Holopirek: 'Fashion' takes over 'American Idol'

Monday, April 23, 2007

Season six of American Idol has proved vexing for many of its fans. Not only have America’s votes been all over the place, but the focus of this year’s competition has changed from the performers’ singing to their fashion sense. It’s no wonder fans are confused about whom to vote for.

Contestants have caught on to this new trend though. Two of the Top 24 contestants used their fashion sense for weeks to further themselves in the competition. Haley Scarnato, from San Antonio, made it all the way to the Top 8, and Sanjaya Malakar, from Federal Way, Wash., made it into the Top 7, finally getting voted off last week.

While Scarnato’s fashion sense mostly consisted of strutting her long, tan legs across the stage, Malakar managed to peak the nation’s interest with a wacky new hairdo and wardrobe each time he took the stage.

Now that Malakar and his nonexistent talent have been voted off, it is necessary to pay tribute to his ever-budding “character” on the show so that others may learn the tricks of the scamp in disguise.

During Malakar’s eight-week stay, he sported everything from a drifting wanderer’s outfit with blah, non-styled hair to a piano man’s white and black suit with slicked back hair in a bob.

It’s obvious his style choices were intentional. If not, spectators and radio talk show hosts wouldn’t have been blabbing on and on the day after each show, dissecting Malakar’s looks.

A little more than halfway through the Top 24, Malakar came out bold and springy with the “pony-hawk” — a Mohawk created by putting his hair in several frizzed-out pony tails. Does anyone remember the song he sang while sporting this do? No. Why? Everyone was laughing through the entire performance and asking themselves, “What the f***?”

In his last performance, Malakar sported a red bandana that he must have thought shouted “I’m all country!” Instead, his look was reminiscent of a Diana Ross-bad hair day that couldn’t be tamed by product so instead had to be roped in by a bandana. A hoe-down might have been more suitable complete with cowboy hat, chaps, a big belt buckle and shit kickers.

One other performance sticks out in the mind. During jazz night, Malakar came out in a white suit with a black shirt underneath. His hair was slicked back in a bob and a cheesy grin radiated off his face. While the look was fitting for jazz night and his song, “Cheek to cheek,” I think anyone could have mistook him for a grown-up version of Alfalfa from “Little Rascals.”

For those of you wanting to try out for American Idol next season, don’t forget that incorporating eccentric looks into your wardrobe isn’t necessarily a bad thing to do on this show. If this trend continues, a crazy fashion sense might just what you need to get you into the Top 12. From there, No. 1’s not so far away.

Holopirek is an Otis graduate student in journalism.

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