Kamala Harris Outfits That Completely Missed The Mark In 2024

Anyone who enters politics is sure to have a difficult time navigating many things, not the least of which are the general fashion guidelines for those in a position of power. This is especially true for anyone who belongs to a marginalized group — the public scrutiny becomes more intense. For someone like Kamala Harris, who navigates multiple identities, it can be difficult to nail a personal sense of style made for public consumption. One of the lesser-known truths of Harris is that she can adopt both a dressed-down and high-end sense of fashion, but often chooses to err on the side of safety. However, Harris' attempts to blend in with the crowd have led to some blunders.

Throughout 2024, Harris had a chaotic rise and fall, going from vice president to presidential nominee and back to vice president. As she was thrust into the campaign spotlight, her sense of fashion became a focal point. Even as Harris tried to lay low after her political loss, her fashion missteps couldn't stay hidden. Here are some of the outfits she wore that totally missed the mark in 2024.

For the 60th Munich Security Conference in February 2024, Vice President Kamala Harris tried to ditch her shady side for a better look. Harris, seen here posing with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, appeared to be going for a Bauhaus-inspired outfit, but it just came off as overly bulky on top and thin on the bottom. The cut of the pants was a delicate cigarette style, but they got lost in the rest of her suit and fell at an awkward angle for the heel she chose to wear. The top was boxy and appeared oversized in all the wrong ways.

For the event, Harris gave a speech touching on multiple international conflicts and how the administration of President Joe Biden aimed to tackle them. The general theme of her speech was, "We cannot be strong abroad if we are not strong at home." Perhaps that was Harris' initial intent in choosing this outfit — to find a balance between strength and conflict. However, there were conflicting messages about what her fashion was actually trying to say.

Arriving at the White House for a state dinner alongside her husband, Doug Emhoff, Kamala Harris made a surprisingly bold choice for her outfit. Unfortunately, it did not pay off. Emhoff, for his part, looks put together in the classic suit-and-tie combo — even if it is a bit boring. Harris, boldly eschewing her usual power pantsuit, appeared in a black sweater and long skirt. The sweater fits well, appears elegant, and honestly makes us wish she would adopt this look more often than those boxy suit jackets. The skirt, however, is an entirely different matter.

Nearly floor-length, the skirt almost covers up Harris' cute black heels. Unfortunately, the skirt also appears to be made of some sort of shiny, pleather-looking material studded in sequins. It immediately makes the overall look appear heavy as well as feel cheap. Not quite the vibe for a dinner hosted by President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for the Japanese Prime Minister. Especially with Jill still toying with her feud with Harris, it would be best not to give her any fuel.

Appearing in Atlanta, Georgia, for the "Rocket Foundation Summit on Gun Violence Prevention," Kamala Harris gave remarks while dressed in a lavender pantsuit. For its part, the pantsuit fell into Harris' usual sense of fashion: muted, slightly bulky, with a white blouse underneath — but the hue didn't seem to fit the occasion. The color associated with gun violence awareness is orange, which for sure is a difficult color to navigate in fashion — but not impossible. Lavender, for its part, is often associated with peace and beauty, which could align with the topic at hand but still doesn't quite hit the mark.

However, the pantsuit wasn't the only misstep Harris made while attending the event. One of the co-hosts of the summit was Quavo from the hip-hop group "Migos." After losing member Takeoff to gun violence in 2022, Quavo was part of the panel in 2024 to discuss the fallout of such violence. When asked for her perspective on how Harris and President Joe Biden could better lead on the issue, Harris responded, "So, Quavo and his mother and his aunt — Takeoff's mother ... came to my office in the West Wing of the White House to talk about this issue." Quavo had to correct Harris, reminding her that it was actually Takeoff's sister who had arrived to discuss the issue. The verbal and fashion blunders made Harris seem ill-prepared and out of touch.

When Kamala Harris gave remarks at Prince George's Community College on August 15, it was the first time she and President Joe Biden had appeared together since Biden dropped out of the presidential race. Appearing in public should have been a wonderful moment for Harris to distinguish herself from the Biden administration and fully kick off her campaign with joy. However, opting for such an unusual shade of gray seemed to indicate she wanted to fade into the background instead.

The event was undoubtedly awkward for both Harris and Biden, as their speeches at the commencement focused on the legislation their administration had passed while working together. It's hard to put out a united front when your boss might be grumpy that you're taking over his campaign for president. There have been a handful of times that Harris dissed Biden, and this suit just might fall into that category. The color screamed, "Please let me hide," and suggested she was feeling nervous about taking on the mantle of running for president — or that she felt invisible while around Biden. Either way, it's not a flattering color on her, even if her necklace is absolutely gorgeous.

After her stunning defeat on Election Day, Vice President Kamala Harris ran away to Hawaii to lick her wounds. Staying mostly out of the limelight for the rest of 2024, Harris rarely made appearances on Capitol Hill — especially during the holidays, when Jill Biden used her final days as First Lady to fuel feud rumors between herself and Harris. Then, when Harris took the opportunity to put on a pantsuit and ceremoniously swear in three incoming senators, it was a chance for Harris to put her best fashion foot forward. However, what ended up happening was a display of depression.

The deep purple suit Harris chose to wear while swearing in Andy Kim, Adam Schiff, and Pete Ricketts was a classic case of many things Harris struggles with regarding fashion. The cut of the blazer was too bulky, and the hem went far past her hips — making it look oversized and ill-fitting. The matching slacks were also too long, causing her shoes to completely disappear and giving off the vibe of a kid playing dress-up. Not for nothing, this deep burgundy-purple is often associated with royalty, but even with her smile, it still felt as though Harris was mourning the loss of the presidency. And her fashion showed it. Hopefully, the coming years will bring Harris more success in fashion and her career than in 2024.