Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is known for her eccentric outfits in Congress. Here are 10 of her boldest looks.

Wed, 02/14/2024 - 16:22

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona at the State of the Union on February 7, 2023.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona is known for wearing bold looks in Congress.
She has presided over the Senate in a denim vest and pink sweater that read "Dangerous Creature."
Senate rules were changed in 2019 to allow her to wear outfits that show her shoulders.

Aside from making headlines for her private jet usage and her switch from Democrat to Independent, Arizona senator Kyrsten Sinema is also known for wearing bold outfits involving wigs, sequins, and distressed denim in the halls of Congress.

In a 2021 interview with Politico, Sinema called news coverage of her eccentric clothes "very inappropriate," saying, "It's not a news story and it's no one's business."

Despite her reluctance to discuss her fashion choices, political commentators and fashion experts agree that Sinema's style provides a glimpse into her strategy as an individualistic politician. Sinema's office did not immediately respond to questions sent by Business Insider prior to publication.

Here's a look at some of Sinema's most memorable looks.

In 2020, Sinema wore a variety of colorful wigs on the Senate floor.

Kyrsten Sinema wears a purple wig and green dress — Kyrsten Sinema at the Capitol in May 2020.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

With COVID-19 social-distancing measures in place, Sinema's spokesperson told AZ Central that the senator planned to "continue social distancing in accordance with best practices, including from salons."

Since she wasn't going out to get her hair done in May 2020, Sinema wore a purple wig that cost $12.99, the spokesperson added.

Her pink wig in June 2020 matched her graphic minidress.

Kyrsten Sinema wears a pink wig and graphic minidress — Kyrsten Sinema in the Capitol in June 2020.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Sinema wore a black minidress featuring a bold pink flower that coordinated with her wig and boots while voting to pass the Great American Outdoors Act.

The purple wig made another appearance in September 2020.

Kysten Sinema wears a purple wig and blue halter dress — Kyrsten Sinema departs from the Senate Floor in September 2020.
Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Sinema paired the wig with a blue and pink tie-dye halter dress.

The official congressional dress code barred women from showing their shoulders in the House of Representatives until 2017 and in the Senate until Sinema's swearing-in in 2019.

Jennifer Steinhauer writes in her book, “The Firsts: the Inside Story of the Women Reshaping Congress,” that Sen. Amy Klobuchar advocated for the dress-code change in a Senate Rules Committee meeting ahead of Sinema's first term.

Sinema presided over the Senate in February 2021 while wearing a hot-pink sweater that read "Dangerous Creature."

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema wears a pink sweater that says — Sen. Kyrsten Sinema presides over the Senate in February 2021.
C-SPAN

The cashmere-and-wool sweater, inspired by the quote "A well-read woman is a dangerous creature" by author Lisa Kleypas, retails for $103 from Iggy & Burt.

In an exchange overheard by NBC News producer Frank Thorp V, Sen. Mitt Romney told Sinema that she was "breaking the internet" with her fashion statement, to which she replied, "Good."

In October 2021, she presided over the Senate in another unusual look for Congress: a denim vest.

Kyrsten Sinema wears a denim vest over a black fringed dress at the Capitol — Kyrsten Sinema walks to the Senate floor in October 2021.
Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Sinema wore the vest over a black fringed minidress and carried a magenta purse.

"The View" host Ana Navarro criticized her outfit choice, saying Sinema owed it "to the American people and to the institution to show some respect," The Wrap reported.

"Here, at this show, we are very careful and we know what it's like to get criticized for what we wear and how we look," Navarro said. "That's fine, it comes with the territory. And we try not to do it. But this is not about gender. I assure you, if my friend Mitt Romney showed up in the Senate wearing that, I'd call him up and tell him he's insane."

The Arizona senator wore a patchwork-quilt dress to a Democratic luncheon in December 2021.

Kyrsten Sinema wears a crocheted dress — Kyrsten Sinema outside a Senate Democrats luncheon in the Capitol in December 2021.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

The dress featured crocheted squares in various colors assembled into a long-sleeved turtleneck dress.

In February 2022, Sinema chose a fluffy coat with "Love" written on it in various fonts.

Kyrsten Sinema wears a black and white jacket that says — Kyrsten Sinema departs from the Senate Chamber following a vote on Capitol Hill in February 2022.
Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The black-and-white coat matched the black-and-white floral dress she wore with it.

After the Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act in November 2022, Sinema stood out in sequins at the press conference that followed.

Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Rob Portman (R-OH) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) attend a press conference. Sinema wears a hot pink sweater and teal sparkly skirt — Tammy Baldwin, Susan Collins, Rob Portman, and Kyrsten Sinema attend a press conference after the Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act in November 2022.
Elizabeth Frantz for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Sinema's Senate colleagues Susan Collins, Tammy Baldwin, and Rob Portman wore traditional suits and business attire. Sinema opted for a hot-pink sweater, turquoise sequined skirt, and sneakers.

Sinema, the first openly bisexual senator, was part of a bipartisan group that helped pass the bill protecting same-sex and interracial marriage.

Sinema attended the 2023 State of the Union wearing a yellow sheath dress with dramatic ruffled sleeves.

Stylist Lauren Rothman told Business Insider that the bright ensemble was a "bold statement" that reflected the senator's "independent spirit — and party."

The dress, designed by Hutch and sold at Anthropologie, is no longer available in the US, but is still listed on Anthrolopogie's South Korean site for ₩322,000, or around $240.

She wore a daring denim corset dress with an asymmetrical hemline to a meeting with business leaders on Capitol Hill in September 2023.

Kyrsten Sinema wears an acid-wash denim dress and silver shoes — Kyrsten Sinema leaves a meeting on Capitol Hill in September 2023.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Sinema accessorized with a white cardigan, choker necklace, and silver sneakers.

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Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is known for her eccentric outfits in Congress. Here are 10…