Kristi Noem has carved out a niche for herself in a leadership position that isn’t exactly known for its fashion-forward values. She is just as glam, confused, and overly invested. The Secretary of Homeland Security has recently come under fire for her pearls-and-hoops-meet-2001 style instead of for the measures she took.
During a June 2025 diplomatic visit to Panama, Kristi Noem surprised us all with tarantula lashes, glossy lips, falling hair extensions, and a set of giant hoop earrings that had been sure to turn heads.
Given that oversized hoops have a place in the history of fashion, their reappearance on Noem received unwanted attention. The List writer Lora Michelle said, “Jennifer Lopez was a Fly Girl on ‘In Living Color’ in the early ’90s, she paired big hoops with her curly hair.” But now, as we can see, it’s giving J.Lo’s Fly Girl era meets mall glam. And not in a good way.
Sometimes the accessory does the talking. As Kristi Noem spoke to the media, the earrings, which had a hanging pearl detail, swung dramatically below her thick locks of hair. The internet noticed. And it didn’t hold back.
Kristi Noem’s Aged Glamour in the Spotlight
Without a doubt, Kristi Noem enjoys spending time at the center of attention. Her style choices are hardly subtle and range from cowboy-chic for concerts to Instagram-worthy errand looks. Critics counter that there is a difference between her image and her title as a top national security official and that her loyalty to high glam is starting to work against her.
Even though she has long been known for her thick contouring and hair extensions, the trip to Panama was an all-new low for styling mistakes. In particular, the hoop earrings felt more costume-like than confident.
Today in Panama I met with President @JoseRaulMulino and Panamanian ministers to discuss our continued collaboration on illegal immigration. Panama has been a key regional ally — contributing to the dramatic decrease in illegal immigration through the Darien Gap, participating in… pic.twitter.com/LYosZstWFG
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) June 24, 2025
It’s not that we are trying to make her feel bad about her age. It’s all about the way things look, and when some accessories are screaming “90s” louder than what Kristi Noem is saying about policies, it can be a bit distracting for people.
According to certain observers, Noem, who was born in 1971, likely drew inspiration from her early ’90s college days, when hoop earrings were a staple. Interestingly, this look seems out of date in 2025.
A Pattern of MAGA Makeup to CECOT Glam
Kristi Noem’s fashion blunders are not entirely unusual.
She made an appearance at a prison reform facility in El Salvador (CECOT) in March 2025, clad in flowing hair extensions and a full glam makeup look that was viewed as “tone-deaf” given the situation at hand.
Is this badass or what..🔥
Kristi Noem does a live video directly in front of the terrorists she and Trump sent to CECOT
If you come to our country illegally, this is one of the consequences you could face
Hit that like button if you like the job Kristi Noem is doing at DHS pic.twitter.com/n0WSvq4roQ
— @Chicago1Ray 🇺🇸 (@Chicago1Ray) March 28, 2025
The narrative was pushed further by her 2024 cowboy-chic Lainey Wilson concert ensemble and her infamous Instagram moment of rolled-down sweatpants: Noem’s style constantly interferes with what she is saying. Critiques of her public appearance often bring up unacceptable outfits, which include the 2017 Capitol Hill dress worn with distressed cowboy boots.
After all, fashion is political, particularly if you’re responsible for the country’s security. And when that fashion appears frozen in the past, the optics become impossible to ignore.
RELATED: Kristi Noem Claims Cannibal Migrant Ate Himself Mid-Flight During ICE Deportation
