Kristi Noem's 2017 Capitol Hill Fashion Fail Remains One Of Her Worst 'Fits

While it's undeniable that Kristi Noem has had a full style transformation since officially entering politics in 2006, not all of her fashion choices have been wise ones. From questionable outfit choices to outdated trends we're begging her to ditch, there has been one particular ensemble that will forever boggle our minds. Calling the outfit she chose to wear in 2017 to Capitol Hill an eyesore would be an understatement, as the former governor of South Dakota opted to wear a knee-length bright orange dress complete with leopard-print cowboy boots. 

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Not only is orange definitively not her color, but the decision to pair it with cowboy boots of all things downgraded her already abysmal look. What's worse, Noem wore this ill-thought-out outfit to a meeting with the American Optometric Association, an inappropriate time for a callback to her farming roots. In the image above, the former U.S. Representative certainly stood out in comparison, with everyone else clad in suits, trousers, or pencil skirts with sensible shoes. And it seems her string of fashion missteps has translated to political missteps as well ...

Noem is no stranger to controversy, but it appears she has gone a step too far. And no, this isn't simply a case of wearing an inappropriate outfit that's gotten her into big trouble, but a spending spree that has cost her her job as Homeland Security Secretary. In an ad released in October 2025, Noem is seen riding a horse while wearing a top-to-toe cowboy outfit, with Mount Rushmore displayed in the background. While the ad campaign certainly raised eyebrows for its messaging on immigration, the fact that the taxpayer-funded ad was alleged to have cost a whopping $220 million was the final straw that ended Noem's tenure as Homeland Security Secretary.

The labor costs came to over $100,000, with Noem and the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) paying nearly $4,000 for hair and makeup and a bewildering $500 to a magic shop. "While leading the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem and her senior team allowed tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars to be spent on wasteful production costs ... and a very expensive horse — and that's just what we know so far," Peter Welch, one of the Democratic senators investigating Noem's ad campaign fiasco, said in a statement, per CNN. While Noem's cowboy outfit might be a drop in the bucket in the DHS ad's outrageous bill, it's become an ironic symbol of her fall from grace.