Sarah Palin sparkle speech jacket: How Tina Fey got the sold-out garment

KTRK logo
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
Palin Jacket: Who Wore It Best
SNL's costume designers duplicate Sarah Palin's beaded bolero jacket.

Who wore the now-iconic sparkly speech sweater better -- Sarah Palin or Tina Fey?

You might think the garments are by the same designer, but one was a last-minute, but high-end knockoff.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin waves as she arrives on stage to endorse Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump during a rally at the Iowa State University
AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

Designer Michelle Smith of Milly created the original worn by Palin, but when it came time for Fey to pick up her Palin persona for "Saturday Night Live" last week, the garment was sold out.

That's when "SNL" costume designers got to work -- major work -- hand-sewing a duplicate of the now-famous bolero for the broadcast. Can you tell the difference?

As Time noted, the real shrug seems to retail for $695. It's unclear how much the "SNL" version cost.