Nikki Haley's Outdated Grandma Style Has Taken Over More Than Once

Politicians shouldn't be expected to push the boundaries of fashion and set new trends. We should simply hope they fulfill their duties to their people and do their jobs, but when fashion choices lean too far into dated territory, it's hard keep quiet. And the truth is, Nikki Haley has stepped beyond those lines more than once. 

Despite being in her 50s, she often likes to dress like she's decades older. The politician seems to gravitate towards all kinds of busy and dated patterns and conservative silhouettes that just age her. From the fussiest florals to shapeless suits, Haley's wardrobe often projects more grandmothers going to brunch than confident and powerful politician. And if it was once or twice, we could have let it slide, but there's just way too many instances for us to ignore. 

In an era where every public event becomes a photo op, what a politician wears also sends a message. For Haley? That message is clear and it's that she's a bit dated, fussy, and seemingly out of touch. If she could only shake the "grandma style" and dress in a way that reflects a modern woman with strength and confidence, it could be a game changer for her political career. 

In October 2024, Nikki Haley showed up to Sirius XM in New York City sporting a multi-colored geometric patterned blazer. And, anyone who knows art must have thought she's a big fan of Piet Mondrian, as she looked like a walking Mondrian painting. The blazer was just too much. There was so much going on and too many colors all over the place. And honestly? Even a grandmother with a bold sense of style would think twice before stepping out in something this fussy and chaotic.

In July 2024, Nikki Haley showed up to the second day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum dressed in a midi dress with a dramatic A-line silhouette covered in busy florals of all kinds of colors, and even some leaf detailing. Not only did the dress look more appropriate for a tea party for elderly women, but it wasn't particularly flattering. On top of that, it wasn't fit for a political convention where her goal should have been to project authority and confidence over anything. 

With the Mondrian-inspired suit and this colorblock zip-up, there's strong indication Nikki Haley has a thing for colorblocks. And don't get us wrong, there's nothing wrong with that. We just wish she'd find pieces that look less grandmotherly. The athleisure zip-up she wore at a campaign event in early 2024 was an odd choice. Not only is this too casual for campaigning, it also felt outdated, so outdated it looked like she was dressed for fancy bingo night with friends. Maybe Haley should've saved this for the living room, and living room only. 

In December 2024, Nikki Haley showed up for a family function wearing a very peculiar dress. So peculiar that it's hard to describe, but as soon as anyone lays eyes on it, they'd know it's the kind of dress our elderly teachers might have worn to a holiday party — a patchwork of busy patterns, clashing colors, and an overall vibe that feels so dated for someone in their 50s. We get she's conservative, but we hope she knows she can be both conservative and stylish. It's time for Haley to realize being over 50 doesn't mean you need to trade mini-skirts in for muumuus. 

Perhaps Nikki Haley was missing Hawaii in the middle of winter, but she showed up to a campaign event wearing a very floral blazer that looked like it was inspired by a Hawaiian shirt, or maybe it actually was one once. Either way, it screamed vacation meets corporate vibes than strong political leader, which is what she should have been aiming for since it was a campaign event. We can't help but think the big floral print and clashing colors must have distracted from her message and it would make it so difficult to take her seriously. 

On a "Fox and Friends" appearance, Nikki Haley showed up wearing a tweed dress. And while tweed can be the chicest thing a woman wears, the awkward length and the fit just didn't work. It completely aged her, washed her out, and it kind of felt like she was cosplaying as Queen Elizabeth. This kind of dress would have been more appropriate as a wedding guest for someone in their 60s and over. As ambitious as she is, Haley seriously needs to start dressing like she's trying to lead people, not like she's ready to have biscuits and tea.

Nikki Haley sure does love her blazers, and she should. A blazer is the epitome of showing polished authority. But of all the blazers she could have worn while campaigning for a chance to run for president, this black blazer should have been a last resort. Embroidered with all kinds of flowers in different colors, it's strongly reminiscent of grandma's favorite cardigan. Florals can be gorgeous and elegant, but this one is far from chic. It's another floral overload look that made her look dated and aged her.

Alright, it's a gift at this point. Nikki Haley has worn so many colorblock outfits, and not one has made her look like a powerful modern woman in politics. Instead of sleek and contemporary, the black and white mismatched striped top is another one of those numbers we're not even sure how many grandmothers would be willing to wear. The business, the thickness of the stripes, and the mismatching adds years rather than style. It feels like something Cruella de Vil would wear in her nursing home era. 

Another floral embroidered blazer for Nikki Haley. It's starting to feel like a theme. Even a plain black blazer would have worked and conveyed more authority than this busy embroidered blazer. Once again, the patterns are doing too much, but nothing for the modern, polished image she should be going for. This blazer reminds us of another one of grandma's favorite cardigans. We wish she'd take some styling inspiration from woman like Halle Berry and Salma Hayek, who both happen to be six years older than Haley, but dress spectacularly and age-appropriately. 

Nikki Haley wore a vibrantly colored button-up shirt to host an episode of her Sirius XM show, "Nikki Haley Live," and it was a visual overload. It gave '90s Versace vibes and it seemed like something she borrowed from either an Italian mob boss or her grandmother's closet. The mix of the boldest colors and variety of patterns made it hard to focus on anything else. Again, if she's trying to get political points across, this is another piece she should avoid from ever wearing in the future.