Bachmann buttons up

Rep. Michele Bachmann appeared recently at a Republican press conference in a very buttoned up navy blue suit:

We've seen the Congresswoman before in seersucker, in sweater sets, in shiny yellow jackets, and we know that she has no qualms about making television appearances with bare arms (not just that one time but all summer on Fox and on the House floor).

But we have not often seen her like this, in a style that is so covered up and...conservative. Bachmann's style has typically been overtly feminine, in the same mode as many Republican women this season, who allude to their values by referencing traditional gender roles in their clothing. This outfit reminds us much more of a corporate board room than one of Sarah Palin's "Mama Grizzlies."