In her new memoir Not My Type, writer E. Jean Carroll reveals that she deliberately styled herself to match her 1996 appearance—fearing jurors wouldn’t believe an 80-year-old could be sexually assaulted by Donald Trump, as she alleged during the trial.
At a Glance
- Carroll worried her age would impact juror belief in her sexual assault claims
- She cut her hair to recreate her 1996 look after consulting mock juries
- Mock jurors reportedly responded more favorably when she appeared younger
- Trump was found liable for sexual abuse and defamation in 2023
- Carroll’s memoir challenges how appearance biases shape courtroom outcomes
Image and Strategy in Court
In Not My Type, Carroll recounts a painful truth: “Nobody’s gonna believe an 80-year-old woman was ever attractive enough to assault,” she told her legal team. After mock juries expressed doubt based on her current look, Carroll decided to recreate her signature blonde bob from 1996 to strengthen juror perception.
Watch a report: E. Jean Carroll’s Appearance Strategy in Trump Trial
Mock Jury Reactions
Testing with mock juries revealed that participants were more likely to believe “something sexual happened” when Carroll’s appearance mirrored her younger self. She worked with her longtime stylist to restore the bob haircut she had at the time of the alleged 1995–96 assault.
Impact on the Trial
In 2023, a Manhattan jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing and defaming Carroll, awarding her $83.3 million in damages. Carroll’s revelation now sheds new light on how appearance and ageism may have influenced the case’s outcome.
A Broader Conversation
Carroll’s memoir prompts difficult questions about how survivors—particularly older women—are judged in courtrooms. Her experience exposes the deep biases that still affect sexual assault trials and how survivors must navigate public perceptions of credibility.
