$150,000 Dressup

In the midst of a financial meltdown and bailout of Wall Street, it’s always heartening to learn that the Vice Presidential nominee’s wardrobe is getting covered by the Republican National Committee, and although Governor Palin rails daily against various and sundry elites, I’m pretty sure that getting a $150,000 wardrobe over the course of a month makes you – *gasp* – elite .

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

The cash expenditures immediately raised questions among campaign finance experts about their legality under the Federal Election Commission’s long-standing advisory opinions on using campaign cash to purchase items for personal use.

Evidently, they grow good clothes at Saks and Nieman Marcus.

The average American family spends $150k on clothes every 80 years. Joe Six-Pack probably shops the sale rack at Sears or Penney’s. Especially in this economy.

A review of similar records for the campaign of Democrat Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee turned up no similar spending.

But all the spending by other candidates pales in comparison to the GOP outlay for the Alaska governor whose expensive, designer outfits have been the topic of fashion pages and magazines.

What hasn’t been apparent is where the clothes came from – her closet back in Wasilla or from the campaign coffers in Washington.

The answer can be found inside the RNC’s September monthly financial disclosure report under “itemized coordinated expenditures.”

It’s a report that typically records expenses for direct mail, telephone calls and advertising. Those expenses do show up, but the report also has a new category of spending: “campaign accessories.”

September payments were also made to Barney’s New York ($789.72) and Bloomingdale’s New York ($5,102.71).

Macy’s in Minneapolis, another store fortunate enough to be situated in the Twin Cities that hosted last summer’s Republican National Convention, received three separate payments totaling $9,447.71.

The entries also show a few purchases at Pacifier, a top notch baby store, and Steiniauf & Stroller Inc., suggesting $295 was spent to accommodate the littlest Palin to join the campaign trail.

Barney’s and Bloomingdale’s? Saks and Neiman Marcus? Almost $10k at Macy’s? OMGOMG She’s just like us!