Conservative Women Who Are Nearly Unrecognizable Without Their Hair Extensions

The Republican aesthetic is so popular that it has become a meme on the internet. What is now defined on TikTok as "Republican makeup" includes heavy foundation, caked-on mascara, spider-like false lashes, blotchy smoky eyes, and more. But lest we forget the cherry on top: obvious hair extensions. Conservative women have a history of exposing the tracks of their clip-in extensions, or even sewing in one too many layers of hair, resulting in a Cousin Itt lookalike contest.

Hair extension fails will haunt Trump women and other right-wingers for eternity, but the permanence of that humiliation hasn't stopped them from rocking an unnatural 'do — to the point where many of them have succumbed to extension blindness. From Kimberly Guilfoyle's distinctively thick, synthetic tresses to Lauren Boebert's wig rumors, these women don't seem to be clued in to what we see. Now, looking back at times when they hadn't yet discovered the art of fake hair, they look almost unrecognizable. But don't just take our word for it; we have the pictures to prove it.

Megyn Kelly has a subtler approach to her extensions that only emphasizes the natural body her hair holds. But before the journalist opted for long hair, she was rocking a bob. Her blond locks came to a tapered end midway on her neck. Kelly would occasionally flip the ends for face-framing curls, a style that sparked a debate on X, formerly Twitter. "Can we make Megyn Kelly Great Again? I personally think she looked way better with short hair," one commenter wrote, comparing photos of Kelly's short hair and long hair. It was a toss-up in the ensuing discussion whether she should ditch the extension or keep the length.

The MAGAfication of Kristi Noem is almost unbelievable, and the proof is not just in her speculated plastic surgery. Noem looks so different without her signature hair extensions because, before she clipped in 50 pounds of synthetic hair, the Secretary of Homeland Security was a cropped cut enthusiast. Noem boasted a choppy, early 2000s cut (above left) for quite some time before moving on to a blunt, shoulder-length cut — pictured in this X post with Lauren Boebert. The Noem we know today wouldn't be caught dead with anything shorter than waist-length.

And with the reigning title of worst extensions in Trumpland (according to an expert), we have Kimberly Guilfoyle. Her glaringly obvious fake locks are a trademark look for Guilfoyle, but the former Fox News host hasn't always called that look her own. She had a much tamer appearance in her early days on television — no extensions, and even little to no plastic surgery. She previously sported long layers that fell animatedly to her collarbone. Nowadays, Guilfoyle looks weighed down by the heavy extensions she dons, like MAGA's own brunette Rapunzel.

Lauren Boebert's signature red lipstick isn't the only thing she puts on in the morning. According to some internet sleuths, Boebert wears a wig. It's not confirmed, but based on what seems to be the natural thickness of her hair in the above, left image, the Colorado representative at least uses hair extensions to add a few layers. The weight of the hairpieces has completely concealed Boebert's natural texture, which is stunningly wavy — as seen in a clip she posted on Instagram with shorter hair. It is a radically different look from her usual long, pin-straight style.

Alina Habba's hair transformation since becoming Donald Trump's lawyer has given us whiplash, to say the least. She's experimented with length, bleach, blunt cuts, waves, and even Melania Trump-inspired styles. But Habba has stayed fairly consistent with her extensions. It's no secret she wears them; Florida-based salon OP Hair Extensions has posted online about their favorite client, Habba. But New Jersey's top federal prosecutor briefly broke up with her long hair and spiced up her look with a blunt bob, and it literally looked like a weight off her shoulders.

Melania Trump's hair has become a pop culture phenomenon. Even facing the wall in a 100-person line-up, those sweeping bangs and feathered layers would give the first lady away instantly. The length is likely supported by a few clip-in extensions here and there — we say this knowing JD Vance fully exposed Melania for her use of extensions. In the '90s, however, the wife of Donald Trump boasted much less hair in a blunt, shoulder-length cut, with wispy curtain bangs (pictured above on the left). It was quite an edgier look for Melania, who traded those chocolate brown tresses for a darker blond hue. It's less manicured and an overall care-free, youthful style that we hope she will consider bringing back.