From Inappropriate To Cringe: Kristi Noem's Worst-Dressed Moments We Can't Ignore

During her political career, Kristi Noem's held multiple roles, including Governor of South Dakota and Secretary of Homeland Security. As she's embraced MAGA makeup, her appearance has changed drastically, making Noem look unrecognizable in old photos. The Secretary of Homeland Security's gotten roasted for her lengthy hair extensions, and her long, flowing locks frequently look out of place when she's out on location with law enforcement. Beyond hair and makeup, Noem's fashion has also garnered its share of shade, particularly when people interpret her outfits as cosplay.

For instance, in June 2024, when Noem gave a press conference on flooding concerns in her home state, she distracted from her serious message by wearing gear with the South Dakota Emergency Management logo. Noem looked more like a fast-food employee than the state's governor as she delivered vital public safety information.    

After more cosplay accusations in 2025 (and the birth of the "ICE Barbie" moniker), Noem spoke up about her looks. "Obviously I'm guided by the folks that I work with every day to be appropriate for the situation that I'm in ... " Noem informed Fox News (via The Daily Beast). She later added, "I will tell you that I oversee 26 different components of the Department of Homeland Security, and they are so proud of the fact that I'm willing to wear an ICE hat ... that I'm willing to go into there and wear something and be proud of them and the work that they do." Despite these apparent endorsements, not everyone would classify Noem's sartorial decisions as "appropriate." In addition to being accused of costume-y garb, some of the secretary's ensembles have been mismatched, and occasionally, downright cringey.   

For a group photo op at a Donald Trump campaign event in November 2024, Kristi Noem combined baggy, faded jeans and tan sneakers with a white top and navy blazer. Although her ensemble wasn't outdated like Karoline Leavitt's grandma-esque cardi and high-waisted pants, the lack of cohesion between the top and bottom halves of Noem's outfit looked like what someone would wear in front of the camera for a quick work meeting on Zoom.

To make things even more surreal, Noem's twinning with Tulsi Gabbard in the pic. Both she and Gabbard appear to have the same gold-buttoned blazer, although Gabbard went with a higher neckline for her white shirt. Gabbard's fashion sometimes misses the mark, but in this case, her skinny-fit navy pants and pumps are a far more polished choice than Noem's well-worn denim.

This navy blazer is popular with Noem, and she also wore it during an October 2024 tour of a toner factory. She paired it with a navy top for a crisp, clean style. While her flare pants were an improvement over the baggier jeans, they swallow her shoes. The flares are also touching the floor, collecting dust, debris, and possibly color toner (and giving flashbacks to the early 2000s). Kelly Jorgensen, a Nordstrom stylist, recommends you, "pair extralong flared jeans with heels to elongate your silhouette. The hem of your pants should hit the top of your shoes to make your legs look longer."

In February 2025, Kristi Noem and her husband, Bryon Noem, were guests at the White House. "Thank you @realdonaldtrump and Melania for bringing America's Governors together," Noem captioned her Instagram post. In her poofy, vibrantly pink outfit, the Secretary of Homeland Security definitely stood out from the crowd that night. Noem's full magenta skirt was combined with a neon pink top with puffed sleeves, and a prominent magenta belt to match. Some thought Noem butchered the Barbiecore look here, since this style looks reminiscent of an '80s-era Barbie outfit. In hindsight, a more sedate, less ballgown-style garb would probably have been better suited for the event.

Beyond this outfit, Noem also has a lot of Barbie pink in her closet, including a blazer, suit, and a shift dress. Color aside, when it comes to voluminous dresses, Noem clearly loves this style, since she has the same outfit in two different colors. A month earlier, Noem wore the robin egg blue/teal version to the Starlight Ball, one of Donald Trump's three inaugural balls. Hilariously, these matching 'fits continue the Barbie association, since they capture the vibe of early '80s Dream Date Barbie and her friend PJ, with their coordinating pink and blue ensembles.

This isn't the first time that Noem has purchased multiple hues in a style she likes. In addition to her trusted navy double-breasted blazer, Noem has the jacket in lighter blue, black, and orange.

When she was Governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem likely had the authority to set her own dress code at the office. Even so, Noem could have taken a tip from her interns. In July 2024, Noem came to work wearing scuffed footwear and jeans with embellished, prominent front pockets that made the pants look like they were on backwards. To make matter worse, Noem also wore a blousy leopard print top that was reminiscent of Lauren Boebert's tacky leopard print jacket. In contrast, Noem's interns wore more traditionally polished attire, like dresses and ties, when they were featured alongside her in a "#NationalInternDay" Instagram post.

Leopard print seems to be endlessly debated, and has its share of fans and detractors. Noem made another animal print outfit even more polarizing by accessorizing it with a fringed western-style jacket. Like leopard print, fringed outerwear has become popular. The chocolate brown hue of Noem's jacket does coordinate well with the leopard spots on her shirt. However, some might have the concern that this fringy style looks stereotypically cowboy. Noem's gotten plenty of flak for cowboy cosplay before, but that's been due to her fondness for donning cowboy hats in inappropriate locales (like a TV interview). Luckily, Noem resisted any temptation to wear headgear with the animal print top and fringed jacket.

In addition, at least the jacket's fringe made sense as part of the design — unlike a fringed, plaid blazer she wore in 2023. Rather than looking intentional, the blazer's fringed cuffs and hem just looked like the garment was worn out and unraveling. 

In 2023, then-Governor of South Dakota Kristi Noem took her penchant for dressing up a little too far, when she participated in the state's "Freedom Works Here" campaign. Across a series of commercials, Noem pretended to be a construction worker, state trooper, nurse, accountant, welder, electrician, plumber, and dentist.

While these TV spots were intended to be humorous, the jokes didn't always land, leading to a cringey result. "Freedom is supposed to be working, but the ads show us a state with an unqualified leader doing shoddy work," criticized the Dakota Free Press. For instance, when Noem's impersonating an electrician, she closes a breaker box, eliciting sparks and a city-wide blackout. This isn't the only ad trying to derive humor from an uncomfortable lack of safety. Noem's lengthy hair extensions are on full display throughout the series, even when they're inches away from her welding and could catch on fire.

As Secretary of Homeland Security, Noem continues dressing up. In March 2025, Noem wore firefighting regalia while she was in Alaska for a firefighter drill. Fortunately, she kept her hair tucked up in the uniform, since actual flames were involved. While some contend Noem's highly publicized cosplay is a deliberate political strategy, it's also receiving backlash. "Whatever your politics or views on immigration, I think we can all agree that these photo ops are ridiculous," The Federalist Senior Editor John Daniel Davidson wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, posting a video clip of Noem in ICE gear. Podcaster Megyn Kelly joined in to criticize Noem by commenting her two cents on the post.  

Kristi Noem wore an oddly eclectic ensemble to a Lainey Wilson concert in November 2024. Noem paired a black dress with a light tan cowboy hat and matching cowboy boots. On one hand, the boots/dress pairing could have been a great combo, particularly if the boots were in a darker shade. Unfortunately, the outsized hat takes things too far. It looks like Noem's supposed to be part of the act. Since she wasn't onstage, hopefully Noem removed her headgear so people sitting behind her could have an unobstructed view.

This appears to be the same footwear that Noem wore earlier that same year, except back then she paired it with a denim shirt dress. Noem noted that boots were a gift from storied western-wear maker Stetson. In this case, the embellishment on the dress sleeve complements the boots' design, making for a more cohesive look. However, the dress could have used a belt to make it look less like an oversized shirt.

For her concert fit, Noem could have chosen accessories that complemented her dress, like Wilson's black hat/black leather pants combo. Noem even has some custom-designed black and turquoise Justin Boots that she got back in 2021. As an alternative, Noem could have saved her cowboy gear for a more appropriate outfit. When Noem combined a light cowboy hat with a dark denim jacket and jeans, it was a pairing that looked classically chic.