The Etceterist | 10/22/2008 2:30 pm

The Etceterist: Go For It, Sarah Palin!

Revelations that the Republican National Committee has spent some $150,000 on dressing up the governor of Alaska for the campaign trail could be a wonderful thing for the world of fashion, specifically American fashion, especially at a time when consumer confidence is waning.

Compared to the French (no one in Paris is giving Carla Bruni a hard time for dressing the role of First Lady in the local couture) or even the British, Americans maintain a very ambiguous relationship to fashion. We want it, we revere it on reality shows, we insist our celebrities dress well — hence the success we are reminded of this week in the obituaries of Richard Blackwell and his annual Worst-Dressed List — but if you are found out to actually spend money on fashion, style or grooming, such as John Edwards’s pricey haircuts or Cindy McCain’s earrings or way back to Jackie Kennedy’s Cassini frocks, we attack the person for being wasteful and superficial. Basically, you are vilified.

Now how the hell are retailers expected to move the merch with this attitude? This is a very tired point of view, hypocritical to its roots in a capitalistic system where, at least in Manhattan, the fashion business is the No. 2 revenue producer for the city, second only to finance. (Probably, now No. 1 given the failures of finance.)

So, go Sarah, go! Instead of shrinking, lying, deflecting, come out of the closet and, yes, yes, yes, declare it: "I am a fashionista in a recessionista world! I am a proud wearer of good clothing! I wake up thinking of shoes. I get my hair done, my nails, my makeup … I read Vogue! I was in Vogue!

"Clothes make the man and fashion the woman. And I do this for you, America! Anymore than I would wave a threadbare flag on the campaign trail would I shake it in a muumuu from Mervyn’s."

And better dress departments from sea to shining sea will thank you, Sarah Palin, for coming, so to speak, out of the closet.

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Read more about: Economy, Election 2008, Fashion, News, Recession, Sarah Palin, Style, The Etceterist, Vogue

99 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

DeBúrca: Wow, you really have turned Republican. If the above remark was intended as an insult, you’ll have to try a little harder.

By Marjorie C. on 10/23/2008 5:58 am

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Of course it wasn’t meant as an insult. It was meant as a commentary on your comment “Let’s not get all American Pie here. I don’t think your candidate believes in it.” Sounds like the Republican campaign of who is pro-American and who isn’t. You fit right in with that comment.

By DeBúrca obj on 10/23/2008 8:10 am

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ROTFLMAO, Good one Marjorie!!!

By HA BIBI on 10/22/2008 5:18 pm

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I was a girl scout for my entire childhood and we had to commit the Flag Code to memory as part of our civics training. I seem to remember something about it being deeply disrespectful of the flag to use it as wearing apparel. I am not sure if this includes the flag pin, but I don’t recall John McCain wearing a flag pin. Why was an issue made of this with Obama? People can be very peculiar in terms of what issues they choose to concern themselves with.

By Elizabeth Bennett on 10/22/2008 6:11 pm

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Elizabeth: During the primaries, McCain wore a flag pin unfailingly and Obama never wore one. The conservatives ripped Obama for not wearing one, suggesting that it meant he was unpatriotic. After McCain secured the nomination, he stopped wearing one regularly and the conservatives stopped talking about pins. I did a little search and found sites where people were actually counting consecutive days McCain went without. People certainly can get fixated on trivia. The fact that I did not notice the lack of a pin until this past week shows just how unconcerned I am, but it is another 180 for Johnny. He is now doing exactly what he criticized Obama for, and nobody is questioning his patriotism over it. It was the hypocrisy that made me mention my observation. I think that things like pins and patches are OK to wear, just not an actual flap-in-the-breeze type flag. If I recall correctly, a flag cannot touch the ground, and a worn one can be turned in to the Boy Scouts for proper disposal - never just thrown away. (Ceremonial burning?) There is a movie, “The Patriot”, that made a rather interesting exploration of the idea of patriotism.

By Steve R on 10/27/2008 2:02 am

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It’s time to let the American flag lapel pin thing go! I am more concerned with what a candidate says than if they are wearing a $3.95 piece of metal made to look like the American flag. That little accessory that means so much to you, Marjorie, was more than likely imported from China. Talk about a dollar waiting on a dime…

By Vivvy Stewart on 10/23/2008 8:14 am

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Vivvy—I can stand those hokey flag lapel pins…tasteless…inane. As Molly Ivins said I’d rather have some wrap themselves in the Constitution and burn the flag than the other way around. The GOP is all about false images.

By Wine Warrior on 10/29/2008 8:21 am

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I looked for that lapel pin on both candidates and didn’t see one on McCain—where was it? As for American Pie—great song :-)

By f p on 10/23/2008 10:07 am

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Does this surprise anyone? I agree with Maurine H. The money could be better spent. Mrs. Obama always looks good. As a matter of fact, my husband says she’s hot. Just goes to show that Obama should be president. Barack spends money wisely and McCain and the republicans don’t have a clue!

By Joan Brown on 10/22/2008 3:01 pm

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For myself, I don’t have a problem with Sarah Palin wearing expensive clothes. If SHE has the money to do so, than have at it. But SHE doesn’t have the money to do so, it is coming straight from RNC funds and now it appears she had been using monies from the Alaskan government to pay for clothes for her children. I feel like I am in bizarro world because so many women can’t or simply choose not to understand the difference. The old expression “just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should” is valid in this case. Sarah Palin and the RNC can and did spend a huge amount of money on her clothes and makeup. But the question is why did they? That’s all I’m saying. McCain keeps allowing his campaign to make bone headed missteps that are costing him dearly in the polls. This was yet again, another mistake on their part. They knew the information on how much she spent was going to come out, they either didn’t care…or thought “eh, we’ll deal with it when it hits the fan.” Either way that was irresponsible on their part as people who are in place to help get McCain elected. They should have known that this information would be perceived by the masses as overindulgence which directly runs counter to the “character” they have created for her as a blue collar, small town simply mom, unaffected by big city life and politics. I feel for him, he is surrounded by people who are mismanaging his campaign, giving faulty advice and guidance that keeps back firing on him and no one, not even his brother can get him to stop, take a deep breath and regroup.

By Belinda Joy on 10/22/2008 3:52 pm

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But Belinda there is the hypocrisy of it… the huge amounts of money being spent to pretty her up so that she can go around on the stump calling Obama “elite” and pretending to be for the “Walmart moms” and “Joe Six-packs” of the country. It’s disgusting.

By DeBúrca obj on 10/22/2008 4:50 pm

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“I feel for him, he is surrounded by people who are mismanaging his campaign, giving faulty advice and guidance that keeps back firing on him and no on, not even his brother can get him to stop, take a deep breath and regroup.” Imagine, Belinda, McCain in the White House - making decisions about attacking or defending other nations, about dealing with crises in the economy, about negotiating with other nations and all the other issues that come across the President’s desk. I don’t feel for John McCain at all. I think he is showing the voters that he can’t make good decisions within his own campaign and refuses to listen to others, and by virtue of those facts alone, he has no business becoming President of the U.S.

By Maurine H on 10/22/2008 5:41 pm

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Maureen trust me, I agree with you 100%. Early on everyone was bringing up his age, referring to him as the old man. And as every month has clicked by he has become more and more dottering and out of it. Was it a week ago when he was at one of his rallies when instead of referring to the crowd as he always does as “Mr Friends” instead stated “My fellow prisoners” What? What the heck was that? He is becoming older and older before our eyes and showing that he is an angry, disgruntled and out of touch man. Not only does he not belong IN the White House, he shouldn’t even be allowed on the White House lawn! And because of this I do feel for him. You can see how desperately he wants this….but I am confused as to why? With Barack it is clear he truly does believe he can be a catalyst to huge changes in our country and around the world. But with McCain, what exactly is he saying he is going to bring to us that are differenet than what we have had? And does he really believe Maurine all of the devisive language he, Palin and the RNC are dishing out is suppose to make people like myself believe they have my best interests at heart? Froim what I have heard I am considered a non-American. I know you don’t feel for him, I get it and I understand why. But for me it is sad to see a man that had a relatively credible history in government go out on such an objectionable, hate filled and devisive tone. But, better to have him go out on this tone than win the White House and lead our country. Go Obama!

By Belinda Joy on 10/22/2008 6:05 pm

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I agree Maurine. You don’t feel “sorry” for a candidate who has the bad judgement to surround himself with people who mismanage his campaign as well as the bad judgement to listen to them! The campaign is a good indicator of what a McCain presidency would look like, and it would NOT be good for America.

By DeBúrca obj on 10/23/2008 11:08 am

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And another thing….a lot can happen in the upcoming days before the election, but as it stands now it appears McCain and Palin are going to lose. I just think it’s sad that they are willing to lose their reputations and standing in their communities along with the election.

By Belinda Joy on 10/22/2008 3:55 pm