hey, c'mon! that photo is totally from when she was, like, commissar of the breakaway republic of Wasilla!

she ain't lookin' so bad here: http://gov.state.ak.us/large_photo.php?id=96

This is getting out of hand. As an Obama supporter, I am loathe to defend Palin in any way, but frankly the issue about clothing is frivolous. Sure, the fact that she buys from fancy-schmancy shops where her own "Jane six-packs" can't afford to shop is hypocritical. But lets face it, a politician participating in a nation-level campaign has to dress the part, man or woman. And frankly, male candidates have it easier with the suit and tie combo than the "costume changes" necessary for a woman maintaining a 24/7 schedule of campaign events (if not press conferences and interviews). We do not lack in attacks against Palin, genuine deficiencies in her preparation and policies, so why waste time on something so trivial?

This whole sarah palin thing is ridiculous! Keeping positive thoughts that we will be calling Senator Obama President Obama. He is our only hope!

"I'm a slave now, for all my fine clothes."

Eliza Doolittle -- Pygmalion

It's "Neiman's" (as in Neiman Marcus). Need an editor?

Really, this is a story? Complete with a "VIEW THE GALLERY BELOW!" in caps and italics? I haven't used the Baily Beast for long, but I expected better.

She and her advisors are breaking the law. The 2002 Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Law. Also known as McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform Act.

Palin's campaign trail speeches have her wrapping herself (and McCain) in the the flag metaphorically, but to see it happen literally is hilarious!

@gjactg37: It really wouldn't be worth a second mention if she had paid for her clothes herself. The news is not that she spent that amount but who paid for it!

Governer Palin and the RNC could have chosen to shop at Payless, Macy's and Target for a campaign wardrobe, but they didn't. They chose the low road to high style, which is just another of the indicators of the lack of integrity demonstrated by the candidate and the campaign.
The real question to be pondered is, "Who would have noticed or cared if the clothing the VP nominee wore to a rally wasn't really expensive?" Probably no one of consequence, but that choice would have supported the persona Governer Palin is trying to portray.
Why do Americans accept hypocritical behavior in our policiticions, whether it be John Edwards and his $400.00 haircuts which look like they could have been done for $15.00 by any barber, or overdressed Governers who claim to be just an ordinary Jane?

This is not trivial. First, it is illegal to use campaign funds for personal expenditures. A $400 haircut killed John Edwards' campaign. More importantly, this speaks volumes about her supposedly being an Average American Mom. If the clothing had come from Target, JC Penney, Sears and/or Macy's (and the total spent had been considerably less than six figures) very few people would have anything to comment on. How many middle income Americans can afford to shop at Neimans and Saks?

Clearly an attempt to acheive a status or appeal that she does not have the means of posessing on her own...And the absurdity of donating the clothing to charity after the "pageant"...I mean election.."My friends" she is the charity!

interesting...

boy oh boy oh boy..did the McCain people miss the mark!! lucky us!

first off, she's got a homey quality, and adorable kids, she's gorgeous and she's a natural in that she glows when she's talking. instead of taking her real qualities and running with them, they tried to bimbo-ize her. and they succeeded.

I've been absolutely astonished at how the McCain people have lowballed her with (as it turns out is) all this expensive designer crap. she looks like a hooker who specializes in guys who want to screw a female executive; fitted tops with very short skirts, high patent heels, knee high boots, long hair, lots of makeup, everything emphasizing her figure, her looks but not one press conference or appearance on a Sunday talk show to demonstrate the "substance" behind the glamor.

Red patent spike heels for a presidential candidate?? It didn't have to be this way. If she possessed even one iota of sense OR dignity OR leadership, she would have told them she could dress herself, thank you very much.

this is assuming she didn't dress herself. what if she did? Jesus H!

The markets are in turmoil, the planet is suffering from global warming, and you are discussing Palin's wardrobe? Spare me.

After reading yesterday's "cheat sheet" I'm now worried about Sarah Palin's return as a presidential candidate in the next elections. Four years is around the corner and I don't think we've seen the last of her.

It's amusing to look at something trivial like clothing and see that even here Palin is way off the mark. But she's not amiss in her "before" or "after" style. The only problem about the clothes is that she charged them to the election committee.

And I do agree with the editor at Glamour magazine who says that Palin could have pulled her campaign wardrobe together for less. A good stylist could have seen to that. Even at Neiman's the "makeover" could have been budgeted better.

She didn't look so bad in the "before" pictures. So many American moms look just like this: the big shirts, roomy smocks for a run to the supermarket, polar fleece 24/7 in Alaska and other cold climates etc...

This is what most women in the US look like. Why is it expected that a VP candidatelook much, much better, slicker, more pulled together than the people she is hoping to represent?

I am an Obama supporter through and through, but I must say, how can anyone expect to parade themselves around in polar fleece and hoodies on an international stage? Can you imagine the backlash if she had? If the republicans chose to spend their dollars on balloon drops, confetti or image consultants and wardrobe, it's their perogative. It's your perogative whether you want to donate to it.