Hoda Kotb pays stylish tribute to the blazer that led to her big break

When Hoda Kotb limited week Today named “Hoda-bration!” honoring the last day of the longtime owner On Friday, Jan. 10, she donned the part in a familiar Veronica Beard white blazer suit that, sartorially speaking, felt like a full circle honoring her legendary career.

While Kotba, 60, has been part of the fabric of NBC News for nearly 30 years (she announced she would leaving September 2024), it's hard to believe she faced nearly as many rejections. She was turned down 27 times for a TV job before someone finally said yes, and she said her big break was just because of the jacket.

On the first day, the anchor got sick, so she filled in for the evening newscast. “The litmus test for someone who anchors the news at WXVT News Center 15 in Greenville, Mississippi is who comes to work in a jacket,” Kotb told the newspaper in an interview. PR for everyone.

“I remember (Stan Sandronithe late news director) walked in and he says, “Okay, who's got the jacket?” I go, “What?” 'Jacket. Who has a jacket?' I go, “Jacket? I've got a jacket. It's hanging on the hanger. “Oh, well, you've got to fasten the news because Anna (Martin) is sick,” she recalled. “I was like, ‘Okay!

She often looks back on that moment and says that it only takes one person (and one jacket) to change your life, which made her elegant farewell suit all the more fitting. A proud wardrobe repeater, Kotb has always kept his work form simple and streamlined.

“I don't know how many times I've worn the same dress. I wear everything all over again,” Kotb said in a 2020 interview with Glamour. “A lady tweeted me 'I've seen this dress 57 times' and she was right!

Kotb continued, “Our staff even posted pictures of how many times I wore the dress. I thought it was funny… There are people who are way cooler than me, who have way cooler fashion sense than I ever have. It's not my thing.”

Her pragmatic sensibility echoed Savannah Guthrie a video was shared on YouTube on Friday, January 10th. “She's about what's important,” Guthrie, 53, said. She then jokingly held up Kotba's “red carpet purse,” which was a zip-top bag containing lip gloss, a compact, cash and a banana for a snack. Guthrie ended on a more serious note: “I love you so much, whether you're sitting next to me or not, whether we get up at 4 in the morning together or not, I'll always be there for you.”

Indeed, Kotba took a similarly sentimental approach with her accessories: piles of bracelets, rings and necklaces for her latest episode, which she says are near and dear to her heart.

She stated: “This best bracelet that says 'With you' is a gift she got from Guthrie before she showed off the 'Love' ring Guthrie gave her.”

Guthrie, on the other hand, chose a black dress for the farewell show, because she was in “mourning” on the last day of her beloved colleague. Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve or blazer.