With President Joe Biden announcing his exit from the 2024 elections, all eyes are on Vice President Kamala Harris. She has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed Biden, garnering significant support, including from the outgoing president himself. Following the adage “dress for the job you want,” Harris has been dressing in a particularly presidential manner, especially given her role as Biden’s right-hand woman. Over the past four years, we have witnessed the Vice President navigate both the mundane and the extraordinary through her sartorial choices.
On Inauguration Day in 2021, Harris took her oath of office in a purple dress with a matching coat by Christopher John Rogers. Rogers is one of several Black American designers Harris has championed during her tenure. For the Inaugural Ball that evening, she opted for a structured black tuxedo jacket over a black sequined dress by Sergio Hudson. When attending Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour in Maryland last year, the Vice President sported a gold sequined top by LaQuan Smith.
Color also plays a crucial role for Harris. The purple ensemble at her inauguration served as a symbol of bipartisanship – a blend of Democratic blue and Republican red. And when she won the 2020 election, she wore a white Carolina Herrera suit that referenced the women’s suffrage movement.
But even her more casual looks are thoughtfully curated. In 2019, while still a 2020 presidential candidate, Harris spoke at a gun safety forum in a relaxed look: a white shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers. She adopted this more laid-back style for a surprise appearance at the March for Reproductive Rights in 2023, sporting a chic beige leather jacket over a white shirt.
Whether donning a tailored Chloé for a state dinner or a denim jacket adorned with the LGBTQIAP+ pride flag, Kamala Harris uses her clothes to convey authority, political statements, and competence. There’s no doubt her potential run for the US presidency will be equally carefully considered.
