Sarah Palin, fashion icon?
Updated on 22 October 2008
Felicity Spector sees just how much it costs to turn a vice presidential candidate from Alaska into a Republican fashion icon.
She's known for her trademark rimless glasses, her sassy shoes and her boxy suits.
But the Republican National Committee has just revealed the true cost of turning Sarah Palin from parka-wearing moose hunter into a fashion icon of the Right - more than a $150,000.
According to official figures released by the campaign, which first broke on Politico, one shopping spree in the Minneapolis branch of Nieman Marcus (aka Needless Markups) racked up an astonishing $75,062.53, with a more modest bill at the slightly more downmarket Macy's store.
Maybe she sneaked out for a bit of retail therapy during the duller moments of the Convention.
Another fifty grand went in branches of Saks Fifth Avenue in New York and St Louis. As for hair and makeup, those up-dos clearly don't come cheap. September's bill came to almost five thousand bucks.
Remember the flak John Edwards got over his $400 hairdo? That's now looking like a bit of a bargain.
Remember the flak John Edwards got over his $400 hairdo? That's now looking like a bit of a bargain.
The RNC doesn't seem to have relished the publicity. A somewhat huffy statement from spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt: "with all the important issues facing the country right now, it's remarkable that we're spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses".
And apparently Governor Palin won't be keeping the new outfits either. They're going straight to charity straight after the campaign.
Dear oh dear. That looks like a rather unsubtle hint that she won't be needing anything special to wear for the next four years.
