Kamala Harris Returns to Her Signature Suiting for Her 2024 Election Concession Speech

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

Kamala Harris speaks at Howard University wearing a purple suit with a satin blouse and an American flag pin
(Image credit: Getty Images)

In her first remarks to the American public since losing the 2024 presidential election, Kamala Harris projected an image of resilience, down to the cut and color of her purple suit.

Vice President Harris addressed her supporters in a concession speech at her alma mater, Howard University, on Nov. 6. Working with stylist Leslie Fremar, Harris wore a blazer with angular, exaggerated shoulders and straight-cut pants, both in a deep purple hue. Strong-shouldered suits are many women's preferred mode of power dressing, from politics to business to entertainment; they also figured heavily in the Vice President's campaign wardrobe. In her final address of the election cycle, the silhouette conveyed Harris's strength in light of her loss.

The color also reflected the tone of her speech. As she called on Americans who voted for her to not "give up," she chose a palette that blended the colors of the nation's two dominant political parties—blue for Democrats, red for Republicans—into a single, unified shade.

Kamala Harris walks onstage at Howard University wearing a purple suit

Kamala Harris walks onstage at Howard University to concede the 2024 election.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Vice President Harris also eschewed her usual jewelry—like a pearl necklace and Tiffany earrings—for simple studs and a few gold bracelets. The most obvious accessory was a golden American flag pin secured to her lapel, a miniature mirror of the flags lining her concession speech stage.

The Vice President's nearly 11-minute address emphasized her wishes for Americans to remain optimistic in spite of her loss. "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 began. "The outcome of this election is not what we wanted, not what we fought for, not what we voted for. But hear me when I say, hear me when I say, the light of America's promise will always burn bright as long as we never give up."

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

Kamala Harris walks onstage to concede the 2024 election

Kamala Harris wore an eggplant purple suit to address the nation.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Before today's speech, Kamala Harris's final campaign trail outfits were defined by a blend of her Capitol Hill suiting and down-to-earth denim. These looks, combining blazers in black, navy, and coconut brown with relaxed flare jeans, could be read as her last-minute way of attempting to reach voters across the aisle through her personal style. Few garments are more universally American than a pair of blue jeans, after all.

On the morning of Nov. 5, hours before the election was decided in favor of former President Donald Trump, Harris called voters from the Democratic National Convention's headquarters. She wore a navy blazer over jeans and an unbuttoned white shirt, and smiled while chatting with constituents over the phone. PBS reports that she told volunteers, “This truly represents the best of who we are.”

Kamala Harris wears a blue suit blazer with a white button down shirt and jeans while campaigning in Delaware

Kamala Harris started Election Day phone banking from her campaign headquarters in Delaware.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Dressed once again in her signature suiting, but in a bipartisan palette, Kamala Harris encouraged the Nov. 6 crowd to hold the 2024 election's winner accountable in office. Smiling at the audience, she told Americans to keep the promises of her campaign alive.

"I know many people feel like we are entering a dark time, but for the benefit of us all, I hope that is not the case. But here's the thing, America," she concluded. "If it is, let us fill the sky with the light of a brilliant, brilliant, billion of stars—the light of optimism, of faith, of truth, and service."

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Halie LeSavage
Senior News Editor (Fashion & Beauty)

Halie LeSavage is the senior fashion and beauty news editor at Marie Claire, where she assigns, edits, and writes stories for both sections. Halie is an expert on runway trends, celebrity style, emerging fashion and beauty brands, and shopping (naturally). In over seven years as a professional journalist, Halie’s reporting has ranged from fashion week coverage spanning the Copenhagen, New York, Milan, and Paris markets, to profiles on industry insiders including stylist Alison Bornstein and J.Crew womenswear creative director Olympia Gayot, to breaking news stories on noteworthy brand collaborations and beauty launches. (She can personally confirm that Bella Hadid’s Ôrebella perfume is worth the hype.) She has also written dozens of research-backed shopping guides to finding the best tote bags, ballet flats, and more. Most of all, Halie loves to explore what trends—like the rise of doll-like Mary Janes or TikTok’s 75 Hard Style Challenge—can say about culture writ large. (She justifies almost any purchase by saying it’s “for work.”) Halie has previously held writer and editor roles at Glamour, Morning Brew, and Harper’s Bazaar. Halie has been cited as a fashion and beauty expert in The Cut, CNN Underscored, and Reuters, among other outlets, and appears in newsletters like Selleb and Self-Checkout to provide shopping recommendations. In 2022, she was awarded the Hearst Spotlight Award for excellence and innovation in fashion journalism. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Harvard College. Outside of work, Halie is passionate about books, baking, and her miniature Bernedoodle, Dolly. For a behind-the-scenes look at her reporting, you can follow Halie on Instagram and TikTok.