The Republican National Committee has spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August. According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74. The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September. The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August. The cash expenditures immediately raised questions among campaign finance experts about their legality under the Federal Election Commission’s long-standing advisory opinions on using campaign cash to purchase items for personal use. Politico asked the McCain campaign for comment, explicitly noting the $150,000 in expenses for department store shopping and makeup consultation that were incurred immediately after PalinâÄôs announcement. Pre-September reports do not include similar costs. Spokeswoman Maria Comella declined to answer specific questions about the expenditures, including whether it was necessary to spend that much and whether it amounted to one early investment in Palin or if shopping for the vice presidential nominee was ongoing. âÄúThe campaign does not comment on strategic decisions regarding how financial resources available to the campaign are spent,” she said. But hours after the story was posted on Politico’s website and legal issues were raised, the campaign issued a new statement. “With all of the important issues facing the country right now, itâÄôs remarkable that weâÄôre spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses,” said spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt. “It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign.” The business of primping and dressing on the campaign trail has become fraught with political risk in recent years as voters increasingly see an elite Washington out of touch with their values and lifestyles. In 2000, Democrat Al Gore took heat for changing his clothing hues. And in 2006, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) was ribbed for two hair styling sessions that cost about $3,000. Then, there was Democrat John EdwardsâÄô $400 hair cuts in 2007 and Republican McCainâÄôs $520 black leather Ferragamo shoes this year. A review of similar records for the campaign of Democrat Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee turned up no similar spending. But all the spending by other candidates pales in comparison to the GOP outlay for the Alaska governor whose expensive, designer outfits have been the topic of fashion pages and magazines. What hasnâÄôt been apparent is where the clothes came from âÄì her closet back in Wasilla or from the campaign coffers in Washington. The answer can be found inside the RNCâÄôs September monthly financial disclosure report under âÄúitemized coordinated expenditures.âÄù ItâÄôs a report that typically records expenses for direct mail, telephone calls and advertising. Those expenses do show up, but the report also has a new category of spending: âÄúcampaign accessories.âÄù September payments were also made to BarneyâÄôs New York ($789.72) and BloomingdaleâÄôs New York ($5,102.71). MacyâÄôs in Minneapolis, another store fortunate enough to be situated in the Twin Cities that hosted last summerâÄôs Republican National Convention, received three separate payments totaling $9,447.71. The entries also show a few purchases at Pacifier, a top notch baby store, and Steiniauf & Stroller Inc., suggesting $295 was spent to accommodate the littlest Palin to join the campaign trail. An additional $4,902.45 was spent in early September at Atelier, a high-class shopping destination for men. Jeanne Cummings is a reporter with Politico.com. Politico.com has teamed up with The Minnesota Daily to share content for the 2008 presidential campaign.