Usha Vance's Bold Fashion Statements May Say More About Her Marriage Than You Think

After just a few months as second lady, Usha Vance has already proven her personal style differs from typical Trump women. Prominent figures like Pam Bondi, Karoline Leavitt, and Lara Trump sport "Mar-a-Lago face" – mannequin features, dyed hair, and designer everything — but the attorney and wife of Vice President JD Vance is all about off-the-rack, silver strands, and forgoing fillers. Even without those enhancements, Usha Vance has managed to hone her look during her short time in Washington — and it may say a lot about both her and her marriage.

When JD was first tapped by Donald Trump to be his running mate, Usha stuck to A-line dresses or tank tops with sensible slacks. She favored solid colors: neutral browns, beiges, and pale greens, with an occasional pop of bright scarlet or cobalt. They were safe choices which presented Usha as a perfectly supportive and uncontroversial helpmeet. She seemed to be saying, "I'm here, but I don't want to distract anyone from paying attention to my guy. He's got a job to do." But when Trump took the oath of office for the second time in January 2025, Usha surprised everyone with her fashion choice. While the Trump family turned out at the inauguration in dark shades of black, navy, and green, the SLOTUS opted for a pale pink dress and matching belted coat with a large scarf accent. It gave the strongest hint yet that she's no meek tradwife willing to stay invisible for the next four years. 

Since moving into the Vice President's mansion, Usha Vance has upped her fashion game to highlight her individuality. She's moving away from neutral monochrome suits, appearing at events and on foreign missions in bold patterns and brighter shades. For the Vance family's trip to India in April 2025, Usha wore a variety of eye-catching outfits: a long striped sundress, a white oxford shirt and patterned skirt, and a red column dress. For a White House celebration honoring military mothers, she wore a Badgley Mischka number with flower details, plus Oscar de la Renta earrings.

If a picture says a thousand words, a wardrobe says at least a thousand and one. Usha Vance's refusal to go matchy-matchy with the women of her husband's circle suggests she's not a crowd-follower. It also suggests that her devotion to her husband doesn't mean agreeing with his views. Unlike the Trump women, who often turn out in patriotic garb as a sign of support for the controversial president (or, in the case of Alina Habba, sporting garish MAGA accessories), the second lady refuses to literally wear her politics on her sleeve. Her decision doesn't seem to be hurting her relationship with her husband so far. We can't say the same for JD Vance's embarrassing anniversary shout-out at the June 2025 military parade. ("Oh, by the way, it's my anniversary too" isn't the most romantic sentiment in the world.)