In her first remarks to the American public since losing the 2024 presidential election, Kamala Harris projected an image of resilience, down to the cut and color of her purple suit.
Vice President Harris addressed her supporters in a concession speech at her alma mater, Howard University, on Nov. 6. Working with stylist Leslie Fremar, Harris wore a blazer with angular, exaggerated shoulders and straight-cut pants, both in a deep purple hue. Strong-shouldered suits are many women's preferred mode of power dressing, from politics to business to entertainment; they also figured heavily in the Vice President's campaign wardrobe. In her final address of the election cycle, the silhouette conveyed Harris's strength in light of her loss.
The color also reflected the tone of her speech. As she called on Americans who voted for her to not "give up," she chose a palette that blended the colors of the nation's two dominant political parties—blue for Democrats, red for Republicans—into a single, unified shade.
Vice President Harris also eschewed her usual jewelry—like a pearl necklace and Tiffany earrings—for simple studs and a few gold bracelets. The most obvious accessory was a golden American flag pin secured to her lapel, a miniature mirror of the flags lining her concession speech stage.
The Vice President's nearly 11-minute address emphasized her wishes for Americans to remain optimistic in spite of her loss. "My heart is full today, full of gratitude for the trust you have placed in me, full of love for our country and full of resolve," she began. "The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for. But hear me when I say, hear me when I say, the light of America's promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up."
"Sometimes the fight takes a while," she continued. "That doesn't mean we won't win."
Before today's speech, Kamala Harris's final campaign trail outfits were defined by a blend of her Capitol Hill suiting and down-to-earth denim. These looks, combining blazers in black, navy, and coconut brown with relaxed flare jeans, could be read as her last-minute way of attempting to reach voters across the aisle through her personal style. Few garments are more universally American than a pair of blue jeans, after all.
On the morning of Nov. 5, hours before the election was decided in favor of former President Donald Trump, Harris called voters from the Democratic National Convention's headquarters. She wore a navy blazer over jeans and an unbuttoned white shirt, and smiled while chatting with constituents over the phone. PBS reports that she told volunteers, “This truly represents the best of who we are.”
Dressed once again in her signature suiting, but in a bipartisan palette, Kamala Harris encouraged the Nov. 6 crowd to hold the 2024 election's winner accountable in office. Smiling at the audience, she told Americans to keep the promises of her campaign alive.
"I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time, but for the benefit of us all, I hope that is not the case. But here's the thing, America," she concluded. "If it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant, brilliant, billion of stars—the light of optimism, of faith, of truth, and service."
