JD Vance’s Usha Vance has found a unique way to make headline after headline since becoming the second lady in 2025.

Her homely wardrobe has been compared to GOP fashionistas like Erika Kirk, Pam Bondi, Kristi Noem, and, of course, both Melania and Ivanka Trump.

Meanwhile, her husband is the one person who takes offense to people picking apart his wife’s cheap looks on television.

Usha Vance hit back at critics blasting her wardrobe in headlines months after her husband, JD Vance, came running to her defense. (Photo by Alessandra Benedetti – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

But much like Michelle Obama, Mrs. Vance turned a house brand into a viral moment after criticism about her looks.

As anticipation builds for the upcoming Freedom 250 Grand Prix in D.C., a new behind-the-scenes video gives Americans a glimpse into the second family’s preparations.

Usha used the moment to promote her children’s podcast — and slipped in a fashion confession that caught fans’ attention.

Dressed in a black dress, cradling her pregnant belly, she invited families to tune in as NASCAR driver Danica Patrick read Disney’s “Cars” during “Storytime with the Second Lady.”

Usha followed with a caption: “Racers at the ready!” before promoting her show.

But her post on X featured an extra message that read, “P.s. Yes, that’s the same Old Navy dress in black.”

That postscript set off the internet.

“Did you pay full price for the black dress, or did you get a discount on it, too? Enquiring minds want to know,” one person asked.

Another fan added, “You crack me up with the dress description! You have pleasantly surprised everyone, Usha. You’re just adorable!” Someone else wrote, “Omg! The Queen that you are!!! @SLOTUS.”

Others praised Usha for how she’s handling the naysayers and hitting back with pointed jokes instead of mean attacks.

One person drew a pointed comparison: “You certainly handle the ‘what is she wearing?’ conversation more gracefully than Michelle Obama.”

That reference dates to 2008, when the wife of then-presidential candidate Barack Obama co-hosted “The View” wearing a breezy, black-and-white, high-waisted print dress by Maria Pinto.

The dress sold out almost overnight at White House/Black Market, where it retailed for $148, according to Today. Critics turned on her, too.

Not everyone was charmed by Usha’s version of the moment, as some picked apart her marriage

One user sniped, “You mean JD let you pick out your own dress even though he marvels at all the perks you guys get. Are you permitted to pick out your own fruit or bread or do you have people that do it?”

This comes weeks after she wore another dress from the same brand.

The soon-to-be-mom of four wore the same capped-sleeve dress in a coral color during a Father’s Day special of the “Storytime” series, joined by her husband.

One bizarre moment went viral after she introduced Vance, saying, “Thanks for joining us today, honey.”

“Of course, good to see you,” VP oddly replied before reaching over to pat her leg, prompting a brief, bizarre knee-jerk reaction.

Critics first mocked the couple’s odd chemistry, but focus soon shifted to Usha’s outfit.

The coral look landed her in a New York Times piece on political pregnancy style, alongside Katie Miller and Karoline Leavitt, both of whom welcomed babies this spring.

Usha addressed it herself, tweeting, “Now that we know the political significance of my $8.75 coral maternity dress from Old Navy, can’t wait to hear what the New York Times has to say about my elastic-waistband pants and compression socks! In the meantime, enjoy my pregnancy fashion (or lack thereof) and a good story with your kids on Storytime with the Second Lady.”

She followed with a screenshot showing the $50 price slashed to $12.49, then further discounted to $8.75 with a promo code.

JD Vance chimed in: “She bought a $50 dress for $8.75. America: meet your next director of the federal budget!” — a joke that may have made his wife look even more relatable than he intended.

Old Navy isn’t a thrift-store bargain bin.

It’s Gap Inc.’s mass-market family apparel chain, offering size-inclusive clothing from 0 to 30 at the same price—a far cry from the designer labels Melania Trump is known for wearing.

Last year, JD Vance shared a dinner photo of the second family hosting the Trumps.

Commenters quickly zeroed in on the contrast between the first lady’s leather dress and Usha’s conservative black top, blazer and patterned skirt.

“Those women are dressed like polar opposites,” one critic on X wrote at the time, while another wrote, “Idk why but the difference in Melanias outfit and Usha’s is killllinggggg me.”

These days, Usha seems to have stopped competing on Melania’s terms — and started cashing in on the comparison instead.

‘OMG’: Usha Vance Torches Critics with Latest Quip After a Scathing Takedown About Her Wardrobe Had JD Vance Jumping to Her Defense