Karoline Leavitt's Blinged Up School Girl Style Isn't The Makeover She Thinks It Is

Since stepping into the role of White House press secretary, Karoline Leavitt has already undergone a whirlwind transformation. While her personality comes through no matter what she wears, Leavitt has already cycled through a few different eras of fashion during the first year of her stint in the role. There was the age of outdated outfits Leavitt wore to seemingly appear older than she is, which was followed by her switching things up to dress more like a school teacher. One clear example of this was when Leavitt confused a press briefing for a classroom with a look that seemed totally out of place for the occasion. However, since then, it seems that her style has shifted once again, and not in an updated direction.

Lately, Leavitt has been wearing cardigans with giant buttons, and she's developed a preference for quilted, grandma-inspired fabrics. This has since given way to looks that seem to be inspired by uniforms school girls would wear in the 1950s and '60s. Structured blazers with pocket flaps and buttons have made an appearance, as have tweed skirts with pleats. However, Leavitt is trying to bring the looks into the modern age by placing one particular twist on them: the incorporation of bling. The buttons are now sparkling, the pockets shining, and the looks reaching to be polished. She's nearly getting there, but not quite. The glitzy school girl vibe just isn't working for her.

Her transformation into private school student didn't happen overnight. Karoline Leavitt started slow and subtle, wearing pieces with just pops of the aesthetic. Seen here in one of the outfits that missed the mark for Leavitt, the navy blue cardigan with large brass buttons was the first iteration of the look. While the sweater harkens back to a foregone era (or your grandmother's closet), the buttons were a gateway to a trend that would begin to dominate her outfits: the need for something shiny. 

While it can be argued that Karoline Leavitt's MAGA makeover ruined her sense of style, this baby blue ensemble hits some of the high and low notes. The curved collar feels like an homage to the petticoat, but the jersey stretch fabric feels planted firmly in the modern era. Once again, Leavitt has opted for shimmering buttons, with these sparkling silver pieces on the collar as well as on the inexplicable breast pockets. It also appears as if some silver thread was sewn into the dress, making the whole piece feel like a piece of forgotten tinsel. 

While Karoline Leavitt seems enamored with school girl style, it's not always uniforms from the 21st century she channels. For instance, this style and fit harkens back to the post-World War II era. There are a few modern elements, though. The buttons are, of course, giant and shiny, and the trim on the sleeves and collar also appears to have some glitz to it. However, that juxtaposition is likely why it doesn't quite work. 

This dress might be a bit too short for the school yard, but it does utilize a fabric that Karoline Leavitt seems to have adopted a real love for: tweed. Steeped in history and often found on outdoorsy attire like hunting jackets, the fabric is structured and warm, which makes it slightly confounding as to why Leavitt chose to start wearing it during a muggy Washington, D.C. summer. Of course, to tie the look together, she made sure the dress had big silver buttons for an added level of flare. 

Seen here in an Instagram post dedicated to being "West Wing girls," Karoline Leavitt is flanked by Meghan Bauer and Melania Trump look-alike Margo Martin. While none of them are wearing a particularly notable outfit, it does seem that Leavitt was going for a look from Cher Horowitz's closet in "Clueless." However, Leavitt's version felt tacky in comparison. There are too many strange (and possibly faux) pocket decals, the pleating feels incomplete, and the cropped top and short skirt feel a tad inappropriate to wear to the White House (or even to a fictional high school).

With cap sleeves and, you guessed it, giant buttons, this navy blue look from Karoline Leavitt had all the hallmarks of her blinged out school girl vibes. However, she upped the ante with the addition of pearls lining the trim of her collar, giving the whole look a strange quality. 

Even when Leavitt tries to harken back to a specific era, she still struggles to update the look for the modern world, largely because she tries to incorporate too many elements at once. Here, the big buttons and pearls don't feel vintage. Instead, they feel like a ModCloth rip-off circa 2015. It's a sign that perhaps it's time Leavitt should stop trying for throwback twee and focus on the now.