Kamala Harris Returns In Her Most Controversial Outfit (& We Smell Obama Shade)

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris has stepped out in a repeat of one of her most controversial outfits of all time, and based on the timing, this doesn't seem like an accident. Just days after buzz that Barack Obama was fighting against Harris being chosen as the Democratic nominee in the 2024 election, she donned a suit that seems to be inspired by one of his controversial fashion moments. Coincidence? We think not. 

Believe it or not, one of the huge scandals that rocked the Obama family was all about a suit. In 2014, Obama wore a tan suit to a press conference, and people were up in arms. Folks in politics and on social media alike viewed Obama's suit as too casual and not presidential enough. This ensemble certainly made more waves than anyone could have predicted. Fast forward to a decade later; Harris dared to don a similar look on the first night of the Democratic National Convention. While this could have been chalked up to an innocent coincidence, considering the major impact of Obama's suit from 10 years prior and the symbol it became, Harris's choice felt like a pointed fashion statement.

Even Obama himself took note. He posted a side-by-side photo of him and Harris in their tan suits on X, formerly known as Twitter, with the caption, "How it started. How it's going. Ten years later, and it's still a good look!" Now, she's done it again, and there's likely an even deeper meaning.

At the Leading Women Defined Summit on April 3, Kamala Harris donned one of her typical pantsuits (though she has ditched them at times) in a light tan. Surely Harris knew how her OG tan suit was received, as well as how Barack Obama himself interpreted it. Therefore, one would expect Harris to consider this before sporting a tan suit to another public appearance. What message is she sending? Well, the clue may be in the timing. 

It's interesting that Harris would make a reference to Obama this week of all weeks. On MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on April 1, Jonathan Allen, co-author of "FIGHT: Inside the Wildest Battle for the White House," explained that Obama wasn't exactly enthusiastic about Harris running for president. While Obama reportedly agreed that Joe Biden should drop out of the 2024 presidential race, Allen claimed "he also didn't want Kamala Harris to be the replacement for Biden," per New York Post. 

Allen explained that Obama "didn't think that she was the best choice for Democrats, and he worked ...  behind the scenes for a long time to try to have a mini-primary, or [something similar]. [He] did not have faith in her ability to win the election," Allen said, even going as far as to say that Obama "was really working against her." If these claims are true, they likely weren't news to Harris. Still, her choice to reference Obama right after the claims surfaced is quite an interesting gesture.