Vestments: Off My Chest

I am awaiting the dawn of the "Prada Politicians". Their arrival is imminent, and some have already begun to infiltrate. They're slow moving, like zombies, to keep us from catching on too quickly. Seriously though, I feel like the women involved in this year's political campaign are turning into bad replicas of Sex and the City characters. All of them land somewhere between Charlotte and Samantha on the fashion Richter scale. Additionally, I don't recall the outward appearance of any recent male politicians making such big news, outside of a few bad hair jokes. The detailed review of the physical, and therefore strictly female, spectra of these women is one of the most sexist and dirty political tactics I've seen throughout this entire campaign.




Hillary Clinton has always received a good amount of attention for her personal style, but the point at which this entire concept "jumped the shark" was when she was persuaded to leave off a diamond ring her husband gave her in order to display a more respectable amount of bling. Whether your platform focuses on family values or not, a ring on your hand from your spouse shows nothing but commitment. The irony here is that Sarah Palin's role in her daughter's pregnancy and inevitable engagement has been so highly celebrated . Even though the GOP won't acknowledge the ring's existence, it's being used to bolster the wholesome image of the deeply damaged Palin family .




But accessories aren't the only source of contention is this campaign. The main culprit is the clothes themselves, and not only due to Sarah Palin's recent shopping spree. Absurdity of apparel began, for me, when someone priced the clothes that Cindy McCain and Laura Bush wore to the RNC. Mrs. McCain's total came to over $300,000! To use one of Mr. McCain's preferred euphemisms, “Joe the Plumber” could certainly not afford to buy his wife a similar outfit. Additionally it is not lost on me that Mrs. McCain and Samantha Jones from SATC could exchange wardrobes and no one would be the wiser! Mrs. Bush's ensemble was more on par with her standard of living, costing somewhere between 3 and $4,000, which I appreciated at the time of the report, and still value today. If Mrs. Palin's desire is to come across as an ordinary hockey mom, then following in Laura’s footsteps would have been the wisest decision for her and her party.



Just as jewelry isn't singularly responsible for the fashion faux pas’ on this journey to November, neither are the Republicans alone in their gluttonous glamour. As much as I respect the Obama family, I was saddened to realize that Michelle had the help of Oprah's makeover team to polish her appearance for major events ( I can't find this link anywhere!, can you help, please?). I want all of these women to enjoy the once in a lifetime experience that the expedition to the White House brings, but not at the expense of their humanity. They are, after all, supposed to represent all Americans, and more specifically all American women. Hillary's stylist was quoted as saying that clothing someone like these ladies would normally be an honor for any designer.
She found it strange that Sarah Palin hadn't been given more business-couture clothes for free! That, for me, is even more outlandish that the GOP spending all of that money on beautification of Mrs. Sarah.



There is a crisis of vanity in America, and the women of the 2008 Presidential campaign have not escaped it's clutches. As our economy continues to falter and we await some sort of saviour, the American delusion of what a politician is to look like stands in the way of financial competency. I don't believe this is what's important to women in this election, and yet it receives so much news coverage that it's hard to ignore. I guess you can only re-do a suit and tie so many times, but I feel like this issue of fashion is just not worrisome with male politicians. On the contrary, maybe I'm just naive, or just a woman, so I'm noticing all of these things more often. Perhaps it's because we are still unused to seeing women in this role, so the box we want to squeeze them into hasn't quite been hammered down yet.




Moreover, it's sad that I made a comment about Sarah Palin needing to wear her hair down, and the next day read somewhere that she'd been advised to do exactly that . Her hair shouldn't be a main issue, and I shouldn't put weight into the subtleness of her mane. It's ridiculous that Michelle's beautifully arched brows are probably the result of Oprah coveted eyebrow guru. I don't want them to be another "bridge to nowhere". It's sickening that the GOP made such a stink about Sarah Palin's lack of retouching on her Newsweek cover . I don't want these women to be "retouched". Who they are, as mothers, citizens, and females, is drastically more important.




My Mom is a minister's wife. She married my Dad knowing that a certain persona would be expected of her wherever we lived. She adamantly refuses to fill the mold. Always herself, she supports him in his job as he supports her, and doesn't give into the pressure or the low level glamour that could come from the variety of dinners and events they attend. In the same manner, I wonder if Jackie O's style was something cultivated by a team of high paid stylists, or simply her own style exemplified. In a way, Megan McCain's greatly publicized tattoo she plans to get if her father wins says it clearly, "Life Free, or Die". I know, very well, that she wasn't talking about clothes or even the death of self, but that's what this microcosm of vestments is causing right now. Unconscious and grandiose decisions like these continue to deflate the credibility of the election process and the American dream.


A co-authored version is here: http://www.crabbygolightly.com/sellingperfection.html

Thanks!