Sarah Palin shops resale in real life

Sarah Palin's $150,000 campaign wardrobe has been dominating the news the last two days, but off the campaign trail, it seems the folksy politico isn't a Neiman's shopper -- she regularly peruses the racks at designer resale store Out of the Closet in Anchorage (ironic, considering her stance on gay marriage).

Wearing discounted Valentino and Versace still doesn't put Palin in the financial realm of an "everyday American," but it's a step down from the spanking-new designer threads she's been sporting on the trail.

Retailer Christos Garkinos recently hosted the owners of the Alaskan store at Decadestwo, the designer resale store he co-owns with Cameron Silver in Los Angeles. "I was saying that Alaska's been in the news a lot, and they said that Palin shops at their store all the time," he said. The Out of the Closet owners ended up "buying a ton of stuff," but the L.A. retailer -- a staunch Sen. Barack Obama supporter who recently married his longtime partner -- said he was so skeeved out at the thought of Palin wearing clothes bought from his store, he donated 100% of the sales to the Obama campaign.

A salesperson at Out of the Closet in Anchorage (no connection to the charitable thrift store chain of the same name) confirmed that Palin is a regular customer, but declined to discuss her sartorial predilections. I'm guessing skirt suits.

-- Emili Vesilind

Photo: AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

Comments

[GEAH]

So, it's your claim that you have to support gay marriage to shop at Out of the Closet? Do you have to be Christian to shop at The Salvation Army?

What a small little world you seem to inhabit.

[Harold]

The uproar about the extravagance clothes for the trophy female candidate for the Republican party shows once more the absolute contempt this party has for the American people.
They must have a very shallow view that "clothes makes the man/woman/candidate" and expect everyone to ignore their destructive policies for the past 8 years.
The desire to touch the common people, old Joe six pack alias Joe the unlicensed plumber etc and so on is as big a bluff as ever. Thousand dollar dresses do not reach out to 95% of the American people who will see through this facade.

[Joe the Plumber]

She claims to be frugal when it comes to her own money, but wastes it like an Eskimo with a bottle when it comes to taxpayers' money. Somebody please vote for this woman. She's acting like Dick Cheney.

[Steve]

Rather then shopping and campaigning, isn't more important this self absorbed ego be home with her 5 kids she gave birth to for now, one who has special needs and a teenage daughter who is pregnant. I do not get it, what happen to Focus on the Family. Again, what a crock and a pack of hipocrits.

[TooMuchTravel]

Nice save. Not believable, either. Sorry.

Sure: The ex-beauty queen and Gov of Alaska shops at resale shops. This after $150,000 was spent on a wardrobe for her. That's 100 days of new wardrobes that consist of $1500 each, with nothing duplicated among the days.

Just how much do you expect us to swallow??

[Glynn]

Who cares. Does anyone actually think Michelle Obama has not been clothed by the campaign. He is spending, what, 269,000 a minute or some such and this is all we are worrying about. And why the hell blame Palin? I have contributed lots to the RNC and I consider this money well spent. How about worrying about how Barney Frank, Maxine Waters, et al, just saddled the real middle class with billions and billions of dollars on bail out and now he wants more money for food stamps and welfare. Oh, gee, no, let's not worry about that. Let's worry about $150,000 on Palin's wardrobe. Hey libs, the sky is falling...no really, it really is falling and you are too busy worrying about someone's clothing. Grow up.

[Glynn]

Hey, Joe the Plumber up there, don't use his name. You are nothing like him.

[john]

Where is the story about Jolted Joe's Botox & hairplugs? I'll bet they cost just as much as the clothes Palin will soon donate to charity.

[john]

"taxpayers' money" for her clothes? Joe, since you're so clueless, I know you're voting for Obama.

[Angela]

Ex GOP now voting third party person here.

To me, this is typical recent GOP behavior. She's frugal with her money, not so much with other peoples.

Sorry Sarah, I had hoped you were a conservative but the neocons seem to have landed you.

[sigh]

Watch Jeri Thompson destroy Alan Colmes when he starts yapping about the clothes meme.

http://hotair.com/archives/2008/10/24/video-jeri-thompson-nukes-colmes-defends-palins-wardrobe-expenses/

[Doodad Pro]

"(ironic, considering her stance on gay marriage)."

Note to the author:

Obama's opposed to gay marriage, too.

[EdwinG]

Sarah will always remain as Sarah, even she wears Christian Dior or Versache used clothings or brand new compliments of the Republican Party. Will u see her in red carpet ceremonies of Emmy Awards now that she is a celebrity at the SNL shows? No way, she will stay as the folksy Barracuda from Wasila as she loves to refer herself or the rottweiler with a lipstick that spews racism, terrorism and socialism (words that she doesn't understand b/c she was absent when they were taken up in College). No finesse at all to become a socialite but an accomplished the usual and customary dirty politician who would appoint her relatives, political donors, high school classmates in the high office state jobs in Alaska.

[Lisa]

You guys who care about how much is spent on clothes for Gov. Palin, should get a grip and look at the wastefull lifestyle of the Hollywood crowd...
Barack Obama's house has how many rooms? How much space do 4 people need? How much is his heating bill? He has is own plumber, WOW, I don't have my own plumber!

McCain/Palin 08

[Ridge Runner]

Thanks for this post. It has drawn an amazing sample of Palin Derangement Syndrome victims!

If B.O. had as much experience as Sarahcuda, he would be qualified to run for Vice President too. As it is, it figures that The One would pick a moron like Biden for his running mate. Face it, class B managers who cruise on their charisma are fearful of being out-shined by subordinates, so naturally they pick class C subordinates. The fact that the electorate seems to be poised to pick the class B candidate only goes to prove Mencken's definition of democracy.

[Common Sense]

She didn't shop for the clothing you freaking idiots. I hate the way you punks in the media distort things to make her look bad.

She was presented with the clothing at the night of convention.. She had no input when it came to buying the clothing because the freaking governor was on a plane to Ohio. She was given clothing to wear and she took it... I frankly don't understand what's the problem here..

Geez, I am done... I can't take this anymore....Let Obama win... Just stop trying to pretend that objective journalism is still alive. You guys make me sick..

[Alan]

Isn't there something more important the LA Times should be working on? Isn't there a war going on in Iraq? Haven't seen nearly as much about that as I've seen about a candidate's wardrobe.

[Immolate]

The money for Palin's new duds did not cost the taxpayer a thing. They were purchased by the RNC and belong to them. Palin doesn't get to keep them. The RNC will no-doubt auction the garments off after the election and I would be surprised if they can't at least recoup their investment, given Palin's rock-star status among a large swath of the electorate.

I would be surprised if Palin's normal wardrobe were not significantly better than the average Josephine's. She is the Governor of Alaska, with a much higher profile and somewhat higher paycheck than most folks. But even with that considered, there is no way she would have a wardrobe that is sufficient for an intense, national presidential campaign. Who does?

I think the reason that the huge amount of money spent on her VP duds is interesting is because we identify with her as a normal person. Nobody is interested in how much Obama, Biden or McCain spend on their campaign wardrobe, although the amount is probably significant. I haven't seen Obama appearing anywhere in off-the-rack suits from Walmart. But hey, those guys are part of the inside-the-beltway elite, and would only make news if they wore something that didn't look tailored and expensive.

So we judge Sarah Palin by a completely different scale than we use for the guys in the same race. Not surprising, but also not fair. She isn't campaigning in rural America alone, and even us hicks from flyover country expect to see our leaders dressed professionally and smartly.

[Emily Bennett]

Super silly tie-in to gay marriage...anything to slam her. Gosh, it's just so shallow.

But surely you all must have seen her public statements about this. Most of the clothes are still on the plane and as yet, have not even been worn. She does not own them. She did not purchase them herself, they were bought for her by aides. All the clothes will be donated to charity once the campaign is over. What on earth else is there to say?

Mrs. O and her children wear designer threads and use a stylist. Who is paying for all that? Who dresses Mr. O? Where do his suits come from? Who pays for his campaign trail wardrobe and grooming? Surely there is a reporter brave enough to research this??

What about the 5M Greek stage for the 45min acceptance speech?? Sounds like an incredible waste to me...and not exactly something you can donate to charity, eh?!

[J]

You people attacking Palin are simple tools. She did not know the price of the clothes that were provided and they are goiing to charity later. I see more of the sexism telling her to stay home.

I noticed an attack on Joe the Plumber RATHER than OBAMA who wants to spread the wealth.

So many IDIOTS...no wonder the dems lead. It would be interesting if you were actually educated.

[JimAK]

Sarah Palin has repeatedly denied getting the mythical $150,000 in clothes. Maybe the RNC spent that money but it went to someone else, it did not go to her.

[Vern]

Well, the last gasp of the Bush debacle may be how they have ruined this great everyday American. First the keep her away from the press, turning the worst interview she has done in the main view Americans have of her. Now this. It turns out Bush handlers did all the shopping and just handed her the clothes. She had no idea they had racked up such extravagance.

Expect to see an entire wardrobe on EBay this November, with proceeds to go to Downs Syndrome research or something like that.

She's already starting to go rogue. It won't be in time for 08, but before all you haters write her off, look at how much Hillary turned it around. Go Sarah Go!!

[JP]

You people are a joke!!!!

I can not believe that everyone can be outraged about something as ridiculous as this. However, Obama can give $800K to Acorn and spend Millions on stage sets and no one blinks an eye.

Please! Please! People of America put whatever you are drinking/smoking down and WAKE UP! Stop acting like sheep and start THINKING!!!!!

I can not believe how many people in America are just plain DUMB!!!

[Anne W.]

"She didn't shop for the clothing you freaking idiots. I hate the way you punks in the media distort things to make her look bad."

You're telling me she didn't know? She acquired $150,000 worth of clothing WITHOUT TRYING ANY OF IT ON?

I don't know a woman in the world who would believe that. Women's clothing pretty much has to be tried on. Many things that are the right size aren't comfortable on a particular body because of the cut. Not to mention that some things just don't look as good in the dressing room as they did on the rack. A particular color may be unflattering, even though it's a nice color.

Sarah Palin's clothing is very flattering and it fits her perfectly. I just don't believe it was selected blind for her by someone else.

But even it was, what about "Thanks, but no thanks"?

And what about the charges for her makeup and hair? Does someone just come and do that while she's asleep?

[Tom]

Palin didn't buy the 150k of clothes. It belongs to the RNC.

It will be auctioned off at the end of the campaign and will make a million bucks easy.

Anybody who knows Palin, knows that she and Todd are frugal.

The travel costs of the governorship in Alaska is running roughly at 20-25% of the cost under Murkowski.

The woman is a fiscal conservative not only with the state spending but with personal spending.

But, the facts don't come out during the campaign because journalism is dead in this country.

[Newagegop]

Let's see Obama, Biden, McCain, and Palin are against gay marriage, yet Palin vetoed a ban on benefits for gay partners. Seems like a pretty middle of the road position Palin has. I guess unlike "compassionate conservatives" she's just a conservative who has real compassion.

America after 4 years of Obama you'll be beggin for Sarah Palin. She stuck it to the oil companys and cut taxes. She slammed the GOP and the Dems over corruption. She didn't play along and get corrupted like Obama, Biden, and McCain.

She's a western conservative. Personally Christian, but governs libertarian. She will be a wonderful President and leave everyone the hell alone. She'll give back our money, shrink the federal government, and leave the social arguments to the states.

Can't we all just agree to let California be California and let Texas be Texas. The Feds need not deal with marriage, abortion, or schools. They'll just screw it up.

[DL13]

I guess you expected Governor Palin to show up dressed in snow shoes and a parka. This is just part of the left wing elitism and hypocrisy. It just so happens that the clothes will be donated to charity. There are two parts of the Democratic Party, the super rich that could spend this kind of money on an evening dress to go to the Academy Awards, and the poor that they keep filled up with lies and class warfare philosophy so they can stay in power. The Democrats have never done anything for the poor, even though they claim to be the party of the little guy. They have, however, done many things to damage our economy; according to Bill Clinton, the latest is their blocking of the reform of Fannie and Freddie.

[GEAH]

What does Out of the Closet have to do with gay marriage? Go to OotC's site. There's nothing about homosexuality or gay marriage. However, the site does mention HIV.

Is Emili Vesilind linking gay marriage and HIV for a reason?

[memomachine]

Hmmmmm.

You liberals are extremely amusing about this. $150k for clothes for Palin? OMG!

Nancy Pelosi regularly wears a single necklace worth $117,000 dollars. Just the necklace.

Curiously enough Sarah Palin is the ONLY non-millionaire of the candidates.

But that would be too much logic for you folks.

[Joanna]

This is not journalism. This is not fair or impartial in any way. Why is there not one word about what Joe Biden has been given during his VP run? Without both sides of the issue, this is nothing more than junk food news.

[Jake Barnes]

If "everyday Americans" weren't wearing discounted designer clothes, there wouldn't be designers. Are you so out of touch with your countrymen that you think most of them really do buy their clothes exclusively at Walmart? Normal people have a range of clothes--the more formal stuff tends to be of higher quality/better brand name. Very few people have no good clothes. I'm a truck driver, but I've got a Brooks Brother's suit, and a pair of Allen Edmonds oxfords in my closet--which day-of-the-week American am I?

[maryo]

Yes, the focus on clothing is so important. Much more important than the threat of socialism, brought to us by the most radical left-wing, slickly dishonest politician to ever make a run for the white house, who only wears custom-made suits and shirts. Soon the government will be telling all of us what clothes we can wear, as well as what we can eat and how warm we can keep our houses in winter. Listen to the speeches of The One. Let us worship him so that he can make all of our choices for us. No longer will we obscess about someone's wardrobe; we will be too worried about our own futures.

[Gary]

Wow, its funny how groups come from being oppressed to spewing bigoted intolerance. No bias here. Move along. I'm so tired of this crap, I guess that makes me a racist or something..

[Joanne Diehl]

We are worried about Sarah Palin spending campaign money on luxury clothing? This amazing woman is running as Vice President of the United States of America. Designer clothing is appropriate and no different than the money spent on paying fancy political writers and auditorium fees, etc. It is all about appearance and looking your best while representing the most awesome country in the world. Just because she is looking out for the middle class people - it doesn't mean she needs to shop at K-mart. The celebrities spend that much on designer gowns for their award ceremonies - and many them are representing the garbage of this country.

It is a disgrace to see what our news media is doing to this good woman and her family. Has anyone taken the time to see what she has done for the state of Alaska, as their acting Governor? Or are we too busy being lured in by fancy speeches and one sided news media. I live in the State of Illinois - Barack has done nothing for our state. He has simply pushed aside all that is good. He is just a good speaker and that is it. Look at the real records and see what McCain has already done. At the risk of being unpopular he has done what is right for our country rather than siding with the republican stance. Our country needs a leader like this - one who puts his country first. This great man gave us five years of his life sitting in a prison camp, lets give him four years back.

There are soldiers out there losing their lives for our freedom - at least take the time and look into the what the candidates have done or have not done - truly know the issues. You'll sleep much better knowing you didn't settle. The pretty boy needs to wait his turn!

McCain/Palin - good for the people, good for the country!

[Rob McMillin]

We have seen how grossly inept, foolish, and yes, vapid Sarah Palin is once stripped of her teleprompter and talking points. Those with the common sense to raise this point are now called "haters" by the right's dwindling number of True Believers. This is a class that includes conservative pundits George Will, Kathleen Parker, and Peggy Noonan, individuals who saw through her idiocy *despite* ideology.

My wife has a theory that Palin will make a grab for the 2012 ticket, this on the basis that the GOP will go spasmodic in its attempts to apportion blame for the 2008 elections. Their conclusion will be, not that they alienated the center, but that they didn't get enough of the base out. There is some merit to this: Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight.com recently revealed that McCain is lagging his Democratic opponent in percentage of same-party voting.

http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/10/sorry-jim-pumas-are-dead.html

McCain is getting 85.3% of the Republican vote, which is far down from the 93% Bush got in 2004. The Rovian spin on this could very easily be, "well, we didn't pander ENOUGH to the evangelicals". Putting Palin at the head of the ticket would make sense with that very blinkered logic, but it would drive the GOP into irrelevance for at least another generation.

[tarbubble]

egads. i'm not voting for McCain/Palin, but the level of vitriol directed against her is astonishing. ease off, people, she's not evil incarnate. attack her policies, but don't take cheap shots at her. y'all make me embarassed to be an Obama supporter. she didn't buy the clothes, the GOP did. face it, if she came out looking dowdy and cheap you would all attack her for that too.

[J G Newman]

A woman is running for VP and everyone gets crazy about the clothing and accessories she wears.

Who do you think buys Obama's wardrobe and McCain's wardrobe? It is always the National Committee for their party.

This is SEXIST and it needs to STOP. What the RNC choses to do with their party resources, is party business.

I'd like to see some coverage and resonses about the ISSUES facing our nation. This is ridiculous.

[Melissa L.]

I think that Sarah Palin should focus on other issues rather than how she looks. There are more important things going on in our world and the money she is using can be better spent. What does it matter if you're wearing such an expensive designer focus on the problems we are facing. Your wardrobe should be one of the last things on your priority list.

[Payday Loan Advocate]

In less than one week, we will find out who will be our Commander in Chief for the next four years. There are new controversies surrounding both the Democrat and Republican camps. For instance, there has been a lot of talk all over the news and media reporting that the Republican National Committee spent about $150,000 on new clothes for Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin. This story has not only attracted the attention of many Americans, but has stirred a flood of negative publicity. Although both Palin and Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama have spent a large amount on clothing alone, some people have been quick to target the Alaska Governor. However, we are living in a society where looks, more than anything else, are what we base our judgment of people on. If you have one candidate who is dressed in designer clothing, and somebody else dresses in attire distinctly from a clearance rack, the latter will not be taken seriously. They spent a lot less on Sarah’s wardrobe than Obama spends on TV commercials. And look at the attention Sarah Palin is getting with her wardrobe. It doesn’t seem like such a bad political move. Anyway, America should not make a decision on who to vote for based on clothing, especially since the future of our country is at stake. With this in mind, vote for the candidate that supports our freedom for human rights and personal financial responsibility, such as the continued rights to no fax payday loans.

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[Payday Loan Advocate]

With just less than one week until the election, controversies surrounding both the Democrat and Republican camps continue to emerge. The most recent media storm has focused on the $150,000 that the Republican National Committee spent on new clothes for Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin. Even though the story has generated a mountain of negative publicity and anti-Republican attacks, I refuse to let it sway my opinion. One has to consider that both Palin and Democratic Presidential hopeful Barack Obama have spent thousands on clothing, and it shouldn’t change the direction in which the vote is cast. I mean, we live in a society based on image and possessions; if a candidate didn’t spend money on her wardrobe I can only imagine the criticism she would receive then. If one candidate donned designer outfits and the other dressed in frumpy clothes, Americans would have much less respect for the latter candidate. Plus, look at the amount of attention Sarah Palin is receiving from her wardrobe! It doesn't seem like such a bad political move because in the end, publicity is publicity. When it comes down to it, Americans should base their votes on the qualifications of the candidates, not the clothes they choose to wear. We should vote for the candidate that will protect our personal financial freedoms and the continued rights to no fax payday loans.
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