Palin's Wardrobe 150K

Sarah Palin's sharp looks on the campaign trail come at a price: more than $150,000 on clothing and accessories from high-end department stores since the Alaska governor was the surprise pick by John McCain to be his running mate, records reveal.

Financial disclosure statements documented by Politico.com show the retail outlay for Palin and her family since early September included a $75,062.63 expenditure at a Minneapolis Neiman Marcus and shopping trips to Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York that resulted in a combined tab of $49,425.74, all paid by the Republican National Committee.

Hair and makeup accounted for another $4,716.49 billed to the RNC in September, with no such costs reported in August. (October expenditures will not be made public until after the Nov. 4 national election.)


Raised Eyebrows
The disclosures raised eyebrows even on the other side of the Atlantic, including in The Times of London, published by Rupert Murdoch, whose News America holdings include the conservative FOX News.

Todd Palin

Photo by: TANNEN MAURY / EPA
The paper notes that Palin appears not to have been photographed in the same outfit twice during the campaign and suggests that 'First Dude' Todd Palin may have benefited from a recorded $5,000 outlay at the upscale men's boutique Atelier.

In a statement sent to many mainstream media outlets, spokesperson for the John McCain and Sarah Palin campaign, Tracey Schmitt, said: 'With all of the important issues facing the country right now, it's remarkable that we're spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses. It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign.'

GUESS IT MUST BE GOOD TO GET THAT AMOUNT FOR HAIR AND MAKEUP . . .WONDER if they even have a NEIMAN MARCUS in ALASKA

I'm torn.... I think dressing well affects how the public views you, and is important. it's up to the RNC to spend their money however they see fit.

I guess I always just assumed that the candidates bought their own stuff -- like at the repub convention, I think they said Cindy McCain's outfit was $40,000 + about $250,000 in jewelry. I assumed she bought it for herself... but who knows

as long as she's not having taxpayers pay for it, don't really care.

I was aol today and they had a story on her spending over 20K to take her three daughters with her on the campaign, even when they weren't invited or even asked to come by Palin. She just brings them everywhere, as they fly all over the country staying in expensive hotels. And this is on Alaska tax payer budget.

i'm not a palin supporter at all---BUT -- i feel like the media is picking on her because she's a woman. its a horrible double standard. do we really think that Obama & McCain don't have custom suits made? c'mon now...no one has EVER questioned the wardrobe of nominees who were men.

if she didn't have good looking outfits -- we'd all tear her apart for not looking nice enough....and yes she's a woman so she can't wear the same suit over again with different ties. if we saw her repeating outfits -- again, the media would put side by side shots of her in the same suit with what dates she wore them on.

i know its an issue of frivilous spending and such--but really i think the whole thing of her being a woman is putting a harsher light on this one.

---

Posted by MJDoc12

i'm not a palin supporter at all---BUT -- i feel like the media is picking on her because she's a woman. its a horrible double standard. do we really think that Obama & McCain don't have custom suits made? c'mon now...no one has EVER questioned the wardrobe of nominees who were men.

if she didn't have good looking outfits -- we'd all tear her apart for not looking nice enough....and yes she's a woman so she can't wear the same suit over again with different ties. if we saw her repeating outfits -- again, the media would put side by side shots of her in the same suit with what dates she wore them on.

i know its an issue of frivilous spending and such--but really i think the whole thing of her being a woman is putting a harsher light on this one.

---

I'm not a Palin supporter but I completely agree.

---

Posted by MJDoc12

i'm not a palin supporter at all---BUT -- i feel like the media is picking on her because she's a woman. its a horrible double standard. do we really think that Obama & McCain don't have custom suits made? c'mon now...no one has EVER questioned the wardrobe of nominees who were men.

if she didn't have good looking outfits -- we'd all tear her apart for not looking nice enough....and yes she's a woman so she can't wear the same suit over again with different ties. if we saw her repeating outfits -- again, the media would put side by side shots of her in the same suit with what dates she wore them on.

i know its an issue of frivilous spending and such--but really i think the whole thing of her being a woman is putting a harsher light on this one.

---

I see your point, but I think that $150K in a matter of a month or two is A LOT of money!!!! They could have gotten her a great wardrobe for a lot less and I honestly don't know how much the men's customs suits cost, but I tend to think it doesn't cost close to $150K!

---

Posted by MikeandJess

I saw this on LIF also. I really don't care how much she spends on her clothes. If she has it, great. Who am I to criticize what she spend her money on? I might not agree with it but it's her money, not mine.

---

I just wanna say that she is NOT the person who is spending the money--the RNC is paying for it. Gov. Palin only made about $150K last year for her payroll as Governor for Alaska...none of her personal money is going into the purchases. I can slightly see how that is annoying people--but I don't see it as a big deal since obviously that's been something both parties have paid for with their canidates for years...as i explained above

---

Posted by MikeandJess

I saw this on LIF also. I really don't care how much she spends on her clothes. If she has it, great. Who am I to criticize what she spend her money on? I might not agree with it but it's her money, not mine.

---

Ah, see that's the thing, it's NOT her money. It's being provided to her. If it was her money, I don't think there would be as much of an issue here. I also think that people are up in arms because much of the country is sitting at home cutting back on everything and here's a report about her WARDROBE costing more than most families take home in a couple of yearS. So it's a bit hard to swallow, you know? And add to the fact that its possible that our tax dollars (yes? no?) are paying for it, then people are not going to be happy about it.

---

Posted by MJDoc12

i'm not a palin supporter at all---BUT -- i feel like the media is picking on her because she's a woman. its a horrible double standard. do we really think that Obama & McCain don't have custom suits made? c'mon now...no one has EVER questioned the wardrobe of nominees who were men.

if she didn't have good looking outfits -- we'd all tear her apart for not looking nice enough....and yes she's a woman so she can't wear the same suit over again with different ties. if we saw her repeating outfits -- again, the media would put side by side shots of her in the same suit with what dates she wore them on.

i know its an issue of frivilous spending and such--but really i think the whole thing of her being a woman is putting a harsher light on this one.

---

I agree with this. We've never had a woman up for vice president and I can't back anything up with facts but I'm sure the wives of previous vice presidents and presidents probably spend just as much on their wardrobes. The difference is they're not up for election so no one is trying to bring them down.

She's not a smart person so mind as well look good . May it will helps her watch Russia from Alaska

---

Posted by MrsQ-in2007
I see your point, but I think that $150K in a matter of a month or two is A LOT of money!!!! They could have gotten her a great wardrobe for a lot less and I honestly don't know how much the men's customs suits cost, but I tend to think it doesn't cost close to $150K!

---

oh yeah-- i do agree they could clothe her for less----so i do see why some people are getting upset about the amounts....but i bet if they did put cheaper clothes on her--the media would pick on her for that. i just feel like these issues are just to pick on her. i can't stand the woman's conversative views...but heck its not HER fault they are buying those clothes for and its like she's damned if she does...damned if she doesn't.

---

Posted by MrsQ-in2007

---

Posted by MikeandJess

I saw this on LIF also. I really don't care how much she spends on her clothes. If she has it, great. Who am I to criticize what she spend her money on? I might not agree with it but it's her money, not mine.

---

Ah, see that's the thing, it's NOT her money. It's being provided to her. If it was her money, I don't think there would be as much of an issue here. I also think that people are up in arms because much of the country is sitting at home cutting back on everything and here's a report about her WARDROBE costing more than most families take home in a couple of yearS. So it's a bit hard to swallow, you know? And add to the fact that its possible that our tax dollars (yes? no?) are paying for it, then people are not going to be happy about it.

---

I don't know if it's our tax dollars or not. Who is providing her with the $ then?

yea - i agree with the previous posters.. with all the things our country spends money on (except not feeding small starving countries somewhere ) Palin's clothes are the least of my worries. As long as all of our tax money isn't paying for it, i dont really care. I think it's very important for her to dress nice, and I couldn't agree with Melissa more..people always find something to rip on. You just can't please everyone. You better believe that if i was compaigning to RUN THE COUNTRY, i'd look my best every single day..but with that being said, I definetly think there are CLEARLY ways to dress all the candidates for a little less mula...and i'd LOVE to know what Obama's/McCain's suits & watches cost...

and as for the comment about her kids...why shouldn't she bring them with her?? they're her children..that's another thing they'd rip on if it were the opposite...'Sarah Palin abandoning&neglecting her children to campaign across the U.S.' If i was traveling & campaigning i would want my family with me every step of the way..not only for support, but because u belong together..simple as that. Obama's girls/wife are with him most of the time too..shows a sense of priority imo.

---

Posted by MikeandJess
I don't know if it's our tax dollars or not. Who is providing her with the $ then?

---

its a mixture of tax dollars and RNC contributions...so in essence in a small part the voters are paying a lil bit for her wardrobe--which is why this has become an issue in the media.

---

Posted by MikeandJess

---

Posted by MrsQ-in2007

---

Posted by MikeandJess

I saw this on LIF also. I really don't care how much she spends on her clothes. If she has it, great. Who am I to criticize what she spend her money on? I might not agree with it but it's her money, not mine.

---

Ah, see that's the thing, it's NOT her money. It's being provided to her. If it was her money, I don't think there would be as much of an issue here. I also think that people are up in arms because much of the country is sitting at home cutting back on everything and here's a report about her WARDROBE costing more than most families take home in a couple of yearS. So it's a bit hard to swallow, you know? And add to the fact that its possible that our tax dollars (yes? no?) are paying for it, then people are not going to be happy about it.

---

I don't know if it's our tax dollars or not. Who is providing her with the $ then?

---

Per the article, it's 'all paid by the Republican National Committee.' Now, as to where they get their funding, I'm not sure. So it may or may not be tax dollars, I honestly do not know.

h

---

Posted by MikeandJess

---

Posted by MrsQ-in2007

---

Posted by MikeandJess

I saw this on LIF also. I really don't care how much she spends on her clothes. If she has it, great. Who am I to criticize what she spend her money on? I might not agree with it but it's her money, not mine.

---

Ah, see that's the thing, it's NOT her money. It's being provided to her. If it was her money, I don't think there would be as much of an issue here. I also think that people are up in arms because much of the country is sitting at home cutting back on everything and here's a report about her WARDROBE costing more than most families take home in a couple of yearS. So it's a bit hard to swallow, you know? And add to the fact that its possible that our tax dollars (yes? no?) are paying for it, then people are not going to be happy about it.

---

I don't know if it's our tax dollars or not. Who is providing her with the $ then?

---

Rep donors?

I wonder what would happen if she was VP -- would she be able to expense it to the taxpayers? pay for it herself? have designers donate clothing to be seen worn by her? Borrow from Cindy McCain? do VPs get a clothing allowance? McCain wants to cut unnecessary spending so I wonder what he would consider unnecessary.....

Also, the article said she was going to donate it all at the end of the campaign. Sounds nice in theory but if she actually did win she could totally rewear some of that stuff -- over 4 years you can rewear outfits, and she could mix and match things. in the scheme of things it would be better for her to keep it than donate and buy all new (and if she truly cared about donating, she could spend a fraction of that amount on 'normal' clothes to donate). Unless of course they were auctioning it off for charity...

---

Posted by MJDoc12

---

Posted by MrsQ-in2007
I see your point, but I think that $150K in a matter of a month or two is A LOT of money!!!! They could have gotten her a great wardrobe for a lot less and I honestly don't know how much the men's customs suits cost, but I tend to think it doesn't cost close to $150K!

---

oh yeah-- i do agree they could clothe her for less----so i do see why some people are getting upset about the amounts....but i bet if they did put cheaper clothes on her--the media would pick on her for that. i just feel like these issues are just to pick on her. i can't stand the woman's conversative views...but heck its not HER fault they are buying those clothes for and its like she's damned if she does...damned if she doesn't.

---

True - I will say this - Obama was getting ripped about the fact that his shoes were like regular whatever brands and McCain was campaigning in Ferragamo's. And how Obama only has a certain number of suits he rotates etc - so it definitely is one of those damned if you do and damned if you don't. And I will say that they have done a great job in dressing Sarah Palin very well - just sucksasss that it's SOOOO much money!