Michelle Obama has been catching flack recently for the J. Mendel jacket she wore to a reception at Buckingham Palace for Heads of State and Government while attending the Olympics Opening Ceremony.
The jacket cost $6,800 and people are saying that it’s insensitive for the First Lady to wear something so expensive when the average US citizen would never be able to afford something at that price.
Republicans love throwing stones for reasons that have no real basis in reality, so as high as $6,800 may be, let’s keep it real.
President Obama, Mitt Romney, or anyone else who is in the upcoming election, is not wearing anything from anyone’s “bargain basement.” It is safe to assume that the suits you see on these men’s backs cost upwards of one to two thousand dollars, if not much more, and neither one of them is wearing a tie that their stylist found at T.J. Maxx for $9.99.
This is America and if you can afford to look good – you do. Everyone turns a blind eye to what the men in politics wear, but women have historically been scrutinized. It was being reported that Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy was spending $30,000 year on clothes during her husband’s 1960 presidential campaign. She said, “I couldn’t spend that much even if I wore sable underwear.”
It’s a double standard that makes very little sense.
Secondly, if any of us were going to hold court with the Queen of England, I would hope to the sweet lord Jesus that we would wear the best outfit we could find to stay on a level suitable for royalty. After all, representatives from every country in the world attended this reception; wouldn’t you want the woman representing our country to look good? I certainly would.
Lastly, let’s be honest, Michelle Obama probably did not pay for that jacket. The good folks at J. Mendel probably sent over the jacket and five other just like it for the First Lady to pick from. Like any other celebrity, the jacket probably got gifted or loaned to Michelle specifically for the reception. In the off chance that she did pay for it, chances are she got a nice discount in exchange for the inevitable publicity that Mrs. Obama would get while wearing it.
Isn’t it easier to just say that Mrs. Obama looked nice without examining her price tag? Did we want her to get her outfit from Walmart and then have a meeting with royals? Nothing is wrong with shopping at Walmart, but we’re sure J. Mendel has a much more sophisticated selection. The woman can afford to dress better than most, so why scrutinize her for doing so?
Just smile and wait for her to say something wrong before we get mad at her for something as small as how much her jacket cost.
Rock on Mrs. Obama! You looked great!
-Jason Brooks
