Fashion Tribe: Margaret Cho, funny to fashionable

Betabrand photos
Comedian Margaret Cho about to expand fashion footprint with Solitaire.

She’s played an “All American Girl,” Kim Jong-Il and Kim Jong-Un, and one of our favorite fashion personalities Lynne O’Neill, on “Sex and the City,” but few know of Margaret Cho’s other role, as fashion designer.

After taking up bellydancing, Cho started her own line of Hip Wear bellydance belts and accessories in 2006. Now, she’s teamed up with Betabrand to create the Solitaire, a multi-pocket jumpsuit that allows you to move freely about the world sans purse, handbag or clutch.

Cho invites you to kick your purse to the curb and make your way through life with hands-free abandon.

Betabrand is a San Francisco-based online clothing company that designs, manufactures and crowdfunds innovative or quirky threads into existence with a little guidance from online followers who are able to offer critiques before the projects go into production.

Some of the company’s hits include Dress Pant Yoga Pants, Executive Hoodies, Space Jackets and Gay Jeans that wear down to reveal rainbow-colored threads.

In her Betabrand introductory bio, the comedian said, “I created The Solitaire because I wanted the perfect outfit. I wanted something that could carry all my essentials: my credit card, cash, ID, lipstick, keys, and smartphone.

I want to walk the earth freely without a handbag or anything else to hold me back from my journey, my destiny.”

Her styling advice: “You can dress it up, with heels and jewelry, or you can get really sporty with it via combat boots and a matte lipstick. Anyway you dress it, you look amazing. All your stuff sits neatly in the zippered pockets. You can take on the world with both hands.”

As of this writing, the Solitaire is a Think Tank item in need of crowdfunding, offered at $159.80. There are only eight left to be purchased within 14 days. Take a look at it here: http://bit.ly/1youOwS

Perfect for everything from running errands to date night.

Invisible, zipped chest pocket.

Every girl-on-the-go I know loves pockets. The Solitaire also has slanted side pockets, zippered cargo pockets and in-seam back pockets.
——————
Nadine Kam is Style Editor and staff restaurant critic at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser; her coverage is in print on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact her via email at nkam@staradvertiser.com and follow her on Twitter, Instagram and Rebel Mouse.

After the Globes

Getty Images
My choice for best dressed, Anne Hathaway in Armani Privé. Total movie-star dazzle.

The day after the Golden Globes, here's another 2 cents on the way they wore.

Of course the women tried their best, as usual, to wow the paparazzi and the viewers at home. But the men really stepped up their game this year. They seem to be getting the message that they need to match the women in the appearances game. Even the normally unkempt Johnny Depp put on a suit and looked quite dapper. The hair was still disheveled but women love him for just that sort of rapscallion contrariness and swagger, right?

As for the women, I usually complain about how boring a gown can be. Across the Internet, there were raves about Angelina Jolie's green gown, but from a distance, it looked like some forlorn, matronly dress you'd find at the end of the line at Ross's. There were a lot of actresses, like Michelle Wiliams, who tried stepping out of the box, without much success. I appreciate the attempt, though. It does make the red-carpet watch more interesting.

A more polished Johnny Depp.

Christian Bale went with a classic black-on-black look, as did Jeremy Renner.

I love, love, love the very talented Michelle Williams. This flower power dress from Valentino is a cute match for the fresh, vulnerable persona and pixie-ish beauty that comes across in films, but for red carpet, it looks more like a day dress. The color fades into the background rather than calls attention to her star power.

January Jones dress is winning points in voter polls across the Internet, including the Huffington Post. I can only imagine it's men doing the voting on this one. This is so trashy and tacky, not to mention blending into the red carpet except for one, I mean two, things. So gross. Who does she think she's selling herself to? Surely in L.A., there's dozens of hotel lobby bars for that.

Robert Downey Jr. wore Prada, but the suit didn't seem to fit him properly. He also appeared on stage with his jacket pulling, and sleeves disheveled. It looked as if he'd just come back from the restroom without checking himself in the mirror.

A lot of viewers seem to have disliked Natalie Portman's Viktor & Rolf gown, the rose, especially, but I thought it was symbolic of the sweet blush of her pending motherhood.

This Marchesa dress looked amazing when Olivia Wilde was on stage. I loved the cut and sharp angles of the skirt as it falls.

There's rarely a shortage of candidates for worst dressed, but Helena Bonham Carter in Vivienne Westwood is certainly one of them. I got the mismatching shoe statement out of my system when I was 14.

The Golden Globes isn't "Little Shop of Horrors," but Jennifer Love Hewitt looks as if she's being swallowed up by the carnivorous plant Audrey.