Look, we get it. When you find a look that works for you, it can be hard to switch things up and step out of that comfort zone. And at this point, it's safe to say that former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is fairly synonymous with pantsuits — so much so that seeing her wearing anything else is a bit of a rare sight.
That being said, Harris has hung up her pantsuit in favor of something different on occasion, like at the 2025 Met Gala, when she wore a long, two-tone gown. Not only that, but Harris has occasionally
rocked some leggy looks that make us wish she would ditch her pantsuits more often. With that in mind, we decided to take a look back at a few times she did just that. Here are several instances of Kamala Harris leaving her pantsuit in the closet in order to flaunt her killer legs.
Read more: Wedding Dresses Of First Ladies That Missed The Mark
The Prosecution Rests (And Looks Good Doing It)
Amid her bid to become President of the United States, then-Vice President Kamala Harris took to Instagram to share a throwback photo from earlier in her career, in which she can be seen rocking a pair of see-through black nylons alongside a matching jacket, skirt, and heels. In the post caption, Harris reflected on her legal and political career up to that point, discussing her time as a prosecutor, San Francisco District Attorney, California Attorney General, U.S. Senator for California and, of course, VP. "I have fought for the people for my entire career. ... I have fought on behalf of all Americans," she wrote.
Kamala Walks The Red Carpet In The Golden Gate City
Speaking of throwbacks, another photo from October 2008 sees Kamala wearing an outfit very similar to the one in her 2024 Instagram post, complete with stockings and a knee-length skirt. In the photo, Harris -- who was serving as District Attorney of San Francisco at the time — can be seen on the red carpet for the world premiere of "Milk," the 2008 political biopic starring Sean Penn as late San Francisco Board of Supervisors member and gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Penn would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in 2009.
Kamala Harris Shines At Sunset Tower
Kamala Harris' appearance at the "Milk" premiere in 2008 would be far from the last time she walked a red carpet. By 2012, Harris had become Attorney General of California, and ventured from the Bay down to Hollywood to attend Showtime's "EmmyEve" party at the Sunset Tower hotel. Harris smiled for the cameras while wearing a one-shoulder, gold-colored, calf-length dress. There was also no shortage of star power at the event, with other guests including John Legend, Claire Danes, Don Cheadle, and a pre-"Bear" Jeremy Allen White.
Attorney General Harris Struts To The Stars
Attorney General Kamala Harris wasn't done hanging out with the stars after the EmmyEve party ... literally or figuratively. In December 2013, Harris attended the Breakthrough Prize Inaugural Ceremony at NASA Ames Research Center in her native California, this time rubbing elbows with the likes of Conan O'Brien, Glenn Close (who coincidentally also once met another future VP in J.D. Vance), and Michael C. Hall. Leaving the stockings at home (but keeping the black heels), Harris wore a knee-length black dress with a sheer overlay.
The Dress So Nice, She Wore It Twice
Rewear alert! Kamala Harris, who was still California Attorney General at this point, was photographed wearing the same dress she wore at the Breakthrough Prize Inaugural Ceremony when she later attended the 45th NAACP Image Awards in Pasadena. But to be fair to Harris, the Image Awards took place in February 2014, just two months after her appearance at NASA Ames Research Center. So, we can understand why she may have not wanted to pick out and buy a whole new outfit on such short notice. If it isn't broken, don't fix it, right?
Kamala Harris Suits Up To Support Women
Kamala Harris eschewed the fancy dresses entirely and opted for a more familiar, more business-savvy look when she attended the Variety's Power of Women event at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons in Los Angeles in October 2014. The California Attorney General went back into her suit closet, pairing a gray jacket with a matching knee-length skirt. The event as a whole was meant to coincide with that year's edition Variety's Power of Women issue, which spotlighted Jennifer Lopez, Reese Witherspoon, Jane Fonda, Viola Davis, and Donna Langley for their charity work.
Doug Emhoff Enters The Picture (Literally)
Kamala Harris once again found herself on a red carpet in September 2015 at The Broad Museum Black Tie Inaugural Dinner in Los Angeles. The future vice president wore a shiny silver knee-length dress, which she styled with a pair of heels not unlike those she wore at the Showtime party three years prior. But far more notable at the event at The Broad was Harris' guest. She was accompanied to the contemporary art museum by none other than husband Doug Emhoff, whom she had married 13 months prior, becoming stepmom to Emhoff's two kids in the process.
Kamala Harris Honors Black History Post-Election
By March 2025, Kamala Harris' tenure serving as VP under President Joe Biden had come to an end, and her attempt to win the presidency herself had proven unsuccessful. Nevertheless, Harris was undeterred. That month, she once again took to Instagram, this time posting a picture of herself sporting another skirted suit with an overcoat as she walked in front of the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama to honor the 60th anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery March, a key event in the Civil Rights Movement. "Together, we must continue our fight for justice, equality, and opportunity for all," Harris wrote.
Kamala Harris Wears A Sunny Dress For Easter Sunday
Most of Kamala Harris' outfits that we've looked at thus far have featured rather neutral color scheme. However, to celebrate Easter in April 2025, the former vice president went with a brighter option, donning a light yellow, over-the-knee dress with a matching overcoat. On Instagram, Harris shared a number of photos where she can be seen wearing this outfit alongside husband Doug Emhoff, as well as members of their extended family. "On Easter Sunday, we celebrate joy, hope, and our faith in renewal -- even through the darkest of times. To all those celebrating today, our family wishes you a happy Easter," she wrote in the post caption.
Read the original article on The List.
