Nancy Pelosi made her return to Congress following hip replacement surgery, but this time without her usual high heels. The 84-year-old San Francisco Democrat, who served as Speaker of the House until two years ago, opted for a sensible pair of flats after suffering a fall on a marble staircase in mid-December, which led to a broken hip.
At the time of the accident, Pelosi was in Luxembourg with other members of the House and had surgery in Germany. Her spokesperson confirmed that she is recovering well.
Before the fall, a photo showed Pelosi wearing her signature stilettos while holding onto Republican Rep. Michael McCaul’s arm. McCaul later remarked on her high heels, noting that Pelosi had lost her balance on a step of a marble staircase that lacked a railing.
On the first day of the new Congress, however, Pelosi walked onto the House floor with visible limp, receiving a standing ovation from her colleagues. Gone were the stilettos—replaced by light-blue flats, which complemented a sweater tied around her neck, while her bright-blue pantsuit stood in stark contrast.
Pelosi reassured a Politico reporter that she was feeling "fine" as she cast her vote for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, receiving further applause and hugs from her peers.
Over her decades-long tenure in Congress, Pelosi was often seen in high heels, making the switch to flats a noticeable change. In a podcast appearance recorded before the fall, Pelosi had shared her reasons for favoring heels, although details about her footwear decision following the surgery were not immediately clarified by her spokesperson.