Kamala Harris Wears Head-to-Toe Black for President Donald Trump's Second Inauguration

For her final appearance as Vice President, Kamala Harris returned to the codes that defined her professional style over the course of the Biden-Harris administration.

Harris attended a customary stop on President Donald Trump's second Inauguration Day on Jan. 20, greeting the incoming President, Vice President, and their spouses at the White House alongside outgoing President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden. (The event precedes the formal inauguration ceremony, to be held inside the U.S. Capitol rotunda.)

She dressed in head-to-toe black: a black overcoat, black trousers, and black pointed-toe pumps. A black-and-white illustrated scarf tied at her neck added slight contrast to the otherwise monochromatic look. Her signature pearl stud earrings peeked out from beneath her hair. Harris was most likely styled by Leslie Fremar, whom she began working with during her campaign against Trump for the 47th presidency.

Her spouse, Doug Elmhoff, also dressed in shades of gray and black. Designer credits were not yet available for the Vice President's clothing at press time.

President Biden and Dr. Biden opted for a diplomatic color scheme, both dressed in Ralph Lauren styled by Bailey Moon. The outgoing FLOTUS's wrap coat and dress underneath came in a shade of purple—a common shorthand for political unity in the United States, as it mixes blue (the color of the Democratic party) and red (the color of the Republican party).

Inside the Capitol Rotunda, Harris removed her black coat to reveal a black suit. The set included a zip-up collared jacket, in lieu of her usual blazer, and black trousers.

Kamala Harris leaves Washington, D.C. today with a style legacy that had promoted U.S. designers—particularly designers of color—and diplomacy. In 2021, when President Biden was formally inaugurated, she wore a purple single-breasted coat by New York City-based label Christopher John Rogers. That look kicked off four years of championing Black designers such as Rogers and Sergio Hudson, as well as women-led brands including Gabriela Hearst and Tory Burch. Those choices nodded to the historic nature of Harris's appointment, as the first woman, and first woman of Black and South Asian heritage, to hold the office of U.S. Vice President.

In terms of silhouettes, Harris often relied on power suits involving single-breasted blazers and single-pleat pants—frequently with a strand of pearls or Tiffany jewelry. Occasionally, formal events would call her to wear sequin gowns, like the LaQuan Smith dress she chose for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 53rd Annual Phoenix Awards Dinner last September.

Harris also carefully deployed fashion over her campaign against President Trump until the very end. After a campaign filled with custom suiting in shades of blue (for the Democratic party) and tan (referencing her viral "coconut tree" quote), and plenty of her Tiffany earrings, she conceded the race on Nov. 7 in a custom Tory Burch suit. The eggplant purple was, yet again, a nod to unity—a theme she referenced in her speech.

"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 said.

"Sometimes the fight takes a while," she continued. "That doesn't mean we won't win."

Correction: An earlier version of this article referred to President Donald Trump's second presidency as the 46th. It is the 47th.