Melania Trump's approval rating climbs 17 points

Melania Trump's approval rating climbs 17 points

Melania Trump is slowly growing on the American people. 

According to a new poll released on Friday, the First Lady's approval rating has climbed 17 points since her husband took office in January.

Now, 54 percent of those polled say they view Melania favorably. The same amount said they viewed the president unfavorably.  

The poll, which was produced by Gallup, puts Trump's approval rating at 41 percent, a one percent increase since January.  

The percentage of people who view him unfavorably has also risen by one percent from 55 to 56. 

It is an increase from last week when, in a separate study by The Pew Research Center, 31 percent said they liked him.  

Melania's boosted popularity is evidence of an encouraging increase since the start of the year when, not long before accompanying her husband to his Inauguration ceremony, her approval rating sat at 37 percent.

The same number viewed her unfavorably. Now, 33 percent have that view.  

She has proved less polarizing than her husband - while 13 percent said they had no opinion of Melania, only 3 percent said the same of the president.

In January, 26 percent said they had no view of the incoming First Lady, demonstrating that her efforts over the last year have led most to form an opinion of her. 

Melania spent the first half of the year quietly, residing in New York City with her son Barron to ensure he saw out his school year without disruption. 

Her public engagements were few and she rarely spoke in public. 

But since relocating to The White House in the summer, Mrs Trump has embraced a more proactive stance.

She has proved a hit with foreign leaders and their partners and has consistently dazzled sartorially. 

Indeed, so unwavering is her commitment to fashion that she chose to fly to disaster-struck Houston to offer hurricane relief in a pair of $500 Manolo Blahnik stilettos. 

Countless photo-ops with children in hospitals and at festive White House events have seasoned her first year as First Lady.