Jill Biden Misses The Mark With Tacky Dress At 2024 DNC

We're all for strategically breaking fashion rules, but there's a right and wrong way to push the style envelope. Unfortunately for first lady Jill Biden, the 2024 DNC was the worst possible time to go against the fashion grain: The sparkly, blue body-skimming dress she chose for the occasion is gaining attention for all the wrong reasons.  Whereas it may have worked for a night out, this outfit looked incredibly tacky and distracting in such a formal setting. 

Of course, no public figure can escape a fashion fail without gaining the attention of social media users. Hilarious posts came pouring in on X, formerly Twitter, such as the tweet: "Jill Biden got her club dress on. I see you." Another user simply tweeted, "Jill Biden is wearing a duck [sic] tape dress." Although there's no question that Jill missed the mark by wearing this outfit for her DNC appearance, her choice of dress is perfectly on-brand for a first lady that frequently ignores fashion norms.

Although Jill Biden's 2024 DNC dress (pictured above) is causing quite a stir on social media, we may have actually seen this outfit before. In 2022, President Joe Biden honored Elton John with the National Humanities Medal. As NPR reported, the singer was deeply moved by the surprise award, and his visit included his first musical performance at the White House since the 1990s.  

In an Instagram photo commemorating John's appearance at the White House, Jill can be seen wearing a dress that looks surprisingly familiar to 2024 DNC viewers. The shimmery blue number appears identical to the dress she wore to the DNC, but with one crucial difference: It doesn't seem out of place. This photo is proof that timing is everything when it comes to rocking an unconventional style, especially in front of a large audience.

The dress still wasn't as flattering as some of Jill's most iconic fashion moments, but it was perfectly appropriate for a celebratory event like the 2022 concert. It also coordinated well with Joe's signature blue suit, and the pair looks like the ultimate couple fashion goals standing on either side of John. Instead of considering what would be appropriate for the event, it's possible Jill chose to re-wear this dress for the 2024 DNC because she genuinely loved how she looked in it back in 2022. 

Although her 2024 DNC appearance is definitely a memorable faux pas, it isn't the first inappropriate outfit Jill Biden has ever worn to an event, and it isn't the first time her fashion choices have caused a stir. For instance, in 2021, Vogue reported on the social media buzz caused by the first lady's choice to wear fishnet stockings aboard Air Force One. According to the article, "various blowhards on Twitter shamed the first lady's look as racy and 'trashy, likening her to Madonna and Cardi B." 

Fishnets definitely aren't typical first lady gear, but Jill has never shied away from outfits that truly speak to her. As Vanessa Friedman, fashion director of The New York Times, explained in a June 2024 piece, "Dr. Biden has often seemed reluctant to engage in the game known as first lady fashion diplomacy, largely wearing clothes by designers she feels comfortable with rather than ones with any obvious tactical connection to an event." One of the most obvious signs of this came in mid-2024, when she turned herself into a walking billboard by wearing a dress with the word "vote" emblazoned all over it to support her husband's reelection campaign (prior to Joe dropping out of the race, of course).

Jill's 2024 DNC dress may not be our cup of tea, but there's something to be said for wearing what you love and not being afraid to make a statement.