Does it strike anyone else that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s story would make a great TV show? The show would appeal to a wide swath of demographics, and they could even make it a Veep-style dry, sardonic comedy. The youngest woman to ever be elected Congresswoman, a proud progressive and a Latina, and she has to deal with Millennial sh-t and Congress sh-t and misogyny and classism, and she does it all with wit and grace and realness. I would watch that show. Here’s the latest episode of Representative-elect Ocasio-Cortez’s show: dude bros can’t believe that a young woman who talks about growing up working class and having financial struggles would… own professional-looking clothes. This was what Eddie Scarry – a DC gossip/reporter guy – tweeted yesterday:
Ocasio-Cortez is in Washington for all of the freshman-congress events, meetings, crash courses, lunches and dinners. She was walking through the halls and someone decided to creepily take a photo of her from behind and send it to reporters. And they decided to judge her for… wearing professional-looking clothes. How dare she claim to be middle class AND own clothes? How dare she own a skirt AND a jacket??? HOW DARE SHE SHOP SALE RACKS AND CLAIM TO BE PROGRESSIVE.
After one of the most epic “Ratio” adventures ever, Scarry ended up deleting the original tweet and posted this:
ATTN! I posted a tweet earlier suggesting the incoming congresswoman looked well put together — ELEGANT even — despite suggestions she’s struggled. The tweet was taken as something else, so I’ve deleted it!
— Eddie Scarry (@eScarry) November 16, 2018
Dude, you didn’t learn anything. Conservative douches truly can’t understand how a young, working class woman would OWN CLOTHES. Would know how to put together a professional-looking outfit on a budget. Ocasio-Cortez ended up seeing the tweet too:
If I walked into Congress wearing a sack, they would laugh & take a picture of my backside.
If I walk in with my best sale-rack clothes, they laugh & take a picture of my backside.
Dark hates light – that’s why you tune it out.
Shine bright & keep it pushing.✨ https://t.co/mRq5wn0v9A
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 15, 2018
The best thing to come out of it was that everyone dunked on this dude and some of the tweets were flat-out amazing.
EXCLUSIVE: The So-Called “Middle-Class” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Has Not Once Pressed Her Face Up to the Window of a Bakery, Longing for a Loaf of Bread
— Jason O. Gilbert (@gilbertjasono) November 15, 2018
NEW: My sources tell me Ocasio also purchased lunch from the cafeteria and didn't dig in a dumpster for scraps. Will update you all as the story develops.
— jordan (@JordanUhl) November 15, 2018
I, too, am disappointed Ocasio didn’t show up wearing only a wooden barrel held up by suspenders and carrying her few belongings in a bindle https://t.co/HqLEo5bvEP
— jordan (@JordanUhl) November 15, 2018
Hill staffer sent me this pic of Ocasio-Cortez they took just now. I’ll tell you something: that jacket and coat don’t look like a girl who struggles. pic.twitter.com/TidcIgEm79
— Julia Moser (@juliamoserrrr) November 15, 2018
Hill staffer sent me this pic of Ocasio-Cortez they took just now. I’ll tell you something: that jacket and coat don’t look like a girl who struggles. pic.twitter.com/VQXcT4ZByN
— maya kosoff (@mekosoff) November 15, 2018
Hill staffer sent me this pic of Ocasio-Cortez they took just now. I’ll tell you something: that jacket and coat don’t look like a girl who struggles pic.twitter.com/FI0hWxapWu
— David Mack (@davidmackau) November 15, 2018
Hill staffer sent me this pic of Ocasio-Cortez they took just now. I’ll tell you something: that jacket and coat don’t look like a girl who struggles pic.twitter.com/VoPfwWQqjB
— Nick…just Nick (@cleverreplicant) November 15, 2018
Hill staffer sent me this pic of Ocasio-Cortez they took just now. I’ll tell you something: that jacket and coat don’t look like a girl who struggles. pic.twitter.com/Ct0gCsgVpO
— Charlotte Wilder (@TheWilderThings) November 15, 2018
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
I hope Rep. Ocasio-Cortez is up for being demonized by these horrible wingnuts. I think she is. She’s beautiful and charismatic and that is driving them crazy.
This completely. What many on the Right and Left see as arrogance or overconfidence, I see as sheer passion. She genuinely cares and sometimes that zeal gets the best of her–but I don’t want her to change just to placate the establishment. She’s enthusiastic, positive, energetic, and caring–which is how a freshman Dem rep should be.
I love that she drives the right crazy but I do feel for how much shit she has to put up with. She strikes me as very strong so hopefully she doesn’t burn out.
Yes, I admire her passion, but a little humility goes a very long way in politics.
Publicly complaining Joe Crowley did’t congratulate her fast enough, ignoring her district to campaign for what turned out to be losing candidates, protesting in Pelosi’s office, and spatting in public with Frank Pallone are unforced errors on her part.
It doesn’t matter how strong she is personally, if she picks unnecessary fights with her own party she will have no clout to fight the necessary ones.
Megan
Very good and solid point.
And people from Crowley’s campaign very publicly blamed Ocasio Cortez for three missed calls. Not exactly classy in defeat but did you lecture Crowley about poor sportsmanship?
At the end of the day, regardless of party, he was still her opponent.
But yes let’s focus on the few missteps the youngest person ever elected to Congress has made instead of the inroads she’s forming between progressives and establishment Dems. Sigh.
She was NOT protesting Pelosi outside her office. Read what actually happened (this Twitter writer makes an excellent point about liberals/progressives believing everything conservatives say about them):
https://twitter.com/johnastoehr/status/1062761886796668934
Thank you Kitten. Good counter points to all the nit picking. What ever her campaigning mistakes may have been, they are small, learning curve steps.
“She’s beautiful and charismatic and that is driving them crazy.”
more than crazy. SHE SCARES THEM.
she is representative of the fact that people don’t want old white men (or just white cis men in general) to rule over everyone anymore. she reps that people want younger, more diverse people representing them and putting ideas forth.
This is a woman who, when asked how her idea of Medicare for all should be paid for, replied “You just pay for it.” Uh, no. I haven’t figured if she is as dumb as she is portrayed but I don’t think that total dumbness is far off. The infatuation with her will fade when she really starts opening her mouth.
I think she’s made of steel, and you don’t have to worry!
👍
She is a brilliant example to young women everywhere. You don’t have to be white, wealthy or marry money or a Prince to make a difference or pretend you want to make a difference. You can do it by sticking to your moral values and having guts and determination. I can’t wait to see what she does and I hope that she stays strong. I really think she will.
She’s a LILF (Liberal I’d like to….) or maybe a SILF (Socialist I’d like to….) I look forward to her poised and attractive presence generating lots of cognitive dissonance in conservative DC for the next few years.
What is really bothersome to me is that this kind of ‘observation’ is doubly shallow because it ignores a real problem working class people have – that you actually have to maintain a certain ‘status’ or ‘appearance’ in clothing, grooming etc. to even hold some jobs, especially in retail etc. Like, you are not making a lot of money, but you have to look a certain way, so you end up spending money on expensive looking clothes, makeup, whatever but you still might not be able to afford a decent apartment, or healthcare, etc. This is a real thing in our society, especially with younger working class women. This jerk should not be making fun of it.
When I was in law school, going into more and more debt every year, I was still expected to dress professionally for interviews and internships. The Limited clearance racks (70% off!) and the Kasper outlet were my saviors. I graduated from law school with $150,000 in debt, but dammit I looked good.
Haha ditto- over $200,000 (chose a school in NYC- $$$$$$) and still adore my Kasper suit from my 1L interviews!
She is the FUTURE, and it is driving them crazy…
she is a socialist, that’s what’s driving them crazy.
I saw this yesterday and really felt so angry. It was extremely creepy. And stalkerish. And creepy.
Did I mention creepy?
And clearly does not understand that a woman can shop at consignment stores and thrift shops as well. Does he not know you can get designer looking clothing at Marshall’s and TJ Maxx?? I got a 100% silk shirt from a consignment store for $10.What was she supposed to show up in???
I once got a GORGEOUS name brand suit (skirt/jacket combo) at Nordstrom Rack for like $38. It was on sale and then an additional % off of that rack.
I guess when you’re a rich douche-bro, you don’t know about discount shopping.
Exactly. They are being so petty making it about her clothes. Who cares how much they cost or where she got them. Whether she got them on cheap/ on sale or a designer sent them to her for free or someone bought it for her or someone else gifted her or she splurged or whatever the reason. They will keep trying to find anything to scrutinize and criticize her but it won’t affect her at all 🙂
I love TK Maxx (thats what its called here in the UK) but during a recent visit to Canada I discovered Marshall’s and that I needed it in my life!
Also charity shops in posh areas are also good places to get very nice and good quality stuff cheap.
I love TJ Maxx, Nordstrom Rack, Macy’s sales. I like good clothes but I refuse to pay a lot.
I find the best stuff on thredup clearance. I have a pair of Italian wool pants from j crew that prob retailed for $150 and I paid $6 for them. You can get great professional clothes if you know where to look. What a jerk. She looks lovely and I hope she pays no attention to these turds
I live below the poverty level(in a vehicle!), and even I have managed to put together a few outfits suitable for job interviews and office work. I feel kind of proud of that right now, lol. All of the clothes that I get compliments on came from thrift stores.
Yes! When I was going through my divorce I had to put a lot of distance between us and I had two suitcases and my daughter and $75. This outfit reminds me exactly of what I got at Value Village and a clothing bank for woman going to work. Luckily I got a job the first week.
Did he not notice she campaigned in professional attire for months? It’s not like she was on the campaign trail in sweats.
btw @JaneEyreApparent I’m proud of you too. <3
2nding the love for thrift stores. I get lots of compliments on my work outfits, and I’ll bet 1/3 To 1/2 are thrifted. Takes a lot more time than walking into a nice store tho. Also, comparing clothing and dc apartments is ridiculous. Reminds me of that idiot who said millennial can’t afford houses because they ate too much avocado toast.
Yeah he has serious creep form in this regard, i.e. taking pictures of women’s body parts and rating them.
That moment when Edward Sparkles is less creepy than you.
he’s done it before for blog too, where he was taking pictures of women’s butts and commenting on them. he’s disgusting.
They don’t even realize that they are outting themselves as creeps and creepers. They are probably just fine with taking upskirt photos.
Yes!!! So creepy! Seriously taking a pic of a woman’s backside and sending it to gossip rags. Ugh no just gross. My entire professional wardrobe looks like her dresses and I don’t shop at expensive stores.
It’s negging on such a large scale. There are several others in the freshman Congress class w/ same beliefs and stories, but she get’s targeted because these weirdos are confused by their attraction to her while hating her politics. So many legit reasons to question AOC, but these losers focus on her appearance.
I can’t believe we have to tell men not to take stalker level pics of a woman, who he called a girl, and then make a snide comment about her clothing. It is 2018 for crying out loud!!! Even if he meant it ‘in a good way’ it is completely inappropriate on every level. The crap women have to put up with is ridiculous. Why are we talking about her clothes?!? UGH! Breaking news: 30 year old professional owns professional clothing!!!!!! ***massive eye roll***
lmfao lenny kravitz
I know. That is hilarious.
Lenny is the only one who could still look super sexy while walking down the street with a huge, ugly afghan wrapped lopsided around him. Laugh and drool everytime I see that picture
LOL
His story about that pic is pretty funny too – he told in one of the late night shows. He was wearing a big scarf one day and someone photoshopped it to be massive and that’s the one everyone shares. He has to explain it all the time, but he thinks its pretty funny.
I would 1000% watch a TV show about this premise. America Ferrera anyone? Someone even younger?
Stupid guy on my Facebook was posting about her posting on Twitter sharing her experiences this week of 1. getting sent to a spouse dinner and 2. getting stopped because she was thought to be an intern. Some bro was like “i asked a congressman and he said there are no intern events this week. #liar.” I pointed out the non-lie (spouse dinner=/=intern getting blocked from congressperson event), and after all the back and forth, ultimately, the dude bro on Facebook just didn’t believe her experiences. Which was LITERALLY the point of her post.
Headdesk. She’s damned for not saving enough to live in Washington. Damned for wearing professional clothes. CANNOT WIN.
Great post, Abby. Perfectly sums up the situation of being a young minority woman in a world run by old smug white men.
I would also watch that show. Gina Rodriguez would be perfect.
I hate racist, misogynistic, douche-bros with a burning passion, but I have to admit, sometimes the reactions to these ***buts make me laugh so hard I’d be sad if we shipped all of them off to Pluto.
Those tweets were all pretty epic but…
@JordanUhl
NEW: My sources tell me Ocasio also purchased lunch from the cafeteria and didn’t dig in a dumpster for scraps. Will update you all as the story develops.
…made me spit coffee all over my keyboard.
Lmao! This is what twitter is good for.
Can you imagine how many avocado toasts she didn’t waste her money on in order to buy that coat?
Just not getting into a Starbucks habit would give most people a huge clothing budget.
Guys also may not realize how much good stuff is available on sale and at thrift shops and Goodwill etc. People who know where to look can get whatever they need. Her clothes in the pic didn’t even look expensive to me. Isn’t it just basic black?
Anyway – I was frequently mistaken for somebody’s wife or secretary at the college where I taught as well as at scientific conferences, so her story is quite believable to me. It really is annoying and yes, it really is prejudice in action and needs to be pointed out.
People would wander into my office and assume I was the departmental Secretary. I didn’t have a typewriter. I had piles of physics and math books on my desk and bookshelves along with a lot of papers. I didn’t dress as well as the real secretary. Didn’t penetrate. Other women in other departments reported the same thing. Nobody every assumed that about any of the guys in the department. Not even the one who was always well dressed and looked like Secretary material to me.
And putting Dr. in huge letters on a name tag didn’t make any difference for me. Women were just invisible. Other sciences like biology and chemistry have pretty much achieved equal numbers of men and women now, I think (not a couple of generations ago, though), but we are still a small percentage in US physics. So it’s in professions where men still dominate that the problem still exists. Men in female-dominated professions such as nursing report similar problems, one fellow pointed out how male nurses didn’t even exist in his textbooks (my problem also). But the only cure is for more of the “other” to get into the profession anyway, even though the imbalance in numbers makes it difficult, along with the lack of encouragement for “others” to pursue such professions.
Even students reacted differently to female profs than to male profs while I was teaching last century. I certainly noticed it – I didn’t have a beard or a deep voice and so nothing I could wear or do was going to make them think I was a legitimate physicist. I wore the same kind of practical clothes that the male experimentalists did. (The theorist was the only coat and tie guy.) The man in charge of the humanities program (freshmen courses jointly planned by English and History Departments, team taught and often observed by him) was astonished at the huge difference between student reactions depending on whether the prof was male or female. He said there was certainly no difference in competence.
Even some of my colleagues would forget that I was a physicist when talking about relevant matters and naming the relevant people in my department. Even if I was sitting right in front of them. I don’t know what exactly their subconscious was categorizing me as, but it definitely wasn’t “physicist” that popped spontaneously into their heads. They weren’t being consciously prejudiced and weren’t a problem for me otherwise , but this kind of thing routinely happened to remind me that I wasn’t really a member of the club.
I also had difficulty explaining that I was setting up demonstrations for a class late at night to security…. Plus I found out which staff members were cruddy to students, because they thought I was one. It was a small place, so you would think they would have noticed me listed with a photo somewhere. A young-looking male prof does not really have the same experiences, at least not to the extent I did.
Hahaha Steff – you MUST be Aussie with the ‘avocado on toast’ poor millennial joke.
He got dragged on Twitter.
Condescending ****head
So richly deserved…. Twitter came out to play and it was glorious.
I follow her on Instagram and she is awesome – I wish my local rep in Canada was as charismatic and engaging (and progressive!) as her. I hope she can handle the crazy amount of crap the GOP is going to be sending her way – they really hate successful, outspoken women.
As a young woman who has always been interested in running for office, I find her so inspiring!
Same.
She’s amazing. I do have a feeling that she’s not walking into this blind.
That said, I hope (and suspect) she has a loving support system to bouy her up.
My favorite response was from Sue the T-Rex. Classic. https://twitter.com/SUEtheTrex/status/1063196177884241920?s=19
AOC is pushing the buttons of the patriarchy with her mere existence. It’s everything that’s wrong with American power structures.
“AOC is pushing the buttons of the patriarchy with her mere existence.”
this exactly. she threatens the SOP of cis white males in power. she scares them.
That’s a great one!
I feel so badly for her, knowing what a lightening rod she’s going to be for all the sexism, racism, ageism, and everything else they’re going to throw at her, but she seems really sharp and knew all that going in.
Keep kickin’ a$$, AOC.
I just lol’d at my desk. Thank you for sharing!
While I have concerns for her performance over the next few years (I honestly hope she does well, mind), this is just appallingly stupid. She’s working/lower middle class, dude, not third world nations impoverished. Like, literally, how rich do you have to be to not think the rest of us don’t own basic business professional clothing? I have professional dresses from Target that I’ve nabbed for $8 on clearance. Even people at the bottom of the American economic barrel have 1-2 pieces of “nice” clothing on standby for certain occasions.
Exactly! She’s young and thin, cheap clothes will look great on her! Gosh when I was in my 20’s I spent nothing on clothes, clearance racks like you say. Of already cheap stuff! And I looked amazing, I wish I looked like that now in my bloomingdale’s wardrobe.
All I can do is shake my head over how stupid men are. But that was secondary. The first reaction was rage over this creepy and disgusting behavior towards a woman.
That’s a good point about her body type. It may be a different situation if she were plus size or very voluptuous, but she’s slim and modestly endowed, which makes clothing far easier to tailor.
You go woman..
Republicans hate women especially women who are independent and intelligent.
Yep. They’re all triggered and I’m loving it.
After birthing 2 children and not being able to fit any of my clothes, I was offered my dream job, in an office setting, where professional attire was required. I was able to put together a starter-wardrobe at thrift stores on a shoe-string budget, just so I could START my new job. This guy. He has NO CLUE. He could wear the same suit every damn day and nobody would notice or care. Women have to make wine our of water sometimes just to show up at work. And he didnt even apologize for his ignorance, just retracted. Same sh!+ as always.
Yup – a friend of mine, who is a university professor, went down a few sizes and did a whole new professional wardrobe at thrift shops.
She’s a LILF (Liberal I’d like to….) or maybe a SILF (Socialist I’d like to….) I look forward to her poised and attractive presence generating lots of cognitive dissonance in conservative DC for the next few years.
I think she’s going to be an amazing addition to the House.
Someone should’ve posted a pic of Melania in her 50k Dolce coat and added that “doesn’t look like a girl who struggles” caption.
As for Cortez, I am appalled that she’s being judged like this. It’s insane to mock a Government representative for having appropriate attire. And the dude saying he was misunderstood is lying. He meant it how it’s being taken.
Firstly. There are people who are neither rich nor so poor they can’t buy clothes.
Secondly, even if it was meant as a compliment, who needs this man’s opinion on her looks and clothes. Can we stop commenting on how female politicians dress already?
I would watch that show! yes! also, look, looking like a pro doesn’t mean wearing Balanciaga, y’know. Go to Zara, get yourself some basic stuff and you’ll look like a million dollars if you have a shred of style. What is she supposed to look like. I struggle, am a classic 30 yo freelancing, working my a** off, and guess what I look cool and pro when I go to meetings.
Can I add that it’s a little awful we are all taking about her shopping sales, discounts, etc? Even she is saying it, and it’s kinda awful that she is. Because you don’t have to shop sales, or consignment /thrift shops just because you aren’t rich. I’m not saying those things aren’t fine, they are. But even middle class can pay full price sometimes. And nothing is wrong with that. There’s affordable clothes for most budgets, period, and even people who aren’t Rockefeller can splurge occasionally.
Just saying: Let’s not perpetuate the idea that if you aren’t rich, you must buy clearance or thrift shop.
I agree with your point that we all have investment pieces and have paid full price, especially if you’re middle class. I think it’s more highlighting how ridiculously removed upper middle class and wealthy are from the reality of the world. Like, owning basic ass professional clothing is not a sign of faking economic struggle. It’s a requirement for most people’s livelihoods, even among the poor. They’re literally so used to dropping hundreds of dollars on designer merchandise that they can’t imagine people can dress nicely without those price tags. There’s an implicit suggestion there that poor/struggling = sloppy, and that’s…gross.
Oh Veronica, girl, you nailed it: “There’s an implicit suggestion there that poor/struggling = sloppy, and that’s…gross.”
Also, to the point re middle class not necessarily buying thrifted/sale items: I buy two or three classic, quality $$$ pieces a year, some from H&M and Zara, and a couple (generally sale) items from Madewell each season. I know thrifting is more environmentally and socially friendly, but I don’t have the best sense of style, so fast fashion is a lifesaver for me.
Hear! Hear!
This is so openly rude. Where are people’s manners? F this guy. All the BS this woman is going to have to deal with over real issues and here is some jerk snarking about her clothes. I still can’t believe this nonsense gets through to certain people as acceptable and welcome behavior.
She’s only the first of the freshmen reps that will be judged by creeps everywhere. It’ll get a lot worse before it gets better, similar to this “presidency.”
Kudos to the Cinna tweet
Ugh. In addition to being misogynist, this is pure elitist classism. It’s the perfect example of a wealthy man who assumes that anyone he deems attractive must have spent a lot of money to look that way, because only rich people can be attractive.
When the truth is: money can’t buy taste, or looks, or style. Scarry has none of these. Ocasio-Cortez is a class act.
I’m not American but I am still so mad because this is what many of us women face daily, especially millenial women. We’re somewhat broke most of the time but still need to look presentable and professional to be taken seriously. But the moment you invest in something (and yes, work clothes are somewhat of an investment) we’re mocked for it.
I hope Ocasio Cortez shakes everything up and puts douches like this little man in their place.
I’m solidly Middle Class. Once a year I splurge on a nice pocketbook, usually between $200-$300. Does that mean I’m richer than I say I am? LOL.
By the way, I LOVE Ocasio-Cortez and strongly recommend following her on social media. For those interested in politics, she has been taking her followers behind the scenes of what the experience in Washington has been like, and it has been really interesting to watch.
What a jackass, the crap that women have to put up with.
I have two really nice suits, one skirt one pants with very nice jackets. They were bought on consignment and look more expensive than they are. And sometimes it’s a stretch to make my rent every month. I wear them on interviews and conferences with high business dress code. Do not judge a financial situation or a past based on one outfit.
She definitely has a lot on her plate now that Amazon has announced they are splitting their headquarters and planning to build one in Long Island City! Queens residents are NOT happy right now. (True story: I desperately tried to move to Astoria last year which is adjacent to LIC and due to a series of misfortunate events I ended up in Brooklyn. Looks like the universe was trying to tell me something). On top of it she is going to be judged by creepy dudes for what she wears! Just another day of being a woman! Also… do guys not realize that you can buy professional clothes at discount stores like H&M (not saying Alexandria got her clothes there but I’m sure a lot of us have resorted to discount stores for these kinds of things?)?? They may not be the most amazing quality but they’ll do the trick if you need them!
Those tweets were awesome. Still laughing at Kendall and Kravitz.
Since when did needing her first paycheck to cover rent (first, last, moving expenses etc) in a very expensive city mean she doesn’t own clothes?!She’s not poor, she just openly commented about need her new income to cover the increased cost of living. Geez.
She also needs to maintain her residence back home. This is a problem for a lot of people in the House especially. They aren’t all Mitch McConnell-rich.
…I hate to ask this on this kind of post, but does anyone know which red dress she was wearing in that group outdoor photo yesterday? It was gorgeous and I want it, ha.
Haha. I want an ID on the black dress she’s wearing in these photos. I love it and want it for work.
Keep Amazon the f*ck out of Queens!!!! I love her! Screw those wonder bread haters!!!
Douche bro being a douche bro basically. Excited to see all the new diverse blood in Congress and the hopefully positive changes to come! That said, I’m not onboard this ladies fan base as I don’t agree with her socialist views as well as her undying passion for Bernie (YIKES!!!). Hoping that within time real life experience with Congress will curb her naïveté but either way, we need old wealthy white men who only care about those who look like them, OUT
This creep is apparently unaware of poshmark and mercari.
Also, he called her a girl.
I follow Dictionary.com on Twitter, which is highly recommended. This was a recent tweet on their word of the day:
—————
Girl. Noun. A female child, from birth to full growth.
E.g. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is not a girl.
—————
I’m solidly middle-middle class, and I shop on poshmark and ebay.
I agree with everyone who says that you can get beautiful clothes at Marshalls, or Macy’s/Nordstrom on sale. I still miss Filenes Basement myself.
But even if she splurged and bought an expensive, beautiful suit for her first days at Congressional orientation, so what? I read a great essay once about a man who grew up working class but whose mom bought a beautiful suit which she wore for YEARS to every parent-teacher conference, graduation, church event, etc.
They are hoping to smear her as a limousine Lib! All they are showing is how out of touch they are. She didn’t say she was poor, just can’t afford the cost of rent in one of the most expensive cities in the country before she gets her first paycheck. Many of us have been there. Not to mention no health insurance until after your first 3 months!
I hope this shows how even the Dems who make it to Congress already have money or at least had to have professional level jobs where they made a good amount of money before Congress. Or had wealthy wives/husbands. Also yes she makes mistakes on interviews, guess what she is just starting out and again does not have the money to already have “staff” who prep her for everything and feed her lines. Get off her butt!
New Yorker knows how to find good deals on fab looks. Film at 11.
Ha ha, spot on.
It’s petty and it’s meant to send a narrative that questions her income, her integrity and suggests she’s a liar about struggling.
These are asshole assumptions!
a wooden barrel held up by suspenders-that made me laugh.
I remember fox news having graphics showing the percentage of those on welfare who have microwaves and refrigerators-saying life can’t be that bad if you have those things. So they’re seriously advocating for them to have worse lives? How many times have I gone to good will to find new dress slacks to go to a job interview? Like life can’t be that bad unless is shows visibly, like someone can’t be that depressed if they ‘seemed fine when I saw them’ then they committed suicide. People are stupid honestly stupid to think like this
Uh…. Refrigerators and microwaves are generally provided by the landlord (microwaves may be left behind by a previous tenant, that’s how my brother got one).
Air conditioners likewise. My brother’s belongs to the landlord, not him.
Do you remember a woman who went into politics and was criticized, insulted and demonized from day one? She was a nice looking woman, but not a model, so her appearance was also used against her. She scared the men because they knew she was smart and could get something done. Years later people said they could not trust this lady and just disliked her. Most of them could not put their finger on why they disliked her so much. Years later a male was placed in a job instead of this woman. Years later they were so scared of her that another country got involved in our affairs. Is history about to repeat?
Marty . . . to whom are you referring? Was there a pant suit involved?
One of my favorite work outfits, job interview suit, is a grey BCBG that I got for $13 at a Goodwill in a wealthy area. Got it tailored, and got compliments on it every time I wore it.
Those idiots are just scared of her, that’s all there is to it.
I relate so much to all the comments on this thread. My first interview suit at 22 was from the bargain bin (literally, a bin) at Filene’s Basement. I didn’t look like AOC, but youth can get away with a lot clothing-wise. Even with age, we can get creative with discount clothing, but it takes a bit more effort to find/modify good fits. I’m almost a little sad for the douche-bros who only feel confident in their Brooks Bros uniform.
Sigh. I miss Filene’s Basement. Every. Single. Day.
🙁
Kitten, same.
This is what I emailed him:
Your comment about “that jacket and coat don’t look like she struggles” was one of the most repellent, douche-bro swipes at a young woman who has wayyyyy more smarts, class and integrity than you’ll ever have.
You truly are a misogynistic little prick.
Signed:
An outraged Canadian
I have my issues with AOC regarding politics…but I made sure I dragged the HECK outta that BAN for having the unmitigated GALL to make that statement regarding her clothes….
THAT…I will not stand for!
There are so many places to buy clothes on a budget! This is why people get pissed off when leaders go get all that fancy pants expensive crap like, really? You’re just like me? Cuz I can’t afford to get my clothes professionally tailored…And yet I still have business looking clothes I got from Walmart, an online trading swap and shop, or *gasp* a thrift store!
Places like Goodwill and even shelters try to keep professional looking clothes on hand because they want people to look interview ready and GET JOBS!
This tells you how out of sync these guys are with the general public and yet they’re running the country. Shameful.
Hell, my COMMUNITY COLLEGE keeps a rack where people can grab stuff FOR FREE to help them out…holy cow!!
So much truth. That comment is indicative of the mindset that you need to wear – i.e. afford – the club uniform to join this club. News flash, Congress isn’t a club. At least, not if this new class of representative-elects has something to say about it.
This is completely the same thing as folks jeering at people with the audacity to own *cell phones* using their food stamps at the grocery store. F–k off. Work appropriate clothes are not a luxury item, a**hole. Should she be in sweats?
First: There is a strict dress code. I’m sure this guy knows about it since Republicans pretended to be outraged when members petitioned to wear sleeveless dresses. No matter where she shops, she still has to follow it.
Second: One of the most pernicious forms of class stereotype is that those in financial straits aren’t entitled to dress well or groom themselves. Its why you hear comments by people of all political stripes comment that people on welfare shouldn’t have cell phones, enjoy manicures or get haircuts. This douche comment is born from that thinking.
Third: If you live in the greater Baltimore area and you have professional clothes to donate, I urge you to bring them to Paul’s Place. They have donated clothes set up like a store so people, mostly homeless, can shop with dignity for clothing. The clothes are free and there are limits to what can be taken but it allows people to actually shop to their taste instead of feel like they are getting a hand out. It is particularly valuable for people who need attire for job interviews. If they help to arrange a job interview for a client, they make sure to provide professional attire such as a blazer or shit, tie and dress pants. They always need men’s clothes. It is a great organization.
That first tweet made laugh so much. Thanks for those.
He thinks she is a POS- therefore he is startled to see her NOT dress like what he thinks she is– ie garbage. WHAT AN A-HOLE (but are we surprised? or just surprised at their repeated stupidity to be so ignorant as to say this stuff publicly)
Lesson to be learned, my good man: when youve built your self image on pulling others below you, you may be surprised to find them in real life, actually ABOVE you.
Here where I live clothes, for strange reasons, are expensive. But you can go to a tailor, show a picture of something, and can have it done for you for less money. Yes you can dress good if you put a little time and fantasy to it. I imagine a 30 years old woman knows and can have good clothes. I wonder who some people find it strange? She has worked before. She has never said she didn’t have money to buy some clothes. And I would find that guy and shove is phone up his…. No wait, she has to be poised and stuff, you know she is a woman after all…
This was such a dumb, petty attack it just made him look so foolish. Micromanaging POC clothes (particularly the costs) seems to be a favorite pastime for racists.
I think douch-bro conservatives are extremely intimidated by how good she looks and how appropriately fashionable she is. So they’re trying to diminish her attractive youth appeal by plugging her into the “liberal urban elite” narrative that republicans always fall back on. They’re trying to use her urban sophistication to erase her lower economic status. Implying that if she were truly “struggling” her fashion style should look more like Kmart-middle-America.
Imo this was attempted here, and it must be worrying the f*ck out of republicans their most reliable strategy doesn’t work on her.
That grey dress is stunning–she looks incredible and polished and so elegant.
And it’s easily the kind of dress you can find at H&M or Zara on sale, so not a bank-breaker (it might also be a more expensive label, but point is you too can look like a million bucks on the cheap).
Does he not realize that people can buy off sale racks? or buy secondhand. You can find professional outfits like blazers and not spend a lot of money.
Even if this woman was wearing sweats, who cares?! Her job is NOT about her clothes, its about how she serves the people she represents!!! When will women be worth more than what they look like, what they wear, or who they’re dating/married to?! So annoying!!!
Crazy thing now is how thrift store prices are starting to rise as more people are shopping them for various reasons.