Side-By-Side Pics Of Usha Vance That Highlight How Much She's Transformed

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Usha Vance's life has changed significantly since she became the second lady. Not only has the vice president's longtime partner had to weather strange rumors that Usha wasn't JD Vance's first wife; she's also been subjected to tons of criticism from the fashion police, who have deemed many of the looks Usha has been caught wearing as woefully outdated. And indeed, the second lady's appearance has undergone quite the transformation since her husband took office. 

Not only does she have a few more gray hairs than she did in 2022, when JD first won his senate seat (and we love that she's keeping it real and natural), but Usha's sense of personal style has also noticeably changed. She used to keep things resolutely simple. Plain shirts and pants were staples in her closet before she gave up her job as an attorney to support JD on the 2024 campaign trail. While growing into her role as second lady, Usha has opted for more bold colors and daring 'fits. 

Andrew Spear & Scott Olson/Getty

She's been spotted in jumpsuits, gorgeous gowns, and, of course, that pink Oscar de la Renta that landed her on the list of the worst-dressed stars and politicians at Trump's 2025 inauguration. Speaking to the Free Press, in 2025, Usha still seemed blissfully unaware of all the eyes on her. When asked directly about whether she would be adopting the infamous MAGA aesthetic in the future, Usha found the question hilarious, reasoning, "I'm laughing because it would be really hard for me to be blonde. That color would look totally absurd." The second lady added that she's not exactly a fashion fanatic, clarifying, "People don't seem to care all that much what I look like." Clearly, she doesn't google herself.

It's no secret JD Vance used to totally hate President Donald Trump's guts. The "Hillbilly Elegy" author even offered vocal criticism of the divisive politician. That was, until JD needed his endorsement to clinch that Senate seat in 2022. Usha Vance similarly used to lean more left than right. In fact, she was still a registered Democrat in 2014. A friend disclosed to the Washington Post in 2024 that the second lady, like her husband, used to abhor Trump, even though she wasn't overly political in general. Usha's confidante recalled how outspoken the former lawyer was about the January 6 insurrection, and the blot it left on the country's history. "Usha found the incursion on the Capitol and Trump's role in it to be deeply disturbing," they dished. "She was generally appalled by Trump, from the moment of his first election." 

Now, her husband is the divisive leader's righthand man. The friend in question also admitted that seeing Usha seated next to Trump at the 2024 Republican National Convention was completely "surreal." Other pals concurred, while Hong Kong-based historian and professor Dr. Peter E. Hamilton, who used to be close with the second lady, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, in July 2024 to publicly express his concern at who she's become. "Usha was a very organized and thoughtful person — serious about teaching and making a difference on issues such as women's rights," he penned in a since-deleted post (via Them). "Painful for me to see her on the RNC stage now."