Cindy McCain wears $300,000 outfit

Apparently, it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that bling. Vanity Fair is reporting that the potential First Lady Cindy McCain — known for her rhinestone lapel pins — wore three-carat diamond earrings estimated at $280,000 and a $4,500 Chanel watch on Tuesday night. Tally that with her $3,000 Oscar de la Renta dress.
Here are VF's estimates:

Laura Bush
Oscar de la Renta suit: $2,500
Stuart Weitzman heels: $325
Pearl stud earrings: $600–$1,500
Total: Between $3,425 and $4,325

Cindy McCain
Oscar de la Renta dress: $3,000
Chanel J12 White Ceramic Watch: $4,500
Three-carat diamond earrings: $280,000
Four-strand pearl necklace: $11,000–$25,000
Shoes, designer unknown: $600
Total: Between $299,100 and $313,100

"There is nothing new except what has been forgotten." - Marie Antoinette

Clearly, McCain thinks the red carpet leads to the White House. But with foreclosures galore and that pesky recession ever nipping at our Louboutin heels, isn't it time to cut back on the glitz? And does she really need four strands of pearls?--Monica Corcoran

Photo: Getty Images

Comments

[ed6567]

Well, she does it because she can. That's great that she can, why should she hide it? Flaunt it, Cindy, it's yours. It's not even from your husband.

[ed6567]

Well, she does it because she can. That's great that she can, why should she hide it? Flaunt it, Cindy, it's yours. It's not even from your husband.

[Liz Wetzel]

Do you know why the show GOSSIP GIRL is a hit? Because its a fantasy show about an enviroment
that most girls/women can never be in.

Do you know why they can never be in there? Because the rich GOPS keeps screwing Average Joes.

The Middle Class has already disappeared. Yes, flaunt it McCain, flaunt that you really dont care about the rest of the women.

[marian]

Just another example of how out of touch the McCains are. If Michelle Obama had that much bling on it would be the top story of the day. There are people in America who are struggling to pay gas and put food on the table and Cindy McCain flaunts her wealth for all to see. Unbelievable.

[Mark]

The Gilded Age is alive and well in America, and for those who aren't rich, too bad.

That should be the GOP motto.

[Amy]

How many lives could $300,000 save in humanitarian work? She makes herself out to be a darling, championing her generosity, yet she spends her wealth on frivolous objects She seems to be putting her image first, not the people. It is one thing to look good, it is another to be a glutton.

[bradley]

As Dolly Parton once said "It costs a lot of money to look this cheap...".

[Karol Otaku]

Give me a break. If Michele Obama wore the same thing she would be lauded as a fashion icon and on magazine covers immediately. If Cindy McCain wore anything less, she'd be criticized for not being "First Lady" material. Did anyone ever tally up Jackie O's outfits and criticize her? Absolutely hypocritical.

[alex]

Bravo, Amy! What a great observation. As much as I am anti-Microsoft, I have to give it to Bill Gates for all his humanitarian work. It's so baffling to me that there aren't more super-rich that do that. Clearly, Cindy McCain falls into that category. If only for poltical reasons, you'd think she'd be more into helping out her fellow Americans than in bling bling.

Of course, she's a Republican, so she probably thinks she's helping out us little people by spending her millions. After all, it trickles down, right?

[Steve]

Seems awfully elitist to me. Wait, wasn't that Obama who is supposed to be elitist? I'm not sure what to think anymore.

[James P]

"How many lives could $300,000 save in humanitarian work?..."

Oh, fer cryingoutloud. Grow up.

[MUSTANGSNME]

The whole Cindy McCain package is disgusting! From her face lift to her accesories. Yes Cindy we know you are better off financially than most Americans but really, must you throw it in our face.

Mustangsnme

[Kimber]

This is America-Cindy Mcain is a prime example of what Michelle Obama said in her speech.
" Work hard and succeed" The American Dream.
Cindy has worked very hard and she should be able to wear what she wants in spite of jealous peoples opinion. Cindy is a class act. Michelle Obamas clothing does not come from Wall-Mart.

[Dee]

I am a fan of John McCain and I love Sarah Palin but Cindy needs a make-over. The word that comes to mind regarding her look is "thin"...thin stringy hair, thin lips, thin face and thin body. The second word that comes to mind is "harsh"...harsh over-bleached hair, harsh make-up and often a harsh expression on her face. She does not look inviting nor does she look like she has anything in common with the modern American woman. She should cut her hair blunt at or above the shoulder and let it move. Those stringy spiked bangs have good to go but her forehead doesn't look so good either. Maybe a soft, side-swept bang that comes a little lower on her forehead. Her hair color should be warmer a la Diane Sawyer. Her face would look softer if she gained a few pounds and her lips should be made to look fuller and softer with lighter lipstick. I don't like short short hair but I actually thought it looked good on her...much better than this creepy hairdo she has now.

[Lauren]

Anyone know who designed the outfit warn by Sarah Palin at her convention speech? I'm curious to know what the party had the Alaskan VP nominee wearing for her big debut.

[DKLB]

Vanity Fair is so HYPOCRITICAL. Isn't this the kind of fashion they peddle to the rich?? Last I heard, Cindy McCain was RICH.

Poster "marian" is exactly right: "If Michelle Obama had that much bling on it would be the top story of the day."

Why? Because last we heard the Obama's do not have that kind of money! So, does that make Cindy McCain a bad person because she has money?

Who would you rather take financial advice from? Someone who is not quite broke, or someone who has successfully proven they can own 7 houses without cheating anyone?

[DBP]

Sorry DKLB.. there is something about "without cheating anyone" that makes me think of the S&L disaster and the Keating 5. No day in the sunshine for the dems, but perhaps this shows McCain is willing to cross party lines... if it benefits him. Yes, charges were dropped and he called this the biggest mistake of his life... perhaps because he was caught? Wonder what else he has been into and been more careful NOT to get caught?

[Karen]

Hey folks!

The hardest work Cindi McCain did was being born to a very successful man. And being legitimate.

NPR ran the story of her father's other daughter - someone in the family cut off that woman's credit cards before her father's body was cold. Cindi's sister is just sick of hearing how Cindi is the only child...

[Dwight]

Cindy looks very European. Very un-American.

Why, she looks like she should be John Kerry's wife!

[Steve]

Does everybody have to spend their money on helping out the less fortunate? Why can't we look good?

Amy, unless you shop at 2nd hand stores and donate the money you save to charity, you don't really have any substance to your argument. Everybody can talk the talk, but unless you walk the walk...

[Randy]

Wow, this woman has a LOT of class. I'd be proud to call her our 'first lady'. It's her money and let her spend it as she wishes. She's done a lot for others. Has any other candidates family adopted an orphan, spent time around the world helping the disadvantaged? She's a does, not a talker. This woman has CLASS>

[Monica]

Cindy didn't wear the price on her sleeve. No one would know how much her outfit cost if it wasn't estimated and reported in the news. Her father built a successful business with hard work and lots of blood, sweat and tears -- now she enjoys the rewards.

After her speech last night, it sounds like the woman has spent a lot of money helping the poor and has dedicated many years to humanitarian efforts. Please give her credit for her contributions and stop the attacks on all these women. Let's support them -- perhaps it's time to let women take over all these key positions and send the men back home to watch the kids!

[Madeline E.]

When Michelle Obama was on The View she wore a $98 off-the-rack dress from the mall. While I'm sure her convention dresses cost quite a bit more (they were beautiful and she looked beautiful) she looks healthy and natural and not over done.

[Peter Kaye]

Kimber: you say that Cindy McCain has "worked very hard" -- can you provide some examples of that? To my knowledge, she had the good fortune of being born to a very wealthy beer distributor who left all of his money to her (and almost none at all to her half-sister, whose very existence Cindy McCain tends to gloss over ... much as the RNC video glossed over that John and Cindy's "love at first sight" took place while he was still married to his first wife...)

[Kelli]

I love her outfit, but let's be honest, when you are trying to connect with the public ( middle class) this was probably not the best outfit to pull out of the closet. Everyone knows they have money, and it is okay to flaunt it, but not at the RNC!

[Jeannie]

I don't usually read or post on these type of things but I can't resist. In fact, I only looked up the article because I absolutely could not believe that it was true.
No, it does not mean you are a bad person if you have money. We all strive to reach certain financial levels and we should be proud of those who are able to work hard and succeed. The problem here is one of sensitivity and judgement. While Cindy McCain has the right to flaunt her wealth any way she would like, she should have considered all the people sitting at their kitchen table trying to make ends meet, save their homes from foreclosure, buy groceries, pay for healthcare, etc. It was poor judgment on her part to wear such an expensive outfit. She cannot even pretend to understand what the average American is going through these days of economic turmoil because she is so far removed from it. In comparison, Michelle Obama looks equally sophisticated but rumor has it she shops at Chicos, Target and the Gap. I want my next first lady to have enough confidence and substance that her style will be secondary to her genuine knowledge and concern for her fellow citizens.

[Jules]

This is why we should eat the rich.

And remember what is at stake in this election - A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO CHOOSE.

[Lisa]

Karol Otaku is apparently very young -- Yes, Jackie Kennedy was widely criticized for the amount of money she spent for her clothes. And for using "foreign" designers. And for smoking. And for a number of other things. She was, however, also widely emulated. Thanks to Mrs. Kennedy, American women flocked to buy off-the-rack knockoffs of designer clothing, thereby giving a boost to the American clothing industry. In short, people were just as mean-spirited in the '60s as they are now.

[Jules]

To the comment that Alex made about the Republicans believing that money will trickle down - DUDE! That is so old school. Now it's MIST down.

[Mark]

It doesn't matter how many Gucci bags you string around the neck of an old drug addict....is this someone that we really want representing our country?

[Mark]

It doesn't matter how many Gucci bags you string around the neck of an old drug addict....is this someone that we really want representing our country?

[La*C]

"DKLB said: Who would you rather take financial advice from? Someone who is not quite broke, or someone who has successfully proven they can own 7 houses without cheating anyone?"

Last I heard when they asked John McCain how many houses he owned he said, "I don't know...5?"

Just to be clear, somebody finally got that cleared up?

He now knows how many houses he owns?

[La*C]

I would never give grief to anybody who flaunts their wealth. If I had it I would flaunt it to. But, I don't have wealth. This time a year and a half ago, I was comfortable. Now, I'm broke. Thanks to the current Republican government.

So, in a First Lady I would rather not see somebody who displays this sort of wealth. I want to see somebody who is more in touch with people like me....the "used to be" middle class.

[Kelly]

Cindy McCain's shoes are by Taryn Rose. They are called the Cali and are in black patent. They retail for $475.

[Observer]

Well, one things for sure, you won't see any newspaper executives wearing those kind of cloths. They'll be shopping at goodwill. Time to close down the LATimes. Newspapers are such a waste of paper, trees, ink, and other valuable natural resources.

[Hosea]

...we should not speak upon teenage-want say it-; and the
exorbitant amount of -want say- Cindy McCain's appearance bespoke to all Americans. Republican Party talking point: "that's not fair".

[Jj]

We're supposed to care about this? Excuse me, but I'm more interested in the issues and what will be done and how they'll be handled.

Pretty shallow to even give a hoot about this...IMHO of course. ;)

[mary beth]

Here's what makes Cindy McCain a "bad" person:
1. the treatment of her half-sister
2. wearing a $300,000 ensemble while "Rome burns" so to speak.
3. having an affair with a married man (yes, John McCain)

The cost of her outfit does matter. I'm sorry, it does. Does she fancy herself Marie Antoinette?

[Marilyn]

It is in incredibly BAD TASTE to discuss what people's clothes cost! Why are all of you so obsessed by what other people WEAR and how much their jewelry cost? It is none of your business.

[Cherie]

Wow - I'm really surprised at the tone of the majority of the emails. One would think we're living in a socialist or communist society instead of a capitalist nation. Why would anyone begrudge Cindy McCain wearing something she can afford to purchase? Does anyone fault Oprah for wearing her jewelry or buying mulitiple houses? Does anyone fault any other celebrities for spending their money? They're in the public eye too. This country is where everyone in the world would like to live because people can actually achieve success here! Kudos to successful people because that's what makes the USA great!

[Nicole]

Simple and elegant is always the way to go, very American. She is looking a tad eurotrash with all the overdone jewels - not very tasteful, but simply tacky.

[Darius Toston]

I'm not a big McCain fan, but who are we to tell them that they can't dress like they are accustome to just because they are running for a polical office? We, Americans, make a lot about nothing, but more often than not miss the issues we ought to look at. Irregardless of how hiw wife dresses (or how much her clothes and accesories costs), John McCain has already surpassed the avg. life span of a man, yet he pick a VERY inexperieced running mate that in all probability could be running the country if John's old body fails him during his term... Talk about that in Vanity Fair!!!

[Agatha]

She also adopted 6 or 7 underpriveleged children and I give her tremendous kudos for that.

What she wears doesn't bother me in the least. If she has it, she should spend it and help the economy.

She will make a great first lady.

[pius o]

This people are a bunch of hypocrites, they pretend to know what the average american goes through everyday but it is evident with an outfit that cost 300,000 plus and homes they dont even know or remember the actual numbers, they are not in touch with the realities around us,no wonder her husband said the fundalmentals of the economy is very strong then and that we are just a nation of whinners. apparently they do think the voters are stupid, but we will wait till election and tell hem what we really think about the lasst 8 years of miseries they have put us through.

[squarf]

If Mrs. McCain were a Democrat she would have worn a ratty red bathrobe with a neglected pantyhose leg trailing from beneath it, beer-can-sized hair curlers laced into her snarl of hair, and she would have been clutching a box of Kleenex so that she could dab her constantly tearful eyes. "Ah-hough! Sob! Sniff! Honk!" But the lady in question is a Republican with exquisite taste who is married to a highly principled man who has clearly earned the right to compete for the highest public office in our wonderful country. Hemophiliac liberals (a/k/a "The Weepers") will have to walk around, holding a connected IV solution over their heads because it takes strength to cry all the time; on the other hand, it takes wisdom and courage to remain calm, focused, and determined. And, yes, the White House phone will ring at 3am and demand instantaneous decisions -- no time to blow one's nose or sigh and moan how unfair everything seems to be. I should also point out that Senator McCain's neckties are really first class!
-Lorenzo Q. Squarf, Flamekeeper of Western Civilization

[Lisa]

Uh, she probably borrowed the earrings, which were far and away the most expensive part of that outfit. Why do I think that? Because that's a very typical agreement between designers and wearers to display the designer's jewelry and outfits. The Hollywood elite do during all the awards shows. Give me a break. She looked great.

[Terry Hughes]

No evidence is presented that Cindy McCain's gems are real, although she is a waelthy woman who could afford such bling if she wanted it. Vanity Fair expressly states that they "assumed" the jewels are real, but wearing good "paste" long ago became fashionable and acceptable among many wealthy people. This article is just partisan agitprop aimed at the LA Times/Vanity Fair sucker audience.

[ron]

Cindy McCain is rich. She has the things that rich people have. This is America. What do you suggest she do -- give away all of her money to create some sort of veneer of fairness? Should she hide her wealth? In what country do you live? In what country does your head? Does anyone tally up Oprah's ensemble when she speaks for Barack? Just like Jesse Jackson Jr. incessantly repeating the refrain about how many houses the McCain's have, this is nothing but amateur attempts at class warfare. This is America. People have what they have, don't have what they don't have, and that's the way it will always be. And BTW, the Democrat's last candidate for first lady was WAY richer than Cindy McCain,and did WAY less humanitarian work so get off your high horses.

[NBrown]

I wasn't aware that is now a crime to be rich in America.....if we have become a nation that "hates" those that have .......I don't think Cindy McCain came into her money illegally.......unlike old man Kennedy that made his fortune on rum running during prohibition. No...no one hated the Kennedy's because of their wealth......so many frustrated people because we have become a nation that feels "entitled" and have forgotten that outside those like Cindy McCain and John Kennedy.....who inherited their wealth....most others must work for theirs

[anonymous]

Imelda Marcos has met her match!