Winning the Hearts and Wardrobes of Average Americans

Elizabeth Snead points out that Michelle Obama's wardrobe choice for her appearance on The View was a sucker punch to the Designer Name Dropping of her political rival, Cynthia McCain:

"Tom Julian (president of the Tom Julian Group, a New York City-based brand consultancy) predicted that (Michelle) Obama will change the face of political fashion in that she could be the first first lady to wear both high and low-end fashion: 'She will bring affordable American sportswear to the forefront, and this is very appealing to the Middle American woman voter' (he said) . . . how incredibly refreshing to see an intelligent, articulate woman who shops for herself, doesn't use a stylist and doesn't think a designer name means she's better dressed than someone else."

What you wear in an election year matters, and apparently Cindy McCain needs to reevaluate her wardrobe choices, stat. Voters expect celebrities to be glittery and glamorous, but a potential future First Lady? Maybe a little more down-to-earth wouldn't hurt.

God knows, no one wants a frump representing the people, but there's a huge difference between browsing an Oscar de la Renta boutique and grabbing something suitable and widely accessible off the rack. As Michelle Obama's appearance on The View so amply illustrates, a politicians wife can win big points with the public for choosing the latter.

Unless she's French, that is . . .

Video clip of Michelle Obama on the The View below: