I think the campaign was right to spend that money on her clothes. If they spent that money on ads, no one would have blinked an eye. If they spent on consultants, speech writers, strategists, etc - it wouldn't have been reported.
Her clothes were an ad. They were part of the image they were trying to project. Her style was part of her message, and it kept people excited and paying attention. What other candidate was being covered in style magazines. No one cared about what Biden was wearing.
I LOVED the outfit she wore to the hockey game (the one where the crowd rudely boo'd her infront of her young daughter). That coat was divine.
I'm a big-haired broad myself (I blame it on being a Leo), so I'm all over the hair.