The Republican Vest Trend: The Latest Fashion Movement We’re Ready to Move On From

Karoline Leavitt makes butter yellow boring

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt has been seen in plenty of outfits that totally missed the mark, but none have felt as off as her suit vest outfit. In an interview with TikTok influencer Kate Macz, the poster child for Gen Z conservatism can be seen sporting a stiff suit vest that was neither tailored or ironed. On the one hand, the fact that the vest was in trendy butter yellow shows Leavitt had some understanding of the year’s fashion. However, her attempt to project authority and maturity beyond her years just doesn’t land. 

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Laura Ingraham’s bad attempt at power dressing

During one episode of the “The Ingraham Angle,” Laura Ingraham donned a cherry-red suit vest as she sat down with the treasury secretary Scott Bessent for an interview. The single mom styled a red suit vest with white pants and wore her hair in a sleek classic news anchor side part. She accessorized the look with a classic silver wristwatch and large statement earrings, yet despite the effort, the look felt a little too curated. 

The bold color, sharp tailoring, and a touch of sparkle came across as too calculated to signal any authority. It tried so hard to be both commanding and conventionally feminine, but landed in an awkward in-between. Ingraham’s devout conservative followers might have loved the polished look, but when power dressing tries too hard to lean heavily on feminine softness, the look can come off too performative. It’s almost like her stylist walked in and said, “Let’s jump on the vest trend, give serious power vibes, but also make it feminine.” 

Lauren Chen’s light blue vest and skirt combo was too try-hard

Proud conservative Pro-Trump influencer, Lauren Chen hopped on the suit vest train quite early. The Hong Kong-born Canadian creator is known for her extreme right-wing takes she shares on multiple social media platforms. In a photo posted to Instagram in June 2024, Chen can be seen wearing a fitted light blue suit vest with a white button detail. We have to give it to Chen and admit she did wear the menswear trend a bit better than others, as she paired the garment with a pleated white skirt. However, the pleats combined with the buttoned-up appearance gave the vibes of a “college student going for a summer internship at Fox News” – someone trying too hard to look both professional and stylish.

Emily Wilson’s black vest seemed out of place

If you’ve ever found yourself on conservative TikTok or Instagram reels and scrolled long enough, you might have landed in the front seat of political media personality, Emily Wilson’s car. In one photo, the conservative influencer can be seen attempting the vest trend in a black, plunging style. Along with the deep v being a bold choice, Wilson stands out in the photo with her onyx-colored vest, as the two people standing beside her are seen wearing lighter pastel shades. The contrast suggests that Wilson has no understanding of which colors are most suitable to wear to spring time events.  

Emily Austin’s vest pantsuit was bland

Conservative Gen Z journalist Emily Austin has been juggling her career as a DAZN Boxing reporter. This Emily also likes to wear suit vests, but we have to say her looks are much more polished than all the rest as her outfits look intentional, tailored, and ironed. A pressed seam and clean lines go a long way in the Republican vest parade. However, the bland beige color is underwhelming and makes her blend into the background.