Politics

Sarah Palin's not poorly dressed, she's just Alaskan.

As a campaign stump pitch "crony capitalism'' appears to be out for former half-term Alaska governor and failed Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin. In it's place?

Down with those candidates with "their impressive rhetoric and their fantzy schmantzy websites."

At least that was the pitch Palin made to a Missouri audience when stumping for Republican candidate Sarah Steelman in the Senate primary there. Steelman lost the election, and Palin's railing against "impressive rhetoric and ... fantzy schmantzy websites" seems to have been lost in the catty buzz generated by her attire at the speech.

Palin showed up in a Superman T-shirt, gladiator-strapped chunky wedge heels, black capris, an oversized belt and buckle, oversized sunglasses, and what has been described as a "blingy bracelet," leading all sorts of fashionistas to attack her.

The shoes, "aside from being inappropriate for almost any sort of professional function, let alone a political one, (were) also really, really ugly. Can we suggest some flats instead?" wrote Jada Wong on Stylelite.

"There are so many crimes against fashion here that I wouldn't be surprised if they added up to a career-ending felony charge!" sniped Jamie Peck at The Gloss.

The Palin faithful were quick to rally to the bastions. "Ever notice the women that criticize hot Republican women aren't ever terribly good-looking? SP could wear a tarp and she'd still look gorgeous," one commenter on Stylelite shot back at Wong. "She's fit, she's confident, she's lovely, she's outspoken, she's honest... all the things liberal females hate to see in a conservative woman."

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Wong's political leanings are unclear. She appears to be a young woman recently graduated from university with an interest focused primarily on fashion. And she appears, like most others, to be one of those more interested in what Palin was wearing than what she was saying.

Who cares what Palin was wearing? All of America knows Alaskans are the country's worst-dressed citizens. A clown suit might be what Palin needs to reignite the love affair Alaskans had with her when she was the state's most popular politician.

Craig Medred

Craig Medred is a former writer for the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska Dispatch and Alaska Dispatch News. He left the ADN in 2015.

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