Why Women Can Look to Sarah Palin as a Mentor

What is all the fuss concerning Sarah Palin's campaign wardrobe? A basic rule of career advancement is to dress for the position you desire to have. As a woman, I can attest to the fact that dressing in quality, tailored and flattering clothing enables you to concentrate on other priorities, most importantly the job you are working on.

Sarah Palin's job while campaigning for the McCain Palin presidential ticket was to present a polished image. How do you expect a vice president to look? Palin needed to feel confident in her appearance because her appearance was, in part, her brand. What would you have thought of her if she dressed in pilled suit jackets and skirts that were too short, tight or too long? What if she wore the same outfit twice on the campaign trail?

I read today in several online new outlets that she spent $75,000 at the Minneapolis Nieman Marcus while at the Republican convention in August and another outrageous dollar amount on beauty services in total during the entire campaign. So what? The Republican Committee made her image and the way she presented her brand was a major part of the campaign strategy.

All women can use Sarah Palin as their career mentor. Although the general public might not think she was ready to step in as President if John McCain was incapable of fulfilling his duties, she certainly has excellent public speaking skills and has risen up the career ladder to become the governor of her state. She wasn't afraid to learn the details of the difficult subjects that she would have to discuss on the vice presidential debate and in her campaign rallies.

She ignored the negative media and hurtful jabs and came across as professional and serious. The filtering out of non-essential and distracting media is important in focusing on your career goals and the current projects that must be completed. And don't forget that while she was working hard on the campaign trail, she looked great during the whole process. Women might not admit this to men or other women, but we do take note on other women's appearances and what they are wearing.

And, of course, we all know that men look at a women's appearance. No explanation needed there. I am convinced that a woman who looks professional and dresses in quality clothing has a better chance of career promotion than a woman who claims she doesn't care about what kind of clothes she wears.

Although I am a Democrat, the Republican party needs new leaders. I hope to see Sarah Palin rise in the GOP so I can keep track of what she is wearing.