Palin and McCain: Dressing for Joe Six-Pack

We all put our pants on one leg at a time. But when you're running for public office, there's a whole lot of thinking about which pair of pants you're putting on.

David Brooks' recent New York Times Op-Ed column, The Class War Before Palin, hit home what I'm sure the McCain/Palin wardrobe team has been strategizing all along: There are more Joe Six-Packs in this country than there are champagne-swirling, National Review-reading Republicans. Today's core Red State voters care about guns, tailgates and the man upstairs.

And guess who is hopping right into her pencil skirt and peep-toes for these rebel rousers? Bouffant Barbie of course!

The Washington Post's Robin Givhan said it best when she wrote, "Sarah Palin's style is exceptionally ordinary. Nothing about it connotes authority. No detail announces that she is in charge." What? Winking doesn't convey power? Canvas totebags promoting moose hunting as the new Sunday morning activity for Joe Six-Pack and Jane Winecooler don't scream "we don't want your foreign oil?"

The point is, Sarah Palin and her hockey moms, grandpas and second cousins don't want her to be authoritative. They're not looking for an old guard Republican like Cindy McCain with her multi-millionaire's wardrobe. Oscar de la who? They want a woman who is "just like me!" "Why every morning I wake up and tease my hair till it's big enough to hide a small rodent in, tell my knocked-up teenage daughter that a marriage by force is better than no marriage at all, have someone fired cause gosh darn, I don't like them very much and then go shoot a moose for supper." Frankly, if I were a Republican, I would be offended that Sarah Palin likened herself to me.

But this is her thing. She is dressing for Joe Six-Pack. Does Joe Six-Pack want a woman who wears fancy Parisian frocks that cost a month's salary? Or one who wears the Armani pants in the family? Well if you're judging from the McCain/Palin team, he sure gosh darn don't.

And Palin the puppet is ready to walk right into their gun-toting arms. In fact, she has been ready since day one. Her bad highlights and her layers of puffy bangs scream "don't mind me, I've been filing my nails in a log cabin for the last decade and didn't know the bouffant was now reserved for burlesque dancers and women who think Vogue is a devilish jig invented by Madonna (cue giggle)." I'm pretty sure my college feminist literature professor is vomiting every time she sees bouffant Barbie. Don't worry Professor Hart, I am too.

As for John McCain, I imagine he has a small battalion of wardrobe mavens with hypnotic voices soothingly saying over and over "Real men don't care about clothes! War heroes don't cry if a jacket doesn't fit in the shoulders!" HuffPost blogger Alan Au, whose job is to dress a man of McCain's stature, has suggested countless improvements on the Senator's ill-fitting, drab wardrobe. But nothing changes. The man simply wants to dress badly. He's got a wife made of money who wears Chanel and drips in diamonds. The man has the means to dress well. He just really, really doesn't want to. Joe Six-Pack wouldn't approve.

It's exactly how your high schooler feels. Sarah and John just want to fit in! They want good ol' Joe to invite them over for a pig roast and six ice cold domestic beers. Or maybe Palin really does believe the old saying "The higher the hair, the closer to God."

Follow Karin Tanabe on Twitter: www.twitter.com/snobbytanabe

Comments

[Richard22]

Clothes: $130,000
Makeup artist $13,200
Hairdresser: $7,000
Phony down-home image: Priceless

[GardenerNorCal]

Well the RNC paid over $150,000.00 to outfit the whole Palin family.

I know what I could do with money like that and would be more than buy clothes and accessories.

And now we find out she's charged the state of Alaska for putting her kids up at fancy hotels and airfare to attend functions they were never invited to attend.

I would expect if McCain the maverick chose a VP candidate that couldn't afford to dress herself or her family, Cindy could have purchased clothes for the needy Palins that have 1.5 million in personal assets of their own.

But I am supposed to identify with her and believe that McCain would protect my interests?.

[PT6]

Can you IMAGINE someone like Michelle Bachmann as President?

Sarah Palin is Bachmann in "Sheep's Clothes."

One Heartbeat Away from the President and HOLDING THE SAME BELIEFS AS BACHMANN!

I believe Bachmann motivated McCain to pick Palin!

Bachmann was a FISH CLEANER IN ALASKA when she was young!

Michelle Bachman and PALIN have Three STRONG BELIEFS:

1. Roe v. Wade must be OVERTHR0WN!
2. Creationi$­m/Intellig­ent Design should be FUNDED by Government and taught in SCHOOLS!
3. Church and State can be as ONE with Funding Flowing to Religiou$ Teachings and sixth grade Math and Science are enough to graduate High School!

[DCMinx]

Evidently Palin's "style" is in right now, especially for Halloween:

http://shoeminx.com/sarah-palin-scares-up-votes-as-popular-halloween-costume/

[PeepingTom]

that pin says "I support unwed mothers!!!"
what the...? but you don't support sex education?????

[Dissident Dexter]

Not supporting sex ed causes unwed mothers. I'd like to hear her thoughts on the ever-elusive UNWED FATHERS.

[elementalchick]

I think McCains suits dont fit because of weight gain and loss during the campaign. He doesnt look healthy.

[MyFatCat]

If you're read Queen of Fashion--how Marie Antoinette's choice of clothes influenced and accelerated the hatred of her by the French people--then you know this stuff matters a lot more than you think...because it's not about thought, it's about visual suggestion.

And I, for one, love to have a fashion look. If I want issues there are other columns.

Sarah's attempts to strike the right fashion note are, quite simply, hilarious, and frankly, I need the laugh.

Carry on!

[Matlawmaven]

But Palin is wearing Parisan (and Italian) frocks, or rather "skirt suits." Palin's oyster silk shantung jacket, worn during her acceptance speech at the RNC, was a Valentino supposedly purchased at Sak's for $2,500K. The NY Post reports a team of Palin stylists (head stylist, two assistants, hair stylist and makeup artist). Her stylists have strict confidentiality agreements. Even the sales ladies at Palin's Nordstrom's freeze in fear when questioned by the press. They refuse to divulge the candidates apparel choices. Would love to know who designed her black silk debate suit.

[apatheticmoth]

loved this piece! this helped me understand them more, thank you.

[ellawensmom]

Could someone help me figure out who the person is who "supports unwed mothers"? I'm thinking he/she owes me a lot of back child support...When I was an unwed mother, I never had a pro-lifer show up at my door with a check.

[Sandlerge]

Everyone on here who is worried about a return to the issues should not be trolling the Style section for political discourse. This is where I come when I want to think about dresses and who's wearing them. Even if it is politicians.

Rock on Karin you are the best!

[frantaylor]

The symptoms of rot and decay are everywhere if you care to recognize them. This story would not exist if it were not for the dumbing-down we have been subjected to. This is news.

[elementalchick]

fashion is a language. Analyzing what the candidates are saying and revealing through their clothing and body language choices is an interesting part of examining their overall message. I think it is very telling that they are not prominently wearing clothing made in the US when promoting job creation.
And I still cant believe she wore beige.
Anyone think it was a take on Eva Perrons dark cream Dior?

[ebanks84]

Our standards for presidential candidates are LOWERING every 4 years. Now we have:

1. Two GOP candidates who have been convicted of ETHICS violations.

2. Two GOP candidates who have been charged with RACE baiting.

3. Two GOP candidates who have had relations outside of their marriages.

4. Two GOP candidates who can barely muster a BA degree between them of which JOURNALISM is their major educational ladder of success.

5. Two GOP candidates who were maybe B, but absolutely C students.

6. Two GOP candidates who have questionable religious affiliations.

7. Two GOP candidatres who blatantly tell OUTRIGHT LIES, after it has been proven to be lies by various factcheck orgs.

8. Two GOP candidates who refuse to talk with the MEDIA.

9. Two GOP candidates who can't even look OBAMA square in the eyes because of their sneaky deceitful ways.

10. Two GOP candidates who belong to questionable organizations like the AIP in Alaska (Sarah Palin and husband) and the B.ilderber­g/I.l.l.um­inati groups (McCain).

[frantaylor]

This whole "Joe Six-Pack" thing is a way to distract people from realizing that public officials ARE NOT JOE SIX-PACK. They are HELD TO A HIGHER LEVEL OF ETHICAL STANDARD. The Republican candidates are both GUILTY of violating ethical standards so they want you to forget about all that ethics garbage and treat them like your neighbor. It's a whole load of what comes out of the back end of a cow.

[miraward]

Sarah Palin gives us enough to criticise when it comes to her background, lack of education or experience, and policies. Criticism of her wardrobe is sexist and unneccessary.

[Erin7373]

Issues please!

As much as I personally do not approve of Palin/McCain, its not because of clothing.

This is insulting.