the much-awaited prom

In the Philippines schools usually hold their JS prom on the month of February and this occasion is considered as a highlight of high school life. Aside from the search for JS prom King and Queen other segments of the program are the reading of the class prophecy, the formal turn-over of the key of responsibility, the class will and testament, cotillion, dancing, etc.

Proms and Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day years back had never been as romantic the way it is scheduled today along with school proms. February is going to be one exciting month for all the girls in the Philippines as they prepare for their prom and Valentine's Day. To be chosen as Prom King and Queen could be the ultimate dream of every girl and boy in this part of the world. Problems that usually crop up around this period is the choice of the right gown, starting with the color, the cut, and the right couturier. Whew! I am glad that was all over for me.

masquerade theme for a debut

It sounds like fun to be going to a gala party where everybody is dressed formally, as in gowns and coats but I do not know if the wearing of masks especially if it's a debut bash would not rob the party-goers the comfort of not having anything that covers the face. For one, masks can be very cumbersome especially those that do not fit well. They can make the wearer feel uncomfortable because it can be hot after a while, and also, its smell can actually suffocate the wearer. Another thing, when one starts to sweat, the make-up would most likely run and ruin the beauty of the wearer when the time to remove the mask comes. One more drawback is the unwanted appearance of gatecrashers or uninvited guests---you never can know. A masquerade party works well during halloween or maybe a JS prom for a change, but for a debut, I don't think the idea will work.

2nd birthday party

My granddaughter and I just returned from a birthday party which a neighbor was having for her daughter who turned two today. It's a simple family affair type of gathering wherein visitors consisted of very close friends and relatives. We were neither, but since our houses are next to each other, we got invited.

Iss Jones, the birthday girl, is half-Filipina and half-American. Her father is an American while her mom is a true-blooded Filipina.

The party was jovial with two major games which made the kids scream with excitement as they tried to grab for the goodies that they were supposed to catch.

Dewey, my grandkid, went home delighted with a balloon and a bag full of candies as her loot.

Here's wishing the cute and pretty little Isabel a very happy birthday!

Underdressed for her prom?

What is it to be underdressed during your prom?

In today's standard, a winning prom gown is one that transforms the wearer into an ultimate beauty, like the magic gown worn by Cinderella to the ball which elicited "oohs and aahs" from both genders, making her the center of attention.

Who does not want to be the center of everybody's admiring eyes? Every girl would want to look her very best during her prom night. And every mother would want her daughter to be the most beautiful on that very night. Mothers would go far and wide looking for the right couturier and designer who could whip up the most elegant gown for their precious darlings.

One such mother thought she made the biggest mistake of her life in consulting the wrong gown maker for her daughter's prom gown. When the design was shown to her, she knew she shouldn't have listened to her. But the gownmaker succeeded in the end to convince her that the gown fitted her daughter perfectly.

The evening of the prom came and the mother was there to see how her daughter compared with others. She was standing next to me and I could hear her muttering, "My daughter is underdressed. My God, I couldn't forgive myself for this. My daughter Annabel is so underdressed". When I looked at the group of gorgeous girls in princess-like gowns, I immediately spotted her daughter and understood what she meant.

While all the other girls were wearing layers and layers of expensive-looking gowns, full blown or gowns fully bursting out occupying much space, the daughter, who I recognized for she was my student, was wearing a gown shaped like a pencil, straight, and slim. It looked very economical, probably using only a meter and a half of cloth for the entire gown.

It's not just the cloth or the number of meters that was so obvious in that gown but it was the "total effect", how it made her look in comparison to all the others around her. She looked like an understatement, she was there but not really. In other words, because of the economy or slimness of the gown, she became lost or almost non-existent.

When everybody else's gowns are screaming with layers of expensive cloth, and yours make you look like a log in vertical position, then you're simply underdressed.

mirror, mirror on the wall....

Prom season in our city in the Philippines happens around February. Schools become alive as junior and senior high school students get all excited about the prom which, in today's highly commercialized world, has become a very expensive school activity.

First the food and the place. It has to be a special place fit to hold a ball for hundreds of students who will come formally dressed in gowns and coats. The cost of the place and the food may already cause parents to squirm.

Then the gown or tuxedo which could be over a couple of thousands. Shoes, accessories like earrings, bracelets, bag, rings, brooch or tiarra may add up to hundreds of bucks.

Some prommers can be nasty and ask for services like spa, hair rebond, facials, manicure and pedicure and the like. These would cost another couple of thousands.

Hair and make-up would run close to a thousand pesos depending on the make-up artist or hair stylist. If you go to the not-so-popular beautician, you may save a few bucks.

In the US, however, and in some parts of the world, the celebration of the JS prom is usually held during mid-May and the complications attached to the party are far from less.

This is an event students look forward to and everybody wants to look extra special. to be chosen as the prom queen is one of the dreams of girls attending the party. Of course, the fairest of them all gets to be crowned "Prom Queen".

What is the best gown to wear to the prom? Any suggestions? You may post your comments here.