Kristi Noem's Complete Transformation From Farm Life To Fox News

United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is a woman in politics who has certainly carved a path for herself. Noem grew up as the daughter of a cowboy in Watertown, South Dakota, which meant she did everything one does when living a ranch life. "My dad was a cowboy. Everything he did was an adventure," she revealed to Elysian. "We enjoyed chasing cows, driving tractors, and working together. What was remarkable about my mom and dad is that they recognized the value of having a strong family and spending time together."

However, Noem's life has significantly changed since her farm days. Today, she is known as a former governor of South Dakota, a successful politician, and a woman who has changed her look in a lot of ways over the years. Of course, when it comes to fashion and beauty, all of us at Glam are seated. Noem is no stranger to going for looks she likes; in fact, her style is so distinct that Kristi Noem's strange history of inappropriate "cosplay" outfits has landed her in hot water from time to time. From her career beginnings, which featured a shaggy hairstyle, to her current Mar-a-Lago look, here are all the changes that Noem has gone through over the years.

Kristi Noem entered the political scene in 2010 when she became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Dakota. On her choice to run for the position, she revealed she did it to represent the people. "I'm just like them. I ran because I felt like we needed somebody in Washington, D.C., to represent us who knows what happens when you pass legislation — how it impacts families and small businesses back here in South Dakota," she explained (via Vote Smart). In the late 2000s, Noem, who is married and a mother of three, was known for her ultra-layered haircut — a look we didn't see that much of at the time. Classic 2010s blazers cinched at the waist and a focus on eye makeup were a big part of her look.

However, even back then, it was clear that Noem was confident — and if she liked something, she would go for it. The politician admitted that her confidence is something her mother helped her find. "When she sat me down and told me that I was somebody who did not have to be scared, that I could be confident and that I could do big things because that was what my life was called to do, I said, 'Okay,' and it changed my whole perspective," Noem revealed to Elysian. "Living without fear is a decision. I certainly am a normal person who at times becomes worried, but I choose not to be afraid. I make a conscious decision not to use certain kinds of language either because words have power."

The year 2011 was a significant one for Kristi Noem, as it was the year she graduated from South Dakota State University with a bachelor's degree in political science. While Noem originally studied at Northern State University in the 1990s, a family tragedy resulted in her not graduating at the time. In 1994, Noem's father died in an accident involving a 50,000-bushel grain bin. "I was 22 at the time. I was married, attending college and eight months pregnant with our first daughter," she revealed (via Elysian). "It was on March 10th, and it was devastating for our family."

That year, Noem's political career continued flourishing, and her style remained recognizable. The politician kept rocking a messy shag haircut usually styled with side-swept bangs — a huge trend of the early 2010s. While her fashion choices were simple, her makeup was always perfectly thought through. Luscious eyelashes and highlighted inner corners were musts, as the politician usually went for a full face of makeup whenever in public.

Reflecting on getting her degree in her late 30s, Kristi Noem revealed that she was proud of herself for finishing her education. "I never felt insecure about my education," she admitted in 2012 (via Politico). "I felt like I had been through the school of hard knocks."

Style-wise, Noem continued to favor preppy pieces, as cardigans and blazers remained staples in her closet. However, the politician embraced a new haircut, one that was shorter in the back and slightly longer at the front. Today, the cut is mostly known as a "Karen" haircut, and while some still rock it, it has lost its mainstream popularity since. In fact, according to our stylist, it's the outdated haircut you should avoid in 2025. Noem only rocked it for a couple of years, after which she let it grow out. The politician paired it with her signature side-swept bangs and very subtle highlights.

By 2015, Kristi Noem had ditched her asymmetrical bob for a classic shoulder-length one — a flattering bob haircut for women in their 40s. The politician often wore it in tousled waves, giving her usual structured and polished appearance a subtle casualness. What many may not know is that as a lawmaker, Noem often stays at the U.S. Capitol overnight, sleeping in her office.  "There's a gym in the basement, so I get up in the morning and go down to the member's gym and work out with a group of people," Noem said in 2015 (via NPR). "And then I go to the women's gym and shower and put my makeup on and stuff and come back up here and get dressed."

Noem has always been in great shape, and her athletic side comes out whenever there are sports events at work. In 2015, she participated in the Congressional Women's Softball Game, an annual event, and it was clear that the politician knows a thing or two about sports. Speaking to Elysian about her love for sports, Noem said, "In high school I wasn't just on the basketball team and playing volleyball. I was also a boys', basketball and football, cheerleader."

As we entered the second half of the 2010s, Kristi Noem switched up her makeup routine, going for an even bolder look. The politician began sporting heavy eyeliner application, hot-pink lips, and chunky filled-in eyebrows — and if you ask us, that last one is easily one of Kristi Noem's biggest makeup mistakes. As Noem's career evolved, the member of the Republican party embraced longer hair, even opting for ombré tips at one point. While the blond ends suited her, the governor of South Dakota didn't stick to the style for too long.

Speaking to SDPB in 2017, Noem revealed that she believed South Dakota was ready for its governor to be a woman. "I think that South Dakotans have always been wonderful about recognizing ideas, you know, character of individuals, hard work ethic," she said. "From the time I was young on our ranch there wasn't girl chores and boy chores, it was just work and everybody did it together. So I really believe that is the perspective in South Dakota. And there's a lot of people that are excited about it."

In 2018, Kristi Noem became South Dakota's first female governor-elect, and with that, she wrote history. With a new position ahead of her, Noem decided to change her look ever so slightly. The politician kept her hair cut in a long bob; however, unlike at the beginning of her career, now Noem wasn't as big a fan of side-swept bangs. Instead, her hair was all cut the same length, and subtle blond highlights were added to it for some dimension. 

The politician usually wore her hair styled in tousled waves, which once again added some softness to her otherwise polished and preppy look. The politician wasn't a fan of color when it came to fashion, as she mostly wore muted and neutral tones. Her nails, on the other hand, were an exception, as a hot-pink hue was often gracing them.

In 2019, Kristi Noem was sworn in as South Dakota's governor, a historic moment that surely meant a lot for women regardless of political preferences. "It is very special to be the first woman governor and the more people have mentioned it now to me, it's pretty humbling," the politician admitted (via InForum). When talking about her, Democratic legislator Bernie Hunhoff revealed that Noem was all about finding solutions. "She's obviously always good with media and she's the best at delivering all the conservative talking points," he said. "You'd think, 'Wow I'm not going to be able to compromise with her.' But usually when we would sit down at a table, I found her to be [a] moderate person just trying like everyone else to find a middle ground to solve problems."

While Noem changed her look prior to becoming governor, in 2019, she stuck to tousled waves and classic fashion. As far as any fashion experimentation goes, Noem allowed herself to occasionally have some fun with jewelry, going for dangly earrings or delicate brooches to elevate her look. In fact, just a few years later, brooches got a modern makeover, and we were raiding them from our grandma's jewelry boxes too!

In 2020 and 2021, Kristi Noem didn't change her appearance much, except for the fact that her makeup became heavier and more noticeable in a complete change from the makeup style she rocked at the beginning of her political career. However, her blocky Instagram eyebrows and visible eyelash extensions were the least of the governor's concerns, as far bigger problems erupted.

In September 2021, news broke of Noem having an affair with Corey Lewandowski, a Trump campaign manager. While Noem denied the allegations, the rumors didn't quiet down. "These rumors are total garbage and a disgusting lie," the politician shared on X (via CNN). "These old, tired attacks on conservative women are based on a falsehood that we can't achieve anything without a man's help. I love Bryon. I'm proud of the God-fearing family we've raised together. Now I'm getting back to work."

In 2022, it certainly seemed as if Kristi Noem didn't get the news that the clean-girl aesthetic was trending, as the politician always went heavy on the foundation application. In fact, her thick base makeup quickly became the one makeup mistake that wasn't doing Kristi Noem any favors. While Noem kept going for wavy hair on a daily basis, the governor of South Dakota slowly began embracing longer locks, often accentuated with what seems to be balayage, giving her very natural, sun-kissed highlights.

That same year, the politician published her first memoir titled "Not My First Rodeo." In it, she revealed just how the tragic loss of her father impacted her decisions later on. "I vowed to never waste my time on things that do not ultimately matter," Noem wrote (via Fox News). "I would live every day with purpose. I aimed to serve my family, my neighbors, my state, and my country in any way I could."

In 2023, Kristi Noem was noticeably looking quite different from before, and exclusively for Glam, our plastic surgeon revealed how Kristi Noem's face transformed over the years. "Comparing photos from around 2019 to now, I'd say she's likely had Botox for smoother skin, particularly around the forehead and eyes, and dermal fillers in her cheeks and lips to restore volume," Dr. Joel Kopelman explained. "Her jawline and eye area also appear tighter, which could indicate a facelift or lower eyelid surgery. These changes align with what we typically see in patients aiming for a more youthful, refined look — especially those in the public eye."

Apart from the potential facial procedures she had done, Noem seemingly also embraced hair extensions, which added plenty of length and fullness to her hair. Face-framing highlights were undoubtedly meant to soften her features and give her a more youthful appearance, but it was difficult to look past the noticeable changes in the politician's cheeks and lips. Regardless of any cosmetic procedures, Noem continued living a very active lifestyle, often sharing post-workout pictures of herself on social media. 

In 2024, Kristi Noem's teeth landed her in hot water. The governor of South Dakota decided to share her teeth on X with the caption, "I love my new family at Smile Texas! The video says it all, and I am so grateful for their help fixing my smile for me." At first glance, most would assume that this was a paid partnership — one in which the politician's job was to promote the dental business. However, nowhere in the caption did Noem disclose that it was an ad, which is required under law.

Soon after, a lawsuit was filed against Noem, one that was eventually dismissed. "The baseless lawsuit filed by Travelers United against me was dismissed by the court last week," Noem shared on X. "Their actions have exposed them as a fake watchdog group filing frivolous claims to smear me. To be clear, I never received compensation for any alleged 'advertisements.'" While this could very much be true, there is no denying that the damage was already done in the eyes of the public. Noem — whose hair was now even longer and lips even fuller — appeared to have dabbled in influencer territory, which is something most wouldn't really want their politicians to do.

Today, Kristi Noem serves as the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, and she's undeniably one of the most powerful women in the country's political landscape. While a woman in power is a major step forward, many believe that she isn't the right one for the position. "Basically, she's a woman with a look that's very rooted in conservative, traditional ideas of what a woman should look like: long, flowing hair, heavy makeup, form-fitting dresses — but at the same time she has that baseball cap on and she's employing incredibly harsh and cruel and aggressive policy," writer Inae Oh told Meteor. "That supposed contradiction is intentional. Her look also provides cover for the brutal policies that are being implemented across the country."

Noem is known for being one of the worst "Mar-a-Lago face" offenders — a look that has become a signature for many conservative women. Speaking of the signature MAGA beauty trend, plastic surgeon Dr. Norman Rowe revealed that the clients who come to his Florida office usually want to look like Donald Trump's oldest daughter, Ivanka. "People will come in and say, 'I want to look like her, I like her eyes, I like her nose, I like her lips,'" he explained (via the Daily Mail). Seemingly feeling pressure to conform to traditional beauty standards, politicians like Noem have changed their appearance quite a bit over the years, fitting a mold that lacks authenticity and true expression. In fact, news personality and former first lady of San Francisco Kimberly Guilfoyle has the worst case of "Mar-a-Lago face", but Noem isn't far behind.