British American Business Council's annual Christmas luncheon in 2014. On this occasion, Maples accessorized her outfit with a simple silver bracelet and a thin gold necklace, calling to mind a Greek goddess.

Around this time, Maples wore a number of other flowing white ensembles. In May 2014, for instance, she sported a loose white top and matching white pants to the Rainbeau Mars' "21-Day Superstar Cleanse" book launch. And, in February of that year, she was spotted on the red carpet of the "Farmed and Dangerous" premiere wearing a white tunic blouse. These outfits may indicate that Maples was experiencing a lighthearted state of mind in the years leading up to her ex-husband's political career. Not only did she seem comfortable in these clothes but also unburdened. 

Back in 1999, Marla Maples knew one thing for sure — she never wanted to see her ex-husband, Donald Trump, become president of the United States. "If he's really serious about being president and runs in the general election next year, I will not be silent. I will feel it is my duty to tell the American people what he is really like. But I can't imagine that they would really elect him, would they? His drug is attention. He's so ego-driven," she told The Telegraph at the time (via the New York Post). Since then, however, Maples has seemingly changed her tune. Although she and Trump do not appear to be close friends, they have attended some of the same events together. And, in 2024, she even went to Mar-a-Lago to watch a screening of the conservative documentary "Line In the Sand."

On the occasion of her return to Mar-a-Lago, Maples wore a pair of navy slacks and a simple white blouse. She accessorized the ensemble with a black belt and black strappy heels to match. The simplicity of this outfit matched Maples' makeup — which included basic foundation, a neutral eyeshadow, and a subtle lip. Here, it seems that Maples did not have to try particularly hard to show Trump what he was missing. If anything, she appeared more confident and self-assured than ever before.