What Was Nikki Haley Wearing at the RNC?

Former United Nations ambassador and former presidential candidate Nikki Haley has no qualms about playing up fashion in political circles and her appearance at Tuesday night’s Republican National Convention was no exception.

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While some pundits and voters dissected her remarks endorsing former president Donald Trump in Milwaukee — and her decision to reverse course on her criticism of him as an ex-presidential opponent — others had only one question: “What is she wearing?”

Instead of the more predictable business attire or basic styles that are more the norm with key speakers at political conventions, Haley was not to be missed in a pale blue Teri Jon floral ensemble. Teri Jon’s founder Rickie Freeman is one Haley’s favorite designers, according to Chaney Denton, Haley’s communications director.

In 2011, Haley wore one of Freeman’s dresses to her first gubernatorial inauguration in South Carolina. “As the youngest governor in America, at the time, and the first female minority [governor] in the country Nikki wanted to look feminine and strong,” Denton said. (Although Haley refers to herself as the youngest female minority governor, she shares that distinction with Susana Martinez of New Mexico, who was elected that same year and was sworn in 11 days before Haley.)

“Since then, she’s worn Rickie’s designs at work in the UN Security Council and on the presidential debate stage,” Denton said.

“Her goal last night was to help unify the party and not to look like a candidate,” Denton said.

The former United Nations ambassador wasn’t the only key attendee who opted for blue instead of the more traditional Republican red. The presumptive nominee’s daughter-in-law and the RNC’s co-chair Lara Trump donned a sleeveless royal blue Chiara Boni La Petite Robe dress for her speech Monday night at Fiserv Forum. The former “Inside Edition” producer is a fan of the brand and once attended a Chiara Boni New York Fashion Week show.

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The 52-year-old Haley believes her outfit choices allow her “to project confidence and to connect with people,” according to Denton. When she started wearing Ralph Lauren American flag sweaters to town halls, her supporters did too. Casual looks from Carlisle were another favorite resource for campaign appearances during her presidential bid, according to her spokesperson.

Through her 13-year tie to Teri Jon, Haley has also worked with Freeman to design personal pieces including the strapless, off-white dress she wore to her daughter Rena’s wedding last spring at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort.

Haley makes no bones about her fashion sense and responded during a presidential debate to her former opponent Vivek Ramaswamy’s comment about her three-inch heels with, “I’d first like to say, they’re five-inch heels, and I don’t wear ’em unless you can run in ’em,” she said with a smile. “The second thing I will say is: I wear heels. They’re not for a fashion statement; they’re for ammunition.”

Based in New York City’s Garment District, Teri Jon is sold at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s and other major retailers. Growing up abroad, Freeman spent her after-school time watching her tailor father fit and sew men’s suits. After relocating to New York at the age of 17, she attended the Fashion Institute of Technology. After earning her diploma, she started out in the fashion industry in 1974 with two-year stints, at first Evan Picone and then Elie Tahari. Not long after that, she founded Teri Jon. The designer’s daytime dresses, cocktail dresses, evening gowns and wedding gowns cover a wide retail price range. A monochromatic metallic jacquard shirtdress in a floral print — that looks similar to what Haley wore at the RNC — retails for $549, whereas a belted taffeta shirtdress retails for $400.

Executives at the New York-based Teri Jon did not respond to media requests Wednesday.

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