Promtacular Issue: A Tomboy and Plain Jane transformed for prom

This just in: Makeovers never get old.

Whenever YStyle holds its annual prom makeover, girls from all over Manila (and, sometimes, neighboring provinces) e-mail us hoping to win the motherload of makeovers. This time, an entire outfit — including accessories — from The Ramp at Crossings and a beauty makeover courtesy of MAC and hairstylist Alee Benson make up the prize.

With over a couple hundred entries, two girls in particular stood out. One, a tomboy with fantasies of getting glammed up, and the other, a sweetly-dressed, self-confessed “Plain Jane” with a hankering for a dramatic, sexy ensemble.

Read on to see the transformation.

The Plain Jane: Liza dela Cruz

The 15-year-old from Philippine Pasay Chung Hua Academy wrote to us, pleading for a more sophisticated look. “I deserve this makeover because I want to show my friends and family that I’m more than just a plain, ordinary girl, but someone who can be confident in a fabulous dress and makeup,” she writes. “Someone who can strut in high heels.”

It didn’t take much convincing to see that Liza, who tends to favor pastel palettes, was in dire need of a change.

The dress: The hunt for a prom gown began with asking Liza about her key palette. Black and gray were her favorite colors — though she came attired for the fitting and shoot in bright tops and jeans. We found a slinky Calvin Klein-inspired floor-length number with long sleeves, a figure-hugging silhouette and a dramatically scooped back by The Ramp’s in-house label Amber. We paired it with a vest by Possibility, to camouflage the low back decolleté and give the sophisticated dress a younger vibe.

The accessories: To complete the ensemble, a fan-shaped clutch with gold detailing on the clasp, gilt-trimmed lace-up heels by The Ramp and matching chunky gold cuffs gave it depth.

Bold case: A minimalist gown by Amber at The Ramp is a refreshing alternative to all the flounce on parade.

The makeup: Soft sophistication is key here. Makeup artist Zeldy Liquigan created a soft smokey eye to add drama and finished the look with cherry lips — “to pop against all that black.”

The hair: Hairstylist Alee Benson noted her too-brief bangs. “I’ll give her a fuller fringe which gives her this impish look,” he explains. He chopped off a good couple inches of hair, trimming and shaping to form his version of the China Chop. For prom, to set off the dramatic length of the gown, he suggests an updo to show off the new bangs. Liza is a fan. “My favorite part of the makeover is the hairstyling,” she says. “It’s been years since I had bangs. And I love the cropped cut.”

The results: Though the minimalist gown tends to be a favorite of the older set, this slinky number is a relief against the full-skirted gowns that tend to populate proms these days. The vest keeps things young while the hair and makeup is fresh and youth-friendly. “The winged liner is very cute,” Liza says, “and I like that the blush looks natural.”

Her final word? “I think my friends are going to say, ‘Oooh Liza, is that you? We didn’t recognize you. You look great. Keep your hair like that.’”

The Tomboy: Kat Bonillo

At Sacred Heart Academy, the 15-year-old junior is considered a tomboy by her peers. “I’ve had this boyish façade for far too long, everyone’s gotten used to it,” she writes to us via email. “This makes it difficult for me to turn myself into one of the girls.”

She won us over with this particular gem: “Of course, I won’t expect a boy to dance with me. I would just like to look presentable — enough to have at least one of my friends tell me that I am beautiful, even for just that night!” Cue the “awwws.”

With her heart-shaped face and thickly-fringed eyes, Kat is clearly a cutie who just needs to get out of her jeans and T-shirt shell. For the makeover, she wanted a look that was feminine and romantic without veering into sickly-sweet territory.

The solution? A dress with a little edge and the same spunky spirit Kat is known for with some ladylike details to show off her new side.

The dress: It was love at first fit. When Kat slipped on a fun purple minidress by Amber, we instantly knew it was The One. A body-hugging mini with Grecian panels in tulle on each side, it was equal parts feminine and fun. “I really like the dress itself,” Kat says. “It hides my husky physique. I’m nervous and thrilled at the same time just thinking about wearing it to the prom.”

The makeup: Sweet pastels offered a counterpoint to the boldness of the dress. An easy swipe of mascara to highlight her eyes, pink blush and lipstick highlight her feminine features.

The hair: Alee softened her look by adding a long sideswept bang and a few layers to lessen the volume, making it easier to manage and curl. Kat spends most of her time in ponytails so a goddess-inspired ‘do seemed like a sound departure from her original style.

The result: “After they did my makeup, I got to look at myself in the mirror and I almost didn’t recognize myself. It was really great! I think, though, I still need to get used to wearing makeup,” Kat says with a laugh.