Elizabeth Holmes' Exposed Neck Makes A Rare Appearance In Court

The world hasn’t seen much of Elizabeth Holmes as of late. But when the disgraced Theranos CEO arrived in court in San Jose, California, on Monday, we got a glimpse of something even rarer ― her neck.

Holmes appeared in a light blue, untucked button-front shirt, a gray blazer and gray slacks ― a stark departure from what was once her signature polished turtlenecked look.

Her affinity for black turtlenecks has been widely examined and reported on since the rise and epic fall of her once widely revered, fraudulent blood-testing technology corporation. She claims she’s been wearing them since childhood, but plenty of people have been quick to credit her fascination with wanting to emulate fellow iconic turtleneck-wearer Steve Jobs. 

Either way, the image of an eyeliner-less, turtleneck-less Holmes is a bit jarring for those who have followed her story ― and her wardrobe. The appearance marks her first in public since HBO released a documentary about Holmes and Theranos in March. 

Perhaps she’s preparing her neck for warmer weather ― the judge at Monday’s hearing proposed a July 8 start for her trial. She and former Theranos president Ramesh “Sunny” Balwani are being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud as well as nine counts of wire fraud during their tenure running the now-defunct company. 

We’ll have to wait and see what the rest of her courtroom style will look like. In the meantime, at least one part of Holmes’ story has been exposed.