The Complete Transformation Of Savannah Guthrie

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If you scroll through the social media pages of morning TV shows and their female stars, you'll notice that there's often a lot of interest in the hosts' fashion choices, from Dylan Dreyer's questionable outfits on the "Today" show to Ainsley Earhardt's most inappropriate outfits that have featured on "Fox & Friends." You'll also see that there's occasionally a bit of banter as to who is the best-dressed. Often, "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie takes the crown for morning show style queen.

But Guthrie, who turned 54 in December 2025, hasn't always been one to watch for her style prowess. In fact, Savannah Guthrie was unrecognizable in one throwback photo from her early newscaster days. From her clothing choices to her hair color and style, it's undeniable that she has had a complete transformation through the years, and eager fans will continue to tune in as long as they can to watch this beloved morning show stalwart.

Savannah Guthrie was born in Melbourne, Australia, but grew up in Arizona with her parents and her brother and sister. A throwback photo that Guthrie posted to her Instagram shows her in happier times with her mother, Nancy, who made headlines in early 2026, when she was kidnapped from her home in Arizona. 

Nancy raised the children by herself when Guthrie's father, Charles, died from a heart attack in 1988, when Guthrie was in high school. A photo from that era shows Guthrie with long curly brown hair and bangs. In a throwback Instagram post of the photo, fans called out how much they loved the on-point '80s hairstyle.

After graduating from high school, Guthrie attended the University of Arizona to study journalism. She found success as a TV news reporter, working at stations in Montana, Arizona, and Missouri covering legal affairs and politics.

In 2000, Savannah Guthrie moved to Washington, D.C. to continue her broadcast journalism career. She took a side-step to pursue a law degree at Georgetown, and briefly worked at a law firm. But that was short-lived, as she returned to TV reporting, getting gigs at Court TV and NBC News. 

At the beginning of her career, we can see that Guthrie adopted the conservative style of "take me seriously" TV journalists at the time, including a brunette bob and understated suits. In 2004, at a fundraiser in New York City, that aesthetic translated to a basic black suit with feminine top underneath. And in 2006, she wore a slightly more interesting version of her professional wear at a Court TV event, with a gray suit featuring navy embellishments.

It was also during this time that Guthrie met and married her first husband, BBC journalist Mark Orchard. The marriage lasted from 2005 to 2009 and the divorce affected Savannah Guthrie more than we realized.

In 2011, Savannah Guthrie was welcomed to the "Today" family, and the following year, she found herself in the prime morning slot as Matt Lauer's co-anchor following Ann Curry's departure. We could call this her "shift dress era," as she wore nearly every color imaginable for her morning show appearances and beyond. That included a tomato hue at a Rolling Stone event in February 2012. She also briefly sampled an auburn hair color, which looked fresh with a green shift for an August 2013 taping of "Today." It wasn't long after that she settled into into her now-signature highlighted hair hue.

Her life off-screen was also busy. In 2014, she married her longtime beau, political consultant Michael Feldman. That same year she gave birth to their daughter, Vale, followed by son Charley in 2016. Guthrie gladly took "Today" show viewers with her through both pregnancies.

In 2017, Savannah Guthrie's co-authored children's book "Princesses Wear Pants" came out and was a New York Times bestseller. (She's since authored "Mostly What God Does is Love You"). That was also the year, at the height of the #MeToo movement, that Matt Lauer was fired for sexual misconduct, leaving Guthrie to hold down the fort at "Today." Hoda Kotb, with whom Guthrie had an excellent rapport, filled Lauer's spot.

Maybe it was the change in mood, maybe it was merely coincidence, but it was around this time that Guthrie's on-air and red carpet style pivoted. Her shift dresses made only casual cameos on the morning show, as she opted for stylish separates like tailored jackets over jeans, or the monochrome outfit she wore in October 2024. The plum puff-sleeve turtleneck and coordinating vegan leather skirt were both from Veronica Beard, and marked a chic fashion upgrade.

Her red carpet style also felt more confident; for example, the black lingerie-inspired slip dress with a blazer draped over her shoulders that she wore to a charity gala in October 2025. "Girl, looking like a rock star in that dress," wrote a fan on Instagram. Unfortunately, in early 2026, Guthrie would step away from "Today" amid her mother's kidnapping, which at the time of writing remained unsolved. As always, Guthrie has an army of fans and supporters behind her offering words of encouragement at every turn.