The Star Awards 1997 Beauty Looks That Were Bold, Brave, But Also A Bit Baffling

Each year, the Star Awards delivers its fair share of sparkle and spectacle, with local celebs either slaying or… well, trying on the red carpet. With the biggest night in local TV just around the corner on July 6, we took a nostalgic scroll through the archives (that's a story brewing for another day), and it was the class of '97 that stopped us in our tracks (and raised some eyebrows). From headscratching moments to beauty looks so bad they're good, here's what caught our eye.

Coloured streaks and big hair

Coloured streaks and hair extensions were the height of cool in the noughties, but not in the subtle, seamless way we see today on your favourite K-pop girl groups. Nope, these were loud and proud and unmissable. Think eye-catching strands in electrifying hues, from shocking blue to crimson red.

Chen Liping

Chen Liping definitely gave us an "Aiyoyo!" moment with bold blue hair extensions clipped into her black bob. The high-voltage streaks paired with her green eye shadow, pencil-thin 90s eyebrows, and berry lips are a stark reminder of our, erm, experimental teen phase. That's not all — she matched her hair to her cardi, too. A for effort.

Carole Lin

In the same vein, Best Actress winner Carole Lin sported crimson hair extensions, on top of a prom hair-meets-bird's nest updo. We do wish she'd gone for full-on dyed streaks though, instead of the awkwardly attached extensions.

Aileen Tan

Speaking of big hair, the '90s were a time when bigger was better, and it wasn't just Carole Lin who sported a poufy hairdo. Aileen Tan also took her hairstyle to greater heights with this asymmetric updo that spilled into a fringe.

Unapologetically loud makeup

And then there was the makeup. From geisha-inspired looks to dramatic blue eyeshadow, stars really went all out with bold choices. Still, they deserve plus points for fearless creativity — because sometimes, you’ve got to break the rules to make a statement.

Fann Wong

The Teochew opera troupe called and asked for their glam squad back. Fann Wong's 1997 Star Awards look was nothing short of theatrical, with OTT eyeshadow and a case of blush blindness before it even became a thing. But well, at least it highlighted those sculpted cheekbones. Not only that, the Caldecott Princess sported falsies so exaggerated even Lady Gaga might have taken notes.

Fann also wore her hair in a fashion similar to the Japanese hime hairstyle and might we say, the whole look's actually kind of, kawaii?

Cassandra See

Former actress Cassandra See also leaned into a similar beauty direction. But in her case, it looked more geisha than opera, especially with the pale foundation and scarlet lips. But that's where the resemblance ends. She opted to pair it with a braided look, which was bold and kind of baffling, but there's no denying it made a statement.

Jacelyn Tay

The 90s were all about the blue eyeshadow done in every possible way. For Jacelyn Tay, go big or go home was the mantra for the night, and we're not just talking about the ultra-winged blue eyeshadow. You couldn't quite miss Jacelyn in that glittery wrapped updo — which also reminds us of Dao Ming Si's (Jerry Yan) iconic 'pineapple hair' in 2001 Taiwanese drama Meteor Garden. Millennials, iykyk.

Face tattoos

Ann Kok

Ann Kok may have taken a more pared-back approach (compared to her fellow stars, at least), but she wasn’t about to fade into the background. She opted for floral face embellishments, a prominent Y2K trend that also made a return as recently as 2023.

Bonus: Christopher Lee's apron ensemble

We have to give it to the actor for always serving memorable looks. At the 1997 Star Awards, he rolled up in an apron over a white shirt (paired with a bowl cut-style fringe) that saw its fair share of raised eyebrows back in the year. But we say Chris was ahead of the curve, especially now that his cooking variety show Dishing With Chris Lee S2 is up for a nomination this year. Honestly, we think he should bring back this fit for a full-circle fashion moment.