10/22/2008 8:15 am

POV

The Etceterist: Sarah Palin's $150,000 Styling Bill to the RNC

God bless Sarah Palin and the polar bear she rode in on — can’t wait for her chat show next year. But prompted by this morning’s news that the Republican Party has spent upwards of $150,000 to make over the governor of Alaska in high style with no verifiable evidence of new clothing by, among other great red- white-and-blue-certified American designers, Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Carolina Herrera, the Etceterist has no recourse but to conclude:

In the great debate of who is patriotic in this country and who is not, Sarah Palin is not. One hundred and fifty thousand dollars on clothing since August and nothing afforded to lift consumer confidence in American fashion labels first? Why, that is downright anti-American.

And so with great hope that an Obama White House will be a Seventh Avenue-splendid White House, the Etceterist endorses Barack Obama for president.


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

EKA
All right, here’s where I’m going to be a contrarian. As an avowed Obama supporter and someone who was, as a woman, insulted at the nomination of Sarah Palin, who thinks she should have said “Thanks, but no thanks” to the nomination because she is totally unqualified to be Vice President….. I have no problem with the Republicans spending whatever they want to dress her up for the national stage. Yes, sure, they could have gone to Walmart or Target, but when campaigns are costing tens of millions of dollars these days, $100,000 on her wardrobe is a drop in the bucket. I know it’s not very “hocky-mom-ish” but, come on, let her have some nice threads to campaign in, and with the ridicule she has garnered ( deservedly, I will add) let her take them home as a souvenir of “Sarah & John’s Great Adventure ” Cindy McCains dress for the opening night of the convention was $3500, and I know Barack wears very expensive suits, and they can both afford it, so let Sarah dress up. She is an attractive woman, let her have her Cinderella moment. I’m sure I’m a minority opinion, but I just can’t get riled about this.
By EKA on 10/22/2008 1:59 pm
CHardy
Ok how is buying clothes here in American down right un-American? Yes $150K is a little much and I would never be able to afford it BUT what does Barack and Michelle spend on their wardrobe? Does that ever get published or is it just what Palin is spending and wearing?????
By CHardy on 10/22/2008 2:01 pm
CatherineKaiman
Actually I have seen a report regarding what the campaign women are wearing, Michelle Obama wore one outfit which was purchased at Target (which I wish would come to Canada!) the entire cost of her ensemble 159.99 and she looked fabulous in it.
By CatherineKaiman on 10/22/2008 2:18 pm
CHardy
That was one outfit and I can tell you from what I have seen her in lately that didnt come from any Target where I live…Her suits are tailored as are Barack’s.
By CHardy on 10/22/2008 2:38 pm
MaurineH
Excuse me, CO, but the McCain campaign paid for Sarah Palin’s fancy wardrobe and her make up artist. She didn’t contribute a penny. That means if you are a donor to that campaign, you helped pay for Palin’s outfits. Are you happy about that? In contrast, the Obamas pay for their own clothes, and Michelle Obama is not a candidate for any office, by the way.
By MaurineH on 10/23/2008 1:00 am
CHardy
Maurine, how do you know this for sure? Just b/c its not published does not mean its not happening? I mean ya’ll say the RNC plays dirty well this smells like the DNC playing dirty to turn more people against Palin so they wont vote Mccain…HOW do we know The Obama’s arent spending campaign money? YOU DONT
By CHardy on 10/23/2008 10:34 pm
MaurineH
CO The campaigns are requred to turn in their budget figures. Why else do you think the RNC would have admitted spending $150,000 to put a new wardrobe on Sarah Palin’s back (and outfitted her family, too, BTW). Why else do you think they would have reported a $22,800 make-up stylist bill in the past two weeks (higher pay than that made by any McCain staffer.). The DNC doesn’t have to do a darn thing to turn voters away from McCain/Palin and their horrible judgment. They’re doing it to themselves.
By MaurineH on 10/24/2008 6:01 pm
WineWarrior
The Obama’s pay for their own wardrobes and buy online…J Crew etc. They look a heck of a lot better than any Republican and spend a fraction on clothes….they put THEIR money in TOP QUALITY educations….where all the dittohead GOPers are a bunch of dummies lacking in good educations…with the exception of Mrs. McCain who did go to USC but obviously it didn’t take or she wouldn’t have married a two-timing cheater. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h8kWtkBsg0O42cxqCxGIbqErDtPQD9436IF00
By WineWarrior on 10/29/2008 5:59 am
AndromedaJakes
CO Sad
By AndromedaJakes on 10/24/2008 9:28 pm
MarjorieC
Catherine: …the entire cost of her ensemble 159.99 and she looked fabulous in it. You think?
By MarjorieC on 10/22/2008 3:08 pm
CatherineKaiman
Yes Marjorie I do think she looked fabulous in it. Does that somehow offend you? As a thrifty person, I can appreciate a woman that looks as good in a 150 dollar dress, as she would in a designer label. Please Marjorie tell me what is so wrong with that?
By CatherineKaiman on 10/22/2008 3:35 pm
AndromedaJakes
Yes I think. What’s your problem with African American woman lady? Is she too young for you or what?
By AndromedaJakes on 10/24/2008 9:30 pm
MLStaats
Hi C O, M L here. If you re-read this part of the article: … with no verifiable evidence of new clothing by, among other great red- white-and-blue-certified American designers, Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Carolina Herrera, the Etceterist has no recourse but to conclude: In the great debate of who is patriotic in this country and who is not, Sarah Palin is not. One hundred and fifty thousand dollars on clothing since August and nothing afforded to lift consumer confidence in American fashion labels first? I think the writer of the article is just pointing out that Sarah didn’t buy American labels. You know, if one is going to dump that kind of money on looking great, buy American designers, at least that was my take on it.
By MLStaats on 10/22/2008 2:36 pm
CHardy
well the article says it doesnt know…so it could be, we dont know. I am sure Barack and Michelle dont buy all American made clothes and everything else they buy…It is close to impossible to do that now a days which is really, really, really sad.
By CHardy on 10/22/2008 2:51 pm
EKA
Yes, it is sad that it is almost impossible to buy American made clothes, but I know that Michelle Obama gets most of her clothes from a Chicago designer, Maria Pinto, whose clothes are made in Chicago, and here is a link to another designer she uses, a cuban-american, whose clothes are made here also -http://www.nydailynews.com/latino/2008/10/08/2008-10-08_designer_isabel_toledo_spices_up_michell.html
By EKA on 10/22/2008 4:45 pm
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