6 Times Kaitlan Collins Nailed The Old Money Aesthetic

Kaitlan Collins represents the new generation of journalists who know that to be a professional who's taken seriously doesn't mean you need also be a boring, stuffy dresser. Collins' look is always stylish, sometimes playful, even. A Southern gal from near Montgomery, Alabama, her 'fits often give old East Coast money. Think smart blazers, classic silhouettes, and elegant eveningwear. Credit that, perhaps, to her time covering the who's who and the happenings around American politics in New York City and Washington, D.C.

As CNN's chief White House correspondent, Collins is a regular in the White House pressroom, holding her own against Karoline Leavitt and Donald Trump, who once came at Collins for, from his perception, never smiling. Cue the eye rolls from women everywhere. She might not be grinning while grilling the president, but if her style choices are any indication, she seems to be laughing all the way to the bank.

Journalist Kaitlan Collins popped out for the White House Correspondents' Garden Brunch in April 2026 wearing a structured navy blue midi dress. The glitter-trimmed lapels and smart two-toned pumps made it the perfect, quiet luxury daytime look appropriate for an afternoon of rubbing shoulders with the upper echelon of D.C's political circles. Correspondents' brunch, lunch with your legacy girlfriends from college, cocktail hour on a super yacht off the Amalfi coast — this look could work for it all.  

For the White House Correspondents' dinner in April 2026, Kaitlan Collins opted for a powder pink Magda Butrym midi dress with whimsical structural detail at the bust and matching slingback pumps. The simple, barely-there jewelry kept the look elegant and sophisticated. This is what Collins was wearing in those grainy videos you might've seen of her impromptu reporting, seemingly just being recorded on a cell phone, amid the chaos after a gunman attempted to breach the banquet hall. She may have looked like generational wealth, but don't forget she's a working woman. 

When Reformation teamed up with New York City Ballet on a capsule collection, Kaitlan Collins swung by the celebration in New York in October 2023. She rocked a simple cream knit maxi dress and white statement belt, and then she draped an olive green blazer over her shoulders. The whole look felt like New England money, punctuated by the black riding boots. And Collins' brown locks felt like the perfect complement. If you're wondering what to ask for at the salon to achieve the expensive brunette hair trend, don't fret. Just point to Kaitlan Collins.

In a pic posted to her Instagram in April 2026, Kaitlan Collins seems to have been enjoying drinks with friends or colleagues. She held up a glass of champagne while wearing a cool but polished layered 'fit that made her look like the baby of a rich family who just wants to make her own way in the art world. The sand-colored jacket, the crisp button-down blouse, and cropped trousers were timeless, expensive-looking pieces. But she made the look even more interesting with the addition of mustard-tinted aviator sunglasses.

We're used to seeing blazers paired with slacks or another business casual garment, but at the White House Correspondents' Garden Brunch in April 2023, Kaitlan Collins showcased one of the best unexpected ways to style a blazer. She threw the tidy white jacket, accented with gold buttons, over a cute '90s sundress printed with a pattern that reminds us of an antique sugar bowl at a country family estate. But the sneakers add a young, casual touch. This is your rich cousin who doesn't take herself too seriously and will run around the grounds with the kids. 

CNN's Kaitlan Collins has quite the lavish lifestyle. An anonymous source included in a November 2024 New York Post article suggested that Collins' salary at the network is $3 million a year. Sounds about right. The caption on this picture from 2021, nabbed from Collins' Instagram account, reads, "Ciao!" So, it's safe to assume that she was vacationing somewhere in Italy. Any proper European holiday isn't complete without a bold and breezy dress, like this red and white one, perfect for sipping rosé beachside. The white slip-on sandals and sun hat round out this luxurious look.