GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Philippines - Just hours before Manny Pacquiao's grand birthday bash on Thursday (December 17), mom Dionisia Pacquiao decided to do some last-minute shopping and wardrobe tweaking.

Dionisia browsed for accessories at a mall department store in General Santos City around noon.

This was around 7 hours prior to the boxer's big party at the KCC Convention in GenSan.

Pacquiao's mom was looking for a new pair of strappy sandals to wear to the party since she was reportedly uncomfortable with the black pumps she bought in the United States.

The sandals were paired with her amethyst-colored satin gown embellished with rosettes, black lace, sparkly beads and crystal brooches.

As she scoured the sale racks, she practiced her newly acquired "ramp model walk" along the aisles. This was for her grand entrance.

"Mga kasama kong artista, sila nagturo nga ganun, 'nay. (My fellow celebrities taught me how to walk like this). Smart, [like that]," Dionisia said, as she sashayed as if on a catwalk, with her eyes dead set on the ceiling.

Color-coordinated

To match her purple dress, Dionisia had her nails done in mauve polish a day prior to the party. However, she had to have her nails re-painted on Thursday since the polish had chipped.

Purple is reportedly Dionisia Pacquiao's favorite color.

To complete her party outfit, Pacquiao's mom bought herself a black clutch at the GenSan mall. She patiently posed for pictures with fans while shopping.

She also bought flesh-toned stockings to match her ball gown instead of white stockings.

She seemingly followed the advice of a fashion critic and entertainment journalist who recently ranked her among the "10 Worst Celebrity Outfits of 2009" on lifestyle website Spot.PH.

Entertainment writer Melissa Andrea de Quiros and professional fashion stylist Leona Laviña-Panutat had critiqued Dionisia's outfit during her debut-themed 60th birthday party last May.

For a ballroom dance number on that occasion, Dionisia Pacquiao had worn an eggplant-colored satin cocktail dress, white stockings, and lilac heels.

Worst-dressed?

In full regalia, Dionisia Pacquiao at her son's birthday party.

De Quiros said the cocktail dress Dionisia wore at her 60th birthday party this year was "beautiful" but was ruined by the white stockings and pastel-colored dancing shoes.

Panutat was less forgiving, however, about what she described as a "god-awful dress" and "a bridesmaid's dress from hell."

She claimed the dress did not do Dionisia Pacquiao justice.

"It makes you look like a woman trying too hard to regain her youth. I would change the spaghetti straps into thicker ones, maybe make the neck line into a Sabrina cut and get rid of the rhinestone brooch," Panutat wrote.

"I would also replace the white stockings with flesh colored ones and the shoes with black or gold dancing pumps. The effect would be fun yet sophisticated and definitely age-appropriate," the stylist said.

True enough, Dionisia's outfit at her son's 31st birthday party seemingly reflected Panutat's advice: a boat-neck, knee-length embellished gown; flesh-colored stockings; and black sandals. Report from Chat Ansagay, ABS-CBN General Santos City.