Sarah Palin Beauty News Roundup

AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

America continues to be obsessed with Sarah Palin, including her hair, makeup, clothes and accessories. Why are we so fascinated with Palin’s image? Maybe it’s because, as the L.A. Times says, “…she’s a relative unknown, style is a lot of what we know about Palin right now.” Or, possibly, we’re just excruciatingly shallow.

So here’s a look at the Sarah Palin beauty news you may have missed:

• MAC artists suggested both natural and dramatic beauty looks for Cindy McCain, Michelle Obama and Palin. For Palin’s daytime/natural look, they suggest taupe eyeshadow with chocolate smudged in the corners (perhaps using the Spiced Chocolate shadow palette), lots of mascara, peachy blush and peachy-coral lips (maybe Dare You). For more drama, Palin should go for a glossy wine lip (we’d choose Desire, topped with Jampacked Lipglass) and a smokier eye. (Thanks to Beauty Snob.)
• New York Post reports that Palin has a “secret team” of stylists who selected a $2,500 Valentino jacket for her VP nomination speech. Radar estimates that the styling/hair/makeup team for Palin’s big night cost $7,050 (not including clothes or accessories).
• Escada is reportedly one of the candidate’s favorite labels, according to the Wall Street Journal, though she sometimes buys her designer clothes at a consignment shop called Out of the Closet.
• Palin got her much-remarked-upon hairstyle at the Beehive Beauty Shop in Wasilla, Alaska, according to the New York Times. The shop owner says the stylists are all “really strong Christians” and that Palin gave her a red coffeepot as a wedding present. Palin originally visited the salon as mayor in 2000, when she needed a fix after a bad dye job. A haircut at Beehive costs $30.
• Capitalizing on “lipstick” comments by both sides of the ticket, pitbullmom.com has launched a line of products including two lipstick shades: Pale N’ Pink and Republican Red. Each lipstick sells for $9.99.
• For only $114, you can get a wig that wigsalon.com claims very closely approximates Palin’s hair—you’ll need your own bobby pins and teasing comb, of course. It’s a Raquel Welch shoulder-length shag in Glazed Hazelnut, Hazelnut Shadow or Chocolate Copper.
• Is even Sarah Jessica Parker inspired by Palin’s updo? She showed up the Sex & the City DVD release in a style quite similar (at least from the front) to Palin’s.

See also: Sarah Palin, Lover of Comfy Shoes (Pics!)

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Sarah Palin, Lover of Comfy Shoes (Pics!)

Whatever you think of her politics, buzz about Sarah Palin’s look—which some have called dowdy, outdated and countrified—is lighting up the blogosphere. I wish I could tell you more about who does her makeup or hair (or if she does it herself), but I haven’t found any information on that. (Anyone know?)

But it appears that the VP candidate does buy her own shoes. Fausta’s Blog pointed me to Shoe Fly Alaska, who claim on their Web site that they sold Palin the red peep-toe Naughty Monkey “Double Dare” shoes everyone’s talking about:

Our Governor, Sarah Palin, walks her “buy local” talk… literally in our case. We have been excited to help this busy executive find the shoes she needs and the shoes that spark a gleam in her eye in our little shop. We appreciate and applaud her efforts to support Alaskan business owners in such a simple, direct way.

The shoes are available at Shoe Fly Alaska and also at endless.com for $89.95.

And this isn’t the first time we’ve seen interest in Palin’s shoes. Anchorage Daily News snapped this photo of Gov. Palin’s footwear more than a year ago at a fund-raiser:

Courtesy adn.com

This time, she even sported some nail art on her big toenails. How much more Everywoman can you get than nail art? Love the wedge too—it’s a realistic shoe, cute but comfortable.

Copyright New York Times

Yes, she likes the wedge, here in a slide style, which she apparently wears to work, as this photo was taken in her office in Anchorage. (And, uh-oh, was she photographed in the same shoes twice?) Palin’s definitely not afraid to wear comfortable shoes, which is refreshing, especially when I think of all the women who, at this very moment, are walking around New York Fashion Week in 4-inch stilettos. But Palin knows that if you’re going to be on your feet all day (such as at a trade show, in the picture below), comfort is not only acceptable, but appropriate.

Courtesy Alaskan Dude at Flickr

And can we seriously talk comfort shoes? I don’t have independent confirmation on this, but Palin looks like she’s indulging in one of my favorite shoes, the Dansko Professional, in the pic below. (Please click to enlarge and give me your opinion on whether you can tell if this is the Dansko Professional.)

Official Army photo by Staff Sgt. Mac Metcalfe, Alaska Army National Guard

OK, maybe they aren’t Danskos (I’m still crossing my fingers, though). But clogs nonetheless:

Courtesy Alvin at Picasa Web

But when the outfit calls for it, Palin can rock a classic, pointy-toed pump, below. (Though Kodiak Konfidential said at this meet-and-greet, Palin wore both these heels and “some warm-looking boots.” Hey, we can’t fault her for that; it’s Alaska.) I think she wore these again (or very similar ones) on Day 3 of the RNC.

Courtesy of Kodiak Konfidential

Wonder if the warm-looking boots were anything like the ones she wore in the February 2008 Vogue photo shoot/article (below)…

Why do I care about Sarah Palin’s shoes? I will say, I already know who I’m going to vote for. What the McCains, the Obamas, the Palins and the Bidens wear isn’t going to influence my vote. And yet, Palin’s “middle America” look really rings true. Especially when many female celebrities cultivate an untouchable, pricier-than-thou image, Palin’s dressed-down, realistic look resonates with voters who themselves don’t have thousands in their clothes budget or a stylist on call. Her outfits come off as much more relatable for the average American woman than Cindy McCain’s three-carat diamond earrings and Chanel J12 watch. (On a related note, U.S. women were quick to snatch up the $148 White House/Black Market dress that Michelle Obama wore on The View. So apparently the “relatable” angle works for both sides.)

I’m interested to hear what you think—do you think Sarah Palin’s image helps, hurts or doesn’t affect her campaign?

UPDATE: If you care, Kimora Lee Simmons thinks Palin’s shoes should be “a little more refined.” Simmons also admonishes Palin to “stop jumpin’ on them caribous!” (New York magazine)

See also: Sarah Palin Beauty News Roundup

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Palin & McCain: Just Another Pretty Face?

I’m not going to say anything about Sarah Palin’s politics. This isn’t really that kind of blog. But I will say something about her makeup. She goes all out. Even in candid shots, such as the one below, taken while she was visiting Dillingham, Alaska, in 2007, she looks so put together.

Sarah Palin in 2007

Y’know? Despite the hooded jacket, her face is bright and flawless. The Tina Fey comparisons abound, but, at her age, she reminds me of Susan Lucci. She looks great. Obviously, some people disagree, rebuking the gov for the amount of makeup she wears. I just think either she or her stylist really knows how to play up her features.

I’ve had male friends who have worn concealer and powder and some of them felt very ashamed. One even confessed it as a “sin.” But why such self-flagellation? The desire to look good, to cover blemishes and enhance your features—is that strictly a female desire? Anyone who has to be in the spotlight knows that the face (and how you choose to conceal or highlight it) is part of the whole image package. And on-camera makeup is acceptable for men, as seen below. But why won’t men accept daily use of cosmetics?

UPDATE: New York Post reports that John McCain spent $5,583.43 to hire makeup artist Tifanie White to prepare him for TV spots.

Everyone benefits from a little mattifying. (Join rightpundits.com's caption contest by clicking on this photo.)

Sarah Palin photo: triciaward’s Flickr. John McCain photo: rightpundits.com.

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Sarah Palin, Lover of Comfy Shoes (Pics!)

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