Rare Sightings Of Kamala Harris Not Wearing A Pantsuit

Ice cream and waffle cones. Hot summers and swimming pools. Kamala Harris and pantsuits. There are certain things in this world that just go together. During her time as California's attorney general, vice president of the United States, and on the presidential campaign trail, Harris has dominated the pantsuit. And for good reason. She always looks polished and stately, and that's important to constituents. As Amanda Hunter, executive director of the Barbara Lee Family Foundation (which seeks gender parity in politics), told The New York Times in 2024, "We found a study done two years ago that voters have even less tolerance for flyaway hair and a wrinkled collar for a woman candidate than a man."

Yes, we realize that Harris' policies are more important to her than her pantsuits, but part of being a public figure means scrutiny over how you look. And Harris plays the part well, with Vogue even crediting Harris for helping bring the pantsuit to the forefront as a street-style staple for women wanting to exude confidence and power in August 2024. But guess what? Even Harris takes a break from her uniform on occasion. Get ready to do a double-take as we present some of the rare occasions when Kamala Harris did not wear a pantsuit.

The details of how Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff met are well documented in her memoir, "The Truths We Hold." What's less widely known, however, are the details of their 2014 wedding. According to SF Gate, which published a blurb about the event at the time, the small affair was held at the Santa Barbara courthouse, with Harris' sister, Maya , conducting the ceremony. According to details from a release issued by the attorney general's office, the bride wore a "golden" dress by an unidentified "California designer."

In 2023, Harris opted again for a golden number for a special night out with Emhoff. The outing? Attending Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour stop in Maryland. Per Vogue, Vice President Harris wore a custom LaQuan Smith gold sequin top paired with white trousers. The designer told the publication, "My brand is all about dressing powerful and strong women." Why's gold a solid choice for Harris? For starters it complements her warm skin tone. But more deeply, there's a lot of symbolism in gold, including happiness, enduring love, and power.

Though she rocks stilettos like a pro, Kamala Harris knows how to dress down when work requires it, as it did in 2019, when she toured a farm in Iowa (above right), and in 2020, when she surveyed forest fire damage in California with Gov. Gavin Newsom (above left). For both outings she wore her Timberland boots.

She's been grilled for her controversial fashion before and the Timbs were no exception. As the Daily Mail reported, Harris was not the first White House resident to wear the boots. Melania Trump wore them while visiting U.S. troops in Iraq in 2018 and X (formerly Twitter) users were quick to point it out, with one writing, "Melania wore them first" and another claiming, "Kamala wants to look like Melania." Perhaps those users weren't aware that long before Melania, there was Aaliyah, Jay-Z, Rihanna, Drake, and Kendall Jenner, all of whom have worn Timbs.

Another of Kamala Harris' preferred shoe choices? Converse sneakers. She has been photographed throughout the years in her Chuck Taylors. In 2018, she told The Cut she has "a whole collection" of the sneakers: "A black leather pair, a white pair, I have the kind that don't lace, the kind that do lace, the kind I wear in the hot weather, the kind I wear in the cold weather, and the platform kind for when I'm wearing a pantsuit."

Whether Harris intended to or not, pundits have found deeper meaning in her footwear choice. As Elizabeth Semmelhack, author of "Sneaker X Culture: Collab" told The Guardian in 2020, "The sneakers are acting as the sartorial equivalent of being willing to roll up her sleeves." In other words, her practical choice demonstrates she's ready to get to work. And as Harris shows, Chucks are also a great option for the kitchen. The foodie who had a short-lived YouTube channel, "Cooking with Kamala," discovered her love of cooking at a young age, as she explained to Glamour. Cooking and Converse: Two Harris trademarks.

Kamala Harris has reserved her most exquisite looks have been for state dinners. It's no secret that the politician has expensive taste in clothing and accessories and these occasions were no exception. For an April 2024 dinner to welcome the Japanese prime minister and first lady, Harris wore a black gown by Valentino (above left). Was it the most talked about look of the night? No, that belonged to the lingerie-esque, racy red number Lauren Sanchez (barely) wore. In her usual manner, Harris exuded class and sophistication with this ensemble.

Another stunner was the look she wore for a May 2024 dinner to welcome the Kenyan president and his wife. Harris wore a bespoke design by Chloé creative director Chemena Kamali (above right). The evergreen, floor-length gown featured a cape silhouette, accented by a gold floral brooch (also Chloé). Because this piece was custom-made, it doesn't have a known price tag, but Chloé gowns typically fetch between $2,000 and $6,000. Valentino pieces usually ring in over $10,000.

We may be most used to her in a pantsuit, but Kamala Harris spends a fair amount of time in sportier gear. For example, she told former President Barack Obama in September 2020 (via X), "I work out every morning, regardless of how much sleep I've had." For these outings, she's been spotted in a Nike top and sneakers, a North Face jacket and a Howard (her alma mater) cap. She's also sported her Howard hoodie at home on the couch, as Emhoff captured one night and posted to his X account.

Harris also embraces her inner Sporty Spice when she's supporting the San Francisco 49ers football team. Bay area born and bred, Harris has always been a fan of the Niners. Her game day attire has ranged from a 49ers baseball tee, to a denim jacket with "Faithful to the Bay" emblazoned on the back, to a 49ers cap.

Whether she's sporty on the couch, dressed to the nines at the White House, or wearing sneakers in the kitchen, Harris has proven there's more to her than pantsuits.