"You look really Liberal"

I never really thought clothing had too much to do with politics. Well, apparently it does. Supposedly I have this "sort of hipster" thing going on, although that's not how I like to describe myself.  In order for this story to make sense, I guess I have to explain what exactly I was wearing. Today, after waking up 8 minutes before class started, I threw on yoga pants, high socks, military boots, a sweater, fingerless gloves and a necklace. After making my way through two classes, I made my way to Sackett to get ready for my German oral exam.  I greeted my other classmate, who was also studying her note card cautiously. 
"So wanna hear a cool story," I heard Jen (that's what I'll call her for the benefit of story telling) say, "well maybe you won't think it's cool, you're kinda hipster so I mean.. you look really liberal."

"I'm sorry... what?" I replied, not trying to show any emotional response to her seemingly passive aggressive comment.

"Well, I mean, you obviously aren't conservative, and most liberals aren't exactly 'into' politics" she casually responded.

I sat there dumbfounded. Really, liberals don't care about politics? Hmm okay.

"I mean, I am an international politics major.. so I follow everything I can" I snapped. There goes that whole 'not trying to show any emotional response' thing.

"I was at this Republican lunch thing today..." she started her story with and telling me in excruciating detail about how she's about to become "DC's next big sandal" or something like that.  She finished her story with "I guess you wouldn't really understand anything about the republican party though.

Newsflash, I already told you I follow politics. So yeah, I do know a thing or two about the republican party, so I proceeded to tell her: "Actually my parents are republicans, so I've been keeping up with the debates and primary elections."

"Awe, you're in the rebellious period!"

I'm sorry what did you say to me? Because no. I'm not. I've known my political views for a while now. So I told her that. Thank god my professor came and got me before she could even reply to my comment.

This led me to a few questions:
1. How can you possibly guess someones political opinions based on clothing and
2. how did she become so good at belittling a person using rhetoric?

We discussed something similiar to this subject in Geography 124.  Women are judged solely on their clothes. Although what I wear has absolutely nothing to do with what I believe, how smart I am or anything of that matter. So lay off what I'm wearing, because I could judge you by your sweatpants, stringy hair, tennis shoes and Vera Bradley backpack, but I have the respect to keep from doing that.  Your terrible personality gave me enough to judge you on.
I think this was the first time since I got to school that I can truly and distinctly remember someone acting like this towards me. When class first started, I couldn't imagine that rhetoric was really used in negative way, it didn't seem like there was anything wrong with it. But today, I became part of a first-hand attack of rhetoric gone bad.  Frankly, I never want to be in that place again.  It makes you feel pretty bad, and I really had no reason to feel that way. It was rude, unnecessary, and maybe she thought she made herself sound really smart, but to me, she just sounded uneducated. 

It wasn't even just the words she used. It was the tone. I think that was the worst part of it. I could tell she was enjoying tearing me down, even though it was completely off base. To me, that's pretty messed up. How could someone enjoy doing that to another person? That's not exactly how I like using rhetoric.

Sorry that you think you're better than everyone because you're a senior, but I could just as easily use rhetoric to belittle you too.  It doesn't make you better than anyone, frankly it just makes you worse.