Who will win?
Mahalo to all those who cast their vote! We received a tremendous response. Results for the "You Look FAB-ulous" make-over contest will be released in a future edition of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, so stay tuned!
The call for candidates for our "You Look FAB-ulous" makeover contest turned up a lot of match-makers -- mostly pairs of women seeking to turn shy-but-good-catch material into studly Lotharios, with the notion that a haircut, a change of clothes and a nice bachelor pad is what it takes to turn a woman's head. It's the Cinderella story, retooled for guys.
Contest entries also showed that a lot of you have friends with a sense of humor, as long as the joke's on someone else! All those open-mouthed photos. Tsk, tsk.
Mostly we were stunned by the outpouring of need that accompanied the women's stories. Given the light-hearted nature of the "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" Bravo TV program that inspired the initial makeover of our entertainment writer John Berger and this contest, we weren't prepared for the nearly life-or-death tone of submissions we received.
We're surprised more candidates didn't end up pummeling friends and families for entering their names. Of course then we had to break the news to potential candidates and were turned down in some cases, as by a financial planner whose planning includes "2-week-old, reused puka socks."
Entrants also represented the 35-and-older crowd, marking that magic age at which youth starts to give way to the middle age "no-turning-back" stage at which one realizes the little paunch around one's belly has morphed from cute to beastly, or worse. We feel for you, man.
That's why narrowing the field was tough. Everyone who entered was deserving of a little pampering. Nevertheless, it had to be done, and we have chosen five men and five women finalists.
Now it's your turn
We're asking readers to read the bios of our finalists, then cast votes to help us choose our two makeover winners -- one man and one woman. They and their homes will be polished, pampered, dressed, and we'll show you the results in a future issue.
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FAB-ulous Finalists
Here are our FAB-ulous 10 makeover finalists, but bleeding hearts that we are, we couldn't pick the winners alone. So read the bios and help us. Vote for the one man and one woman you think could use the most help.THE MEN
Subject: Mike Hu
Nominated by: Himself
Occupation: Punahou School science teacher
Current fashion sense: Cheap, old, gassy, overweight Chinese man fashion. Since I teach science and work in a school lab, I wear the junkiest clothes possible and still meet school dress policy. Over decades of teaching, my junkiest-clothes policy has filtered into all areas of dress. I wear decades-old school tennis shirts and a colleague once said that my aloha shirts looked like the really bad Midwestern comforter covers in his aunt's house. The last time I had to chaperone a prom I went to Savers to get a long-sleeve shirt that looked like it came from the '60s.
Current home ambience: Too tired parents, two children clutter. We have one bedroom piled high with junk. If we ever have guests, we're in trouble.
Why a makeover is needed: Since the kids arrived, I have not had a minute to spare to think about how I look, how I feel and how to deal with the clutter in my home. A makeover would make me want to take better care of myself.
How a makeover would be life-changing: The jolt of a makeover would start the process of bringing simplicity and harmony into my life. Once I know how to take care of myself and my wardrobe, it would be a simple matter to maintain it.
Subject: Kevin Murray
Nominated by: Co-workers
Occupation: Insurance salesman and retired Navy Chief Petty Officer
Current fashion sense: This is a fashion emergency! Kevin's current fashion sense consists of a handful of bowling shirts interspersed with outdated (do you recall Member's Only) golf shirts. On Fridays, he beams with pride as he sports his collection of Kmart aloha shirts. Fake leather, velvet-type slip-on shoes accent his wardrobe. His hairstyle is reminiscent of the 1950s Brylcreem-slicked hairdos last sported by Ward Cleaver in "Leave it to Beaver." A matching Wilfred Brimley, walrus-type mustache accents his retro look. Not a flattering fashion statement overall.
Current home ambience: Women beware!!! The ambience is typical bachelor decor: Dirty clothes piled everywhere, food left out overnight, 747-sized roaches buzzing around in the middle of the night.
Why a makeover is needed: He's desperate for a hot date.
How a makeover would be life-changing: By turning the fashion nightmare into the Fairy Godfather of Fashion, Kevin will be transformed from living and feeling like Archie Bunker into a FAB-ulous George Clooney lifestyle. This man served his country. Please do your part in Saving Private Kevin!
Subject:
Adam Ari Pack
Nominated by: Co-workers
Occupation: Assistant director of the Kewalo Basin Marine Mammal Lab
Current fashion sense: Ummm ... none?
Current home ambience: Well, if the state of his office is any indication, frightening.
Why a makeover is needed: Adam has been extremely focused on his research and his professional life ever since we have known him. His look needs updating and he needs the confidence a chic outfit an a good hair day would give him.
How a makeover would be life-changing: We think it is time Adam settled down with the right woman. To that end, this makeover is exactly what he needs!
Subject: Tim Potter (bottom left)
Nominated by: Wife, Alice Potter
Occupation: Maintenance superintendent
Current fashion sense: -10 on a scale of 0 to 10. Gets haircuts from the guys at work ... wears T-shirts with holes and slippers everywhere when he does not have to get dressed up; shirts are wrinkled; pairs black shoes with brown belts; a rabid Raiders fan ... need I say more?
Current home ambience: His areas -- family room with junky pool table and band equipment, garage, back-yard storage -- are a mess; rest of the house is not bad.
Why a makeover is needed: Tim is a professional who looks (and sometimes acts) like he's still in college. He is clueless when it comes to hair and clothes. Since July he's lost 15 pounds and an exterior makeover would be nice to go along with his interior makeover.
How a makeover would be life-changing: It will make him so hot that it will bring the zing back to our marriage.
Subject:
Chris Teves
Nominated by: Co-workers
Occupation: Graphic artist
Current fashion sense: Aloha shirt and tennis shoes
Current home ambience: Cluttered but livable
Why a makeover is needed: Chris works in an arty and creative profession. He could stand to look more "cutting edge." He's really funny and still attracts beautiful women, even though he wears tennis shoes to work. A co-worker recently asked him, "How many months are you?" We think he's still healing from this remark.
How a makeover would be life-changing: He's engaged so it might make him a better companion for life. Plus, some tutoring in diet and health would benefit him in the long run.
THE WOMEN
Subject: Sabrina Balonzo
Nominated by: Sister, Barbie Ka'apa
Occupation: Scale operator
Current fashion sense: None
Current home ambience: Pleasant, loving
Why a makeover is needed: She is a little overweight and has always been concerned about the way she looks. She has tried diet after diet and spent hundreds of dollars trying to find something to help her lose weight but always seems to come up short. She never gets out of the car when she drops off or picks her daughter up from school. She thinks it will only embarrass her.
How a makeover would be life-changing: I love my sister, and she knows that, but I wish she could love and feel good about herself, even if it's just for a little while.
Subject:
Taniaz Voss
Nominated by: Husband
Occupation: Housewife
Current fashion sense: Sporty
Current home ambience: Romantic, grape vines and roses
Why a makeover is needed: My wife has lost more than 100 pounds and still wears oversized clothing, just with a belt. She has not cut her hair in three years; long, yes ... fashionable, no.
How a makeover would be life-changing: A makeover would be the first step in changing her appearance after losing weight. As a mother of twins, and as a community and church volunteer, she doesn't have time to think about herself
Subject: Kayoko Kiyota
Nominated by: Daughter, Denise Kiyota
Occupation: Restaurant/bar owner
Current fashion sense: Plain. She's always at work and doesn't have time to think about clothes, so people tease her because she wears the same thing every day: Simple shirt, beige or black, with a simple long-sleeved shirt.
Current home ambience: Mismatched. Eclectic, but not in a good way. Some furniture is bamboo, some brass. The kitchen has yellow counters, I don't know if it's from the '70s.
Why a makeover is needed: Mom needs a new life. Dad left and she's left with taking care of the business and sending three kids to college. We had to sell our house and start all over.
How a makeover would be life-changing: I want to see mom find a little happiness and smile again.
Subject:
Cheryl Soto
Nominated by: Herself
Occupation: Housewife
Current fashion sense: Just had my third baby
Current home ambience: Just moved into house
Why a makeover is needed: Changed fashion choice from stylish to practical due to weight gain from pregnancies, and during the adjustment from the climate changes involved in moving from Alaska to New York to Hawaii.
How would a makeover be life-changing: I want to feel like a woman again, and not just an everyday mother.
Subject: Jami-Marie Kong
Nominated by: Daughter, Tiona Kong
Occupation: Prep cook
Current fashion sense: No words can describe her fashion. On a normal day she wears shorts, shirt and a baseball cap. On better days she wears a plaid jacket, shorts and we can't forget the baseball cap. The nicest thing I have seen her wear is a Manuheali'i dress (a rare sight).
Current home ambience: OK, I guess.
Why a makeover is needed: Because she is beautiful, but after my dad died she quit caring.
How would a makeover be life-changing: I still see the beauty in her that she needs to see to build her self-esteem to where it should be.
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Who needs the most help?
Deadline: Friday at 6 p.m.
Which of these candidates is most in need of a makeover by our own "Queer Eye" panel? The top vote-getters will come under the care and guidance of our Fab 5 crew, from personal appearance to their personal living space.
The Men
The Women
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