The Most Questionable Pants Usha Vance Has Been Caught Wearing
Despite her change in location and job, Usha Vance still likes to keep it real with her personal style. "I've always tried to have a pretty small wardrobe and to wear things basically until they wear out," she informed Meghan McCain on the latter's podcast, "Citizen McCain." Since she's frequently in the public eye with her husband, Vice President JD Vance, the second lady accepts the fact that every 'fit won't be a winner. "I'm trying to think what would I do if I were back in Cincinnati," she explained to McCain. "I would just try to be me and to feel like myself and be comfortable in that environment."
On occasion, she really brought her A-game, and she's sometimes one-upped Melania Trump with her fashion sense. However, there's no shortage of times when Vance struggled with particular categories of apparel. For instance, Usha Vance's footwear fails extend beyond her love of supportive senior-citizen-style sneakers.
Another category the second lady seems to struggle with are pants. When Usha wore hot pink capris with a black top at a campaign event in fall 2024, it seemed like a vibrant choice. However, when standing, the pants had an odd, peplum-like ruffle at the waist that detracted from the look. Usha also accessorized with some overly blingy heels that had a bunch of gemlike details encrusted on the back of the shoes. This wouldn't be the last time Usha's pants divided audiences, either. She's also attracted criticism for questionable hems, color, and patterns.
Usha's pants looked like a vintage couch recycle
Fitted, but not too skinny in their cut, these pants are ideal for showing off Usha Vance's silhouette. Unfortunately, the unappealing print makes these pants another example of a tacky outfit that Usha's killer legs couldn't save. True, some color would be a welcome addition to the bland combo of browns in the rest of the second lady's fit. However, the busy pattern of blue and rust-colored florals seems like it was repurposed from an outdated piece of shabby chic upholstery or curtains.
Vance made a wide-legged error
In October 2025, Usha Vance joined her husband, JD Vance for a visit to Camp Pendleton. At first glance, Usha's ensemble looks sophisticated, especially her decision to wear leather pants. While Pam Bondi's flared pants fails are often due to too-long lengths, Usha has the opposite problem here: too-short hems that awkwardly bell out above her ankles.
Usha's cropped jacket is perfect for accentuating her legs, but her overly short pants hem sabotages the effect. "You're making your legs look shorter, you're making yourself look larger than you really are," asserts YouTuber Heather Anderson.
Usha's St. Patrick's pants required a history lesson
In March 2025, JD Vance and Usha Vance celebrated St. Patrick's Day with the Irish prime minister and his wife. Usha's pants seem like they don't fit the theme, since they're more robin egg blue than emerald green. Surprisingly, Usha's actually taking a page out of Catherine, Princess of Wales' playbook. Kate strayed from the typical green look in 2023, wearing St. Patrick's blue, which skews more teal.
However, since straightforward greens have been the typical color choice for 200+ years, Usha may have been better off going traditional rather than esoteric.
Front-slit pants channeled Kimberly Guilfoyle's style
Typically, Usha Vance's style is different than the other women in Donald Trump's circle. However, when Usha Vance and JD Vance took a trip to Israel in October 2025, the second lady looked like she borrowed her 'fit from Kimberly Guilfoyle's closet. Pantsuits have dominated Guilfoyle's Greek ambassador era, including a very similar white suit with front-slit pants.
Usha's pant slits are higher, so the overall effect looks more intentional, less clumsy. Even so, this suit would look more polished if Usha, a committed re-wearer, opted for a classic enclosed leg, rather than an of-the-moment trend.
Usha can't resist busy prints
In September 2025, Usha Vance posted a picture of herself reading to kids. Hopefully the story was compelling; otherwise, audience members may have been distracted by the crowded pattern on her pants. The geometric design of diamonds and intersecting lines could be a bit hypnotic, especially if Usha jiggled her leg as she read.
The rest of the 'fit is also a bit ho-hum, especially the black loafers. At a previous event, Usha wore a brilliant red dress, which was a much more festive choice for these reading sessions.