Rewind: 7 Party Looks to Cringe Back On

Last night was our annual office holiday party. Save for the first one (which was held in the office parking lot in 2007 and which I missed; and an early kick-off event in the NBC Tent back in 2008), the shindigs were held at the World Trade Center every January. This year’s party was dubbed “Rewind,” which looked back on all our company’s years of growth, and how we are looking forward to all the new challenges and changes after. There were a lot of murmurs that this would be the “last hurrah” before “we all go our separate ways (or buildings?).” Hmn…

Looking at the pictures, I could hardly believe it was already a year since the last one! My process’ group was quite small last night, which was a bit sad, but still, last night’s festivities and antics also showed how close our little family has gotten. And we’re still the same camera-hungry, dance-floor-hogging party revelers and merry drinkers year in and year out! 

So for fun (I don’t know if you’ll think likewise, but I certainly had fun looking back at my own chakaness from the recent past haha!), I went back and found pictures of me during the previous parties I have attended. Most (if not all) were definitely cringe-worthy, what-was-I-thinking evidence of bad make-up, dress/color choice, lighting, smile and alarming weight-loss that made me wonder if I changed genders sometime in the last few years?

 Happy okraying!

Glam Nation, 2007. My dress was designed by my late friend Janno Farrales when he was just starting out (he designed Judy Ann Santos’ yellow pleather dress on a Preview cover that same year). I had Morticia Addams-inspired black hair was because, after months learning how to dye my own hair, it turned a bright, horrifying shade of orange-brown so I covered it all up with some permanent black goo.

Discovolution, 2008. We did retro 60's to 80’s so I decided on some metallic gray dress that I bought just a couple of hours before the party. It did nothing for my skin tone whatsoever. And what’s with the pandesal-bouffant hair?

Kick-Off Party, 2009. I forgot what the theme was. Apparently, it looks like I forgot to eat for the most part of that year, too. This was my skinniest look ever. Mukha kong lalaking scary! Bad romance can do that. Ewww. I loved my lace black dress, though, although with my too-thin frame and dark complexion, black was not flattering at all. Same goes for my Rihanna-wannabe 'do, but I kinda want this pixie cut again!

2010. Again, I forgot what the theme was, but it looks like I haven’t forgotten my penchant for shiny dresses; this time I think I did a bit better than the silver number from a couple years back. I liked the color and how it complemented my skin, and the knitted fabric made it easy to wear and did not reveal too much. This was also my chubbiest (aside from when I was preggo) but I was growing out my hair and bangs, hence the outdated ponytail. But gosh, I wanna be this healthy again hihi!

Black Party, 2011. I tried curling my hair and I ended up with wet-looking, stringy curls. I had my dress made but the seamstress didn’t really get my idea so my envisioned matte-black, mesh-backed dress ended up as a nondescript, star-satiny blah dress. Hay. Saved by my uber-red lips na lang. Also, I forgot half of this night due to extreme intoxication. But I did remember getting up onstage for some game SamY, one of the hosts, ran, but I forgot to get my prize (apparently I won but was too drunk to claim it). Never again. :)

Vegas Party, 2012. My first time to party sober! I was just six days into my month-long, self-imposed alcohol embargo (see here why I didn't drink that night). Back then, people can’t believe I was NOT drinking and kept shoving alcohol under my nose. I wore a sleeveless sequined top my mom gave me for Christmas and a navy bandage micro-mini. I had ruler-straight hair with bangs. I spent most of the night sipping iced tea in a dark corner and running from the free-flowing beer taps so not many decent pics of me haha!

Rewind, 2013. I wore a white, long-sleeved lace dress I got from Cotton On in HK, same grey pumps from last year and pulled up my bob into a pony and clamped some curly hair-extensions. I did not know how to style my hair, but looking back now, I wish I had worn my hair short kasi lagi na pala ko long hair. Plus, better undies and a stronger lip color. Fail ang smoky eyes and nude lippie haha! And my unforgiving dress keeps revealing my newly-acquired pooch stomach (which was pumped full of iced tea; no drinks for this lady again this year). :)

Oh, well, there’s still next year. Or, is there?!