Nikki Haley Has Been Caught Wearing Some Tacky Outfits (& They Don't Cover Up Those Scandals)

South Carolina politician Nikki Haley has undergone quite the stunning transformation during her tenure in public service. Working her way up from being a Representative in Congress to becoming the first Indian American to land a spot in a presidential cabinet, Haley has made a name for herself within her career. Unfortunately, outside of her career, Haley has made some unfavorable waves with some personal and fashionable missteps.

A woman of duality, Haley's presidential run was of historic proportions, however, her sense of style is abysmal. Often accidentally showing her age by reaching for cheap-looking fabrics and overly busy prints, Haley has a knack for finding pieces that don't meet the moment. Whether it's a bright colored top at a serious event, or her penchant for synthetic fabrics, there's been plenty of times Haley has turned heads for all the wrong reasons — to the point that she might have inspired some other powerful women to make similarly poor fashion choices. 

At first glance, the coat dress Nikki Haley is wearing in this Instagram post appears to be a strange snake skin mess, but upon further inspection it's actually more delicate — it's roses and lace and doilies, but done cheaply. The pattern feels both too chaotic and overly simple, making the whole dress feel second-rate. Plus, the muted rose gold color of the dress makes Nikki and her husband Michael Haley look like parents at a wedding.

An Instagram post detailing a trip Nikki Haley took to a small town in Israel to commemorate the anniversary of the tragedy of October 7, 2023, included a photo of what might be one of Haley's most inappropriate outfits yet. In it, the former South Carolina governor is seen standing next to local leaders wearing an incredibly busy blouse. The near neon pinks and yellows and blues makes her shirt pop and almost borders on clownish, which feels at odds with the rather somber event she was being photographed for.

Nikki Haley was doing some self promotion on Instagram for her podcast, however, the look she chose for the occasion felt like a cheap Mondrian rip-off. The garish abstract color blocking on Haley's blazer ends up making the jacket feel very "fast fashion." It doesn't look well-made, doesn't fit Haley properly, and the ill-placed black lines give the illusion of a painted-on swimsuit — like one of those bikini T-shirts sold at beachside tourist traps. 

Making the rounds during the presidential election, Nikki Haley appeared on. "Fox and Friends" wearing a dress that feels more reminiscent of the retro school girl look Karoline Leavitt has been going for. The muted pastel blue tweed dress looks a bit threadbare, and the fringe and giant buttons on the waist are overly tacky and distracting. While it's nice to see Haley showing off her killer legs for her interview with Brian Kilmeade, the dress still feels very Shein instead of polished and professional. 

There was something off about the blazer Nikki Haley wore to visit the set of "Special Report with Bret Baier" in October of 2024. The shimmering blue and gold garment is most likely supposed to feel seasonal, but comes across looking like a vinyl tablecloth. Unfortunately, the synthetic fabric and somewhat melted pattern doesn't highlight the accomplished individual Haley truly is. Next time, she should stick with casual — and breathable — cotton for a classier look, perhaps one in brighter colors that aren't reminiscent of grandma's couch. 

While attending a baby shower for a family member, Nikki Haley accidentally made it all about herself when she wore this kitschy, busy print. Though her Instagram post is dedicated to being a proud great aunt, what Haley actually put on display was a dress trying to be too many patterns. The warm teals match Haley's skin tone in a lovely way, but the fabric looks cheap and the mishmash of shapes makes the dress look like a repurposed pair of LuLaRoe leggings.

While Nikki Haley has made history during her impressive career in politics, it seems she likes to dress up in historic styles as well. In the above photo from a post on Instagram, Haley wears a blue dress with a floral pattern and puffy sleeves. At first glance, the dress looks like something from the costume department for the movie "Midsommar," which adds an eerie tone to a photo meant to document her son's confirmation to the Catholic Church. While this dress does appear to be of better quality than some of her other outfits, it's still overly loud and distracting, forcing attention onto herself instead of her son's big day.