One can say that the recently concluded 65th edition of the Miss Universe pageant, now under ownership of WME/IMG, was a redefinition of the brand.
What defies redefinition however, are the gowns worn by the contestants in the competition. One would expect the Miss Universe stage to be the perfect showcase for elegant and fashion forward creations by up and coming talent from around the world. Yet this year again, as in previous ones, the majority of contestants wore dresses that you would only see in a pageant or at a prom.
A select group of contestants though, did manage to present red carpet looks suitable for the most elegant and classy events.
We are presenting to you the five gown look that we consider pushed the envelope in the right direction during the Preliminary competition of the latest Miss Universe pageant.
In fourth place we have:
MISS ARUBA
Charlene Leslie almost achieved perfection with this very classic look, accompanied by almost perfect styling. This is another example of a very basic gown style made extraordinary by the material used.
How would we improve on this look?
As they say, the devil is in the details. The extra long earrings are the perfect complement for this white column dress and the chignon hairstyle. However, the earrings should have floated right above the shoulders instead of brushing them.
The very uneven line of crystals added to the top of the gown is completely unnecessary and cheapens the look.
Finally the shoes. We understand that Charlene was going for a nude look. However these office shoes are completely unsuitable for an evening gown and do not actually qualify as proper nude shoes (see also “TIPPY TOPS? TIPPY NOTS!”)
As Charlene obviously does not need to create an illusion of height, the ideal footwear would have been some delicate silver sandals or pumps made of the same material as the gown.
The Pageant Consultancy 