Karoline Leavitt's MAGA Makeover Totally Ruined Her Sense Of Style

Only six years after she graduated from college, Karoline Leavitt accepted the high-profile job of White House press secretary. At 27, Leavitt's the youngest person to take on this role. Donald Trump supported Leavitt even when others tried to dissuade him from choosing her due to her age. In turn, Leavitt's been a staunch Trump advocate since college. "I was MAGA," Leavitt enthused to The Daily Signal. "Ultra MAGA." In addition to having a MAGA mindset, Leavitt's had a MAGA makeover in her makeup and fashion choices. 

Back in 2023, Leavitt demonstrated on Instagram (in a since-deleted post) that she was fully embracing the "Republican makeup" trend in all its excessive, over-bronzed glory. The press secretary also changed direction with her fashion choices, often dressing way older. Since she's frequently in front of the camera, Leavitt's list of fashion fails grew quickly after a few months working in her new job. In March 2025, Leavitt hit a new low with a frumpy blue frock that was ill-fitting and enveloped her silhouette instead of enhancing it.

However, it's possible she could reverse this trend. In 2019 and 2020, just as Leavitt was starting to work at the White House, she had a chic style that she should seriously think about reviving. Before the MAGA aesthetic dominated her look, Leavitt was all about fun patterns, bold colors, and fresh silhouettes. Let's revisit Leavitt's much more promising fashion past.

In June 2020, Karoline Leavitt stepped out in a stylish floral print when she took a trip to West Virginia. The vibrant aqua color complemented her hair and skin tone, and the tie belt accentuated her waist. "So beautiful! Love that dress!" one of Leavitt's Instagram followers remarked. Other fans eagerly seconded this opinion.

Floral patterns can sometimes be a tricky print to wear. Fortunately, Leavitt easily avoids any pitfalls here. According to Tara Hooper, a personal image consultant, smaller floral prints work well for shorter people. Leavitt is 5 feet, four inches tall, just a half-inch above average for U.S. women. Even so, when Leavitt's standing next to tall women like Lara Trump, she looks a lot shorter in comparison. YouTuber Anna Reid notes that smaller prints are a timeless choice. In addition, "a floral dress can also look very youthful and more modern if it's in a style that shows off a part of your body like your shoulders or your legs," she explains. Leavitt's knee-length dress illustrates this point perfectly. 

In contrast, Leavitt had less success in November 2020 with a floral midi-length dress. The large, busy pattern of orange, purple, and red wasn't as flattering. Ruching in the chest awkwardly bunched up the pattern. While the photo of Leavitt's aqua floral doesn't include her shoes, the black ankle booties with her midi-dress were too close to the hemline and a clunky choice.

Instagram/Karoline Leavitt

Leavitt was all about florals again in October 2020. This time, she rocked a pleated floral while working at the White House during Donald Trump's first presidential term. Long sleeves juxtaposed with a short hem, and the brilliant flowers popped on the navy background. At the neckline, the dress included a stylish bow that matched the material. This bow was a huge improvement over the bland white top with a bow that Leavitt wore a few years later. While that outdated outfit screamed '80s fashion, this print version was an updated take on the enduring embellishment.

Beyond this floral dress's youthful vibe, Leavitt was also savvy with her footwear. Not only did her neutral heels let the dress take center stage, but they also served as a time-honored styling trick. "Shoes that are the same color as your skin-tone create the illusion of longer legs because there is no visual break," explains personal stylist Yael Steren on her website. Steren's a fan of Jimmy Choo shoes with a tall, thin heel and pointed toes. While it's not known what shoes Leavitt was wearing here, she reportedly has a pair of Jimmy Choo's Black Bing heels in her closet.

In July 2019, Karoline Leavitt enjoyed a night out in a stylish white and navy ensemble. She paired a cropped polka dot tank top with high-waisted navy shorts. This is a solid styling strategy, and Leavitt gets extra points for coordinating the shorts with the navy dots. She also had fun with her accessories, choosing red strappy heels and dangly, red-tasseled earrings. "The fit is fitting sis," complimented a fan on Instagram.

Other than this outfit and a ruffly blouse she wore on a 2018 trip to Italy, polka dots don't appear to be a prominent part of her attire. Leavitt's wardrobe gravitates more toward animal prints, particularly leopard print. However, she hasn't had a lot of success here since some of the pieces weren't a flattering cut.  

Instead, Leavitt might consider incorporating more dots into her look. "Polka dots have an enduring charm that sets them apart from other prints like florals and stripes," Orlagh McCloskey, co-founder and creative director of Rixo, informed The Guardian. However, she should avoid taking any pattern-mixing advice from Lauren Boebert. The Colorado congresswoman remarked on Instagram in February 2020, "By "Freedom" I clearly mean we are free to wear leopard print and polka dots!" However, the outfit above seems to indicate that Leavitt has a much stronger grasp on how to style this fun pattern than Boebert.

Karoline Leavitt celebrated her birthday in August 2020 with a fun, elegant ensemble. Her vibrant yellow dress was a delightful hue, and the sleeveless cut showed off her shoulders. The dress's asymmetrical hem accentuated its appeal. "i wish i could look this cute for work!!!" proclaimed an enthusiastic Instagram fan. Once again, Leavitt relied on the leg-accentuating technique by pulling out her neutral high heels. While she was happily celebrating working at the White House, Leavitt had to find a new job after Donald Trump lost the 2020 election.

Two years later, Leavitt tried a political campaign of her own in New Hampshire, her home state. Unfortunately, some of Leavitt's attire at the time felt snooze-worthy, with boxy cardigans that are a prominent part of her wardrobe today. While it's true that Leavitt met her husband, Nicholas Riccio, during this time, and he's closer in age to her parents than to her, their relationship may not have had much of an impact on Leavitt's shifting style. When she was in college in 2016, Leavitt appeared on camera wearing a similar red cardigan and paired it with a plain white top. However, in both cases, the bright hue is a huge improvement over Leavitt's 2025 pastel ensembles that look like grandmacore gone wrong. If the vivid yellow dress and outfits like it are still in her closet, it's time for the press secretary to donate her pale yellow pants and return to wearing brighter colors.