This week we posted a post about the Sarah Plain Moose tote (after receiving some questions from readers) and the response was, well, heated to say the least. It was an effort on our part to remain as neutral as possible, while acknowledging that the women of this election ARE definitely changing the face of not only politics, but fashion as well. We expected some reactions, but not the ugly statements that followed.  We welcomed the debate on the fashion merits of the bag, but then, like this election, it started to turn quite personal. If anything we’re a family on TBF, while we may not always agree, we have little to no tolerance for hate and mean spiritedness (notice how we stopped doing the yea or nay). I mean, we’re talking about fashion here…

So what do you guys think? We featured Mrs. O several times, without one negative comment. Were we wrong about Sarah Palin?

Again, let’s have a civil discussion.

no, you weren’t wrong at all.  you did it in the spirit of fashion and in a way that didn’t show a ‘yea’ or ‘nay’ toward her as a political candidate.  i have appreciated the efforts of yours and other bloggers to show the fashions worn by michele obama, cindy mccain and sarah palin.  i can be totally unbiased in my appreciation of their clothing!  i love michele’s dress she wore on ‘the view,’ i love the ‘together’ look of cindy mccain (even though i can’t afford it,i i can still love it!) and i love sarah’s glasses and her shoes!  it has nothing to do with my feelings toward them politically. 

unfortunately, i have seen some really ugly things written about sarah palin on the web since john mccain picked her as his running mate...........in way i haven’t seen michele obama written about.  i don’t think it’s fair.

erin - 15 October 2008 09:54 PM

unfortunately, i have seen some really ugly things written about sarah palin on the web since john mccain picked her as his running mate...........in way i haven’t seen michele obama written about.  i don’t think it’s fair.

You must take into account that Mrs. Obama isn’t running for Vice President, Mrs. Palin is - that means that while Mrs. Obama is going to be scrutinized, Mrs. Palin is going to be scrutinized even more, and therefore get much more of the vitriol aimed at her. Plus she’s kind of an easy target, you know?

When I saw the moose tote, I laughed. The bag is to be taken as tongue in cheek.  Cafepress is definitely not supporting hunting..if anything the bag is making fun of palin (Which is not to say that this shopping blog was) if anyone who was criticizing actually went to Cafepress, they’d find that they have other tongue in cheek items like a shirt that says “madonna for president” ... i think the point of this post was just to show us a bag that’s cheap ... some people like it and would get its humor, some just are way too politically correct

“Were we wrong? “ In what manner ? I am not really sure what you are asking.

Though I am not a fan of Gov. Palin at all, I LOVED looking at her clothes ( clothes afterall, ARE bipartisan , bring unity, and the jacket is a great equalizer...so I have heard ...or is it the T shirt ) !!!!!

Furthermore, I thought that the bag was a great, tongue-in-cheek, could this ever be a trend , type of thing. Frankly, at my age, I feel the same about capri leggings ! And I certainly wouldn’t want to see Hillary Clinton in them, but I think that the adorable Obama girls would look FFFFAAABBBBULOUS in capri tights or the tote bags !

This just goes to show how much healing and maturing we need to do as a country...that there can’t be a civilized discussion over a TOTE BAG !

Keep your head high, ignore the “noise” and stick to the issues at hand : responsible financing of fashion ! And a rather “centrist” position, don’t you think ?

CHEERS !

erin - 15 October 2008 09:54 PM

… RE: The fashions worn by michele obama, cindy mccain and sarah palin.  i can be totally unbiased in my appreciation of their clothing!

I agree!

Do we have to drag *politics* into everything - Can’t we just appreciate their fashion savvy?

I think all 3 ladies have brought distinctive style back to the forefront. :)