Lauren Boebert Looks Nearly Unrecognizable Without Glasses On

Lauren Boebert's black-frame glasses and red lipstick have become a fixture on the Congress floor since 2021. But that wasn't always the look she embraced. Up until her 2020 campaign, Boebert was more frequently seen in a flannel shirt and hair dyed blonde, The Colorado Sun noted. The new aesthetics seemed purposeful. "It's almost like her campaign team advised her that glasses would make her look smarter than she really is," social media figure Ryan Shead tweeted. 

The resemblance of her studious-looking glasses to the ones worn by her fellow conservative politician Sarah Palin didn't go unnoticed. "They ALL plagiarize like mad — she's ripping off Sarah Palin — isn't it obvious?" a social media user wrote on X, previously known as Twitter. The netizen also added a GIF featuring the former governor of Alaska with a rifle, showing another similarity between the pro-gun Republicans. Many of her critics even claim her glasses have no prescription.

"This is close to or are, in fact are, zero strength glasses (demonstrated via no relative shifting of image of the side of her head)," another user tweeted. But the jokes about Boebert's glasses aren't restricted to social media. Jimmy Kimmel also used them to take a jab at Boebert and her controversial views in a 2021 monologue on his talk show. "This is a woman who wears glasses to make it seem like she can read," he said on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." With such emphasis on her glasses, old photos of Boebert seem pretty alien.

While Lauren Boebert normally shares photos on social media featuring her signature glasses, she sometimes poses without them. And she looks markedly different. In a May 2024 Instagram post, she shared photos (one of which can be seen above) from a high school graduation that showed her with no specs. Her face looks more elongated and a bit less youthful. She also went with bare lips, contributing to the more mature look. Some of her supporters noticed it. "I'm missing the red lipstick," one Instagram user wrote.

To mark the celebration of her son Kaydon's 8th-grade graduation, also in May, she shared a few pics on Facebook that included one showing her unframed face. While she apparently wore them during the event, Boebert didn't use them when helping the soon-to-be high schooler with his tie. Some fans were here for it. "Looks so good without glasses," one user wrote. In another Facebook post from July 2023, a follower held nothing back when it came to sharing his opinion. "You look better without glasses," the user wrote.

Boebert gave another example of how she looks without glasses in April 2024, when the Colorado representative underwent emergency surgery to remove a blood clot that resulted in a May-Thurner Syndrome diagnosis. In photos shared to thank her followers for their support, Boebert held her oldest son Tyler's baby in a hospital bed that showed her without them, albeit with a face full of makeup. 

Lauren Boebert's style is definitely a hit among some of her supporters, but it isn't everyone's cup of tea. Over the past few years, Boebert has worn some inappropriate outfits that had people talking. In November 2021, she donned a one-sleeved red dress to a meeting with Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago. But it wasn't the skin-baring factor that drew criticism. Emblazoned in white across the back, the dress featured the words "Let's go Brandon," an anti-Joe Biden message that arose from a NASCAR misunderstanding.

Netizens had plenty to say when she posted the photo to Instagram. From the cut to the placement of the words, users criticized the dress on different fronts. "It was easy to fit Brandon across that keister!" one user commented. Another poked fun at the dress' high-school quality. "Can we go to prom?" the commenter laughed. A third user shared that Boebert came across as trying too hard. "Desperate much?" the user wrote.

However, Boebert has also been criticized for her business-meets-sexy style. "You know what I see about two blocks up from the state capitol? I see women dressed like Boebert. High heels, short skirt, low-cut blouse," her GOP primary opponent Richard Holtorf told 710KNUS in May 2024, referring to sex workers (via Toronto Sun). But not everyone is against it. 50 Cents, for example, is a fan. "Lauren Boebert, Colorado Republican making the white house look good," the rapper tweeted, adding a photo of the two.