Sarah Huckabee Sanders' Most Inappropriate Outfits Yet

In addition to her sometimes divisive politics, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the governor of Arkansas and former White House Press Secretary, has often drawn criticism for her style. Her heavy, mid-2010s eye makeup was the look that launched a thousand jokes, and her contouring wasn't always much better, though Sarah Huckabee Sanders actually looks fine without makeup. Nowadays, Sanders' beauty style has calmed down, but her fashion is unfortunately still raising eyebrows.

To be fair, Sanders is hardly the only politico who's been called out for doing too much or too little with her wardrobe. Just look at some of Kimberly Guilfoyle's most inappropriate outfits. Still, Sanders took a lot of flak for her style (or lack thereof) during her years in the first Trump administration, and that criticism has kicked off again now that she's sitting in the governor's office. While some of her press-secretary looks were drab, unfortunate, and ill-advised, most of them were at least technically appropriate. On a few occasions, however, Sanders has completely missed the mark and shown up in outfits that deserve some side-eye, from overly casual campaign ensembles to bizarre and juvenile game-day looks.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders isn't afraid to wear a bold color, and when not in solid hues, she's shown love for floral and botanical prints. However, these two preferences collided in a sartorial disaster when she chose a maxi dress in primary-color florals for a 2021 event in her hometown of Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Not only was the fit of the dress off, but the kindergarten-worthy fabric looked cheap and unmanageable, creasing throughout. 

Then, there's the matter of the baffling flounce on the front of the skirt, which seemed to emanate directly from the crotch region. Was Sanders wearing the dress backward, or was the design just poorly conceived? Compared to other guests, most of whom were dressed in suits and cocktail dresses, Sanders looked clownish, making her dress an utterly inappropriate choice for this public event.

While preparing for her role as governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders really tried to emphasize a relatable, down-home look. This may have charmed some constituents, but the politico often took the vibe too far. For instance, Sanders inexplicably chose to wear a short, ruffled prairie dress at a press conference in December 2022, styling the frock with cowboy boots. Onlookers didn't respond very well. Looking back on the 'fit, one Threads user quipped, "Isn't she the model for Little Debbie cakes?" Another said, "Not the most professional attire for a state governor."

To make matters worse, this wasn't even the only time Sanders appeared in the dress — she also wore it to an October 2022 campaign rally in a look that was far too casual for the event. Not only did the prairie dress show an unusual amount of bare leg for such a high-level candidate, but its styling was overly relaxed, looking more appropriate for a picnic than a speech.

Even after winning her Arkansas governor race, Sarah Huckabee Sanders hasn't given up on feminine, country-sweet styles. And while we don't necessarily hate this aesthetic, it feels inappropriate to Sanders' office, undermining her authority. For instance, Sanders hosted some visiting golf pros at the Arkansas Governor's Mansion in October 2024. For the reception, she took the good start of a perfectly acceptable white button-up and lowered the tone by pairing it with powder-blue shorts with a scalloped, babyish hem. While cute enough, the infantile shorts evoked toddler clothes, which isn't exactly the height of professionalism.

The 2025 Super Bowl was a star-studded event. Unfortunately, Sarah Huckabee Sanders tried to mimic the A-list fashion standards set by other attendees, which wasn't exactly gubernatorial. Her short, red skirt, white blouse, and cream-colored knee-high boots might have worked on a WAG like Brittany Mahomes (particularly if the boots matched better), but this playful take on the Kansas City Chiefs' team colors came across as inappropriately trendy and juvenile for a high-level politician like Sanders. "Someone shopped the Temu Taylor [Swift] section," one commenter wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. While we could all take some guidance from Taylor Swift's best (and worst) game-day looks, this inspo clearly wasn't it.

If you thought Sarah Huckabee Sanders misstepped at the 2025 Super Bowl, wait until you see what she wore to a pre-game party in New Orleans. Cowboy boots and a shirt dress might have been a touch casual, but we would have allowed it in this setting. After all, governors need downtime, too. But even through the distance of a camera lens, this shapeless, oversized blouse looked cheap and totally lacking in style. The red neckerchief added insult to injury — just why?

Everyone else was wearing sleek dresses, so this clearly wasn't a costumed event. Sanders' inexplicable choices ended up looking absolutely silly, like some Wild West version of a mad scientist.