Kristi Noem's Cowboy Hat Obsession Shows No Signs Of Slowing Down

United States Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has ranching in her blood. Even while serving as the governor of South Dakota, Noem frequently took to social media to share her involvement in local country events from county fairs to rodeos, all while wearing Western-inspired 'fits complete with her ever-present cowboy hat. While Kristi Noem does have a strange history of inappropriate "cosplay" outfits, dressing up as professionals like a mechanic and a police officer for a series of campaign ads in South Dakota, her cowboy look doesn't quite fit the inauthentic label (other than when she wears it to patrol the border) since she genuinely is involved in rural farming communities.

"When I was elected to Congress, it was the first time in 20 years that any of us had left the ranch, to do something different," Noem told Elysian, adding that she's the daughter and the wife of cowboys and always felt like a tomboy growing up. "If I can spend a day outdoors working, chasing cows, riding horses, that restores me." 

So, while Kristi Noem looks completely different without her hair extensions, wearing a cowboy hat with all sorts of outfits, from dresses and boots to Westerncore fringe jackets, is now totally expected of her. And judging from her Instagram snaps, she's showing no signs of ditching this signature accessory anytime soon. "Nobody can make a good decision unless they got a cowboy hat on," she confirmed to Fox News back in 2022, and she's made it abundantly clear in the years since that she wholeheartedly believes in those words.

In December 2023, Kristi Noem attended the Las Vegas National Finals Rodeo — a place where it's definitely appropriate to rock the country-Western aesthetic, otherwise known as the fashion gift that keeps on giving. Wearing a denim skirt, mid-calf white cowboy boots, and a multi-colored cardigan with fringe detail, Noem finished off the look with a cowboy hat that featured a band in various colors. The dominant shade of the band was yellow, which brought out the yellow in her cardigan in a great example of accessory matching.

A cowboy hat is usually a statement in itself, but when you're attending a rodeo — just as Kristi Noem did in February 2024 — sometimes you need an extra touch to stand out. So, it makes sense that she opted for a vibrant red hat, which she again matched to her 'fit by going for a silk red blouse. To keep the look country (although the cowboy hat probably did that all by itself), she finished off the look with a suede fringe jacket in a gray-brown shade.

In February 2025, Kristi Noem was the subject of backlash after riding with Border Patrol while decked out in full cowboy attire. "I'm trying to picture her predecessor riding a horse and I can't keep from laughing," one X user commented on her post. But a year earlier in March 2024, Noem did the same thing, only dodging most of the controversy because she wasn't yet in her role as Secretary of Homeland Security. While the all-denim look paired with the cowboy hat is chic out of context, this may be another inappropriate fashion flex that will always haunt Kristi Noem. 

In August 2024, Kristi Noem rocked a cowboy hat for a meeting with Kid Rock. "This man is a patriot. He's a great American. And he always makes me laugh!" she wrote in the caption of her post on Instagram after meeting Kid Rock at the airport to welcome him to South Dakota. While the star had his own country-inspired look with a plaid shirt and trucker hat, Noem went with a matching brown cowboy hat and jacket, black jeans, and a graphic tee.

Kristi Noem was back at it in September 2024, when she attended an event known as the Bull Bash. Appropriately dressed in a washed-out black denim shirt, medium-wash blue jeans tucked in with a statement Western belt, and a neutral cowboy hat, she certainly looked the part of a rancher. This particular hat with its multi-colored band has made several appearances on Noem over the years, so we're guessing it's one of her faves. The pretty band and feather detail demonstrates how to make Western fashion more feminine with country couture styling.

As a grandmother to four grandchildren, Kristi Noem often features the little ones on her social media, and they're definitely included in her family's ranching activities. "Family makes the Buffalo Roundup even more special!" she wrote on Instagram in October 2024. In the post, while posing with her grandkids, she wore a neutral, off-white cowboy hat to go with her jeans, chaps, and top. This hat featured a studded leather band rather than anything colored or embellished with feathers, and the simplicity worked well with her 'fit, which quickly could have become overwhelming thanks to the fringed chaps.

In November 2024, Kristi Noem went to see Lainey Wilson in concert in Sioux Falls and chose to wear none other than her favorite cowboy hat with the multi-colored band. This time, she wore it with a simple black dress and a pair of cowboy boots, fully getting into the country-music spirit. Lainey Wilson, who has had a stunning style transformation herself, also rocked a cowboy hat for the picture — hers black to match her leather flared pants and the fringe on her blue, white, and orange top. 

Attending the Yellowstone Darby Xtreme Bareback Finals in Montana in June 2025, Kristi Noem surprised no one as she opted for yet another cowboy hat to hold the American flag while singer Mary Millben performed "The Star Spangled Banner." We were excited to see a baby-pink cowboy hat thrown into the mix this time, but it could very well be a white hat turned pink by the glaring red lights. Noem went fully Western with a patterned shirt in a look that might not have scored her many points at fashion week, but was perfect for a Montana rodeo.