ABSTRACT

From the beginning of her involvement on the national political stage, Sarah Palin's looks and style have been central focal points in our collective experience of her persona. Even before the vice presidential campaign, in a July 2007 Weekly Standard article that introduced Palin as a rising Republican star, Fred Barnes made mention of her previous beauty pageant involvement. He noted that Palin had won the Miss Wasilla beauty contest in 1984, was named Miss Congeniality, and later competed in the Miss Alaska competition. 1 A Wall Street Journal profile made early mention of her Miss Wasilla title, as well as the fact that she was “featured in a photo spread in Vogue.” 2 Sometimes admiring, sometimes scornful, references to Palin's youth and sexual attractiveness were ubiquitous. Pollster Dave Dittman described Palin as “young and pretty,” Rush Limbaugh referred to her as a “babe,” Tina Fey invoked the off-color term “MILF” (a sexually attractive middle-aged woman) on SNL, and blogger Cintra Wilson mocked her as “the White House bunny.” Countless others commented on her hair, her eyeglasses, her skirts, and her shoes.