Ocasio-Cortez claps back after article on her dress: ‘Sequins are a great accessory to universal healthcare’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez trolled the New York Post on Saturday for posting a story about the dress she wore while appearing on “The View” earlier this week, saying the outlet was “just mad that you can look good fighting for working families.”

The 30-year-old progressive firebrand wrote that she “rents, borrows and thrifts” her clothes because doing so is environmentally sustainable.

“The Post is just mad that you can look good fighting for working families,” she wrote. “Sequins are a great accessory to universal healthcare, don’t you agree?”

Yep! I rent, borrow, and thrift my clothes. (It’s also environmentally sustainable!)

The Post is just mad that you can look good fighting for working families.

Sequins are a great accessory to universal healthcare, don’t you agree? ✨ https://t.co/xdQ65lbpXe

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 22, 2020

The freshman lawmaker was responding to the tabloid’s story, which focused on a single critical tweet that called her a “Democratic socialite” for wearing a $580 Rickie Freeman dress on the ABC talk show.

She has previously spoken about how she had to rely on hand-me-downs from friends when she was running for office.

Earlier this week, Ocasio-Cortez celebrated clothing company M.M.LaFleur in an Instagram Story for offering to lend free clothing to women who are candidates in races up and down the ballot.

“When I was running for office (even now!), accessing clothing for the job was a big challenge both logistically and financially,” she wrote. “As a candidate, a large part of asking people to vote for you is helping them visualize you on the jobs. As a member, that professionalism helps you challenge subconscious bias.” 

Ocasio-Cortez made history in 2018 when she ousted incumbent Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) in the Democratic primary and became the youngest woman elected to Congress that November. 

The self-described democratic socialist has since faced immense scrutiny from conservatives and right-leaning publications, particularly over her appearance.

Eddie Scarry, a reporter with the Washington Examiner, in November faced backlash for tweeting out a picture of Ocasio-Cortez from behind in order to criticize her jacket, which he said looked expensive.

“If I walked into Congress wearing a sack, they would laugh & take a picture of my backside,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted in response. “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.”

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 (@AOC) November 15, 2018

She also fired back at the conservative outlet The Washington Times for publishing an “exclusive” story about the cost of her haircut.

“40 million Americans live in poverty under today’s extreme inequality, yet the right-wing want(s) you to blame Democratic socialism for their own moral failures,” Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “Our policies, like Medicare for All, advance prosperity for working people.”

“They’re just mad we look good doing it,” she quipped.