In a time when designers try to outbling each other in over-the-top messes, this beautiful creation by Venezuelan designer Douglas Tapia hits all the right notes.
Tag: Miss Earth
Which Pageant System Is Most Suitable To You?
One of the most important factors to consider when making the decision to enter a pageant is which pageant system to compete in. Most systems are similar in the competition format they use, but pageants tend to have differing goals and expectations for and from their winners. So the first question you have to ask yourself is “which system would I be most comfortable becoming and being the winner in?”
As is well-known, all the major beauty pageants, except Miss World, include a swimsuit round. It means that being physically fit is important. Miss Universe used to expect a lot from its contestants in this round, whereas there is evidence that in other systems you can get away with less effort. It used to be that if you were fit enough for Miss Universe, you are ready for the other contests, yet being fit enough for another competition did not mean you were Miss Universe-ready. Therefore one primordial question to consider is “how much effort am I willing to put forth in getting fit?” In pondering this question, please take into account that Miss World also has a fitness round, albeit centred on sport performance rather than physical appearance.
Closely related is the issue of being willing to compete in a swimsuit round. If you are not, then the only real option available to you is the Miss World system. Miss Universe has allowed a Muslim contestant to compete in a burkini and some national pageants, preliminary to an international contest which includes a swimsuit round, have allowed contestants to compete in the swimsuit portion in a different kind of garment, to cover their bodies. Many have applauded this move as empowering to the young women involved. We believe this just allows one individual to impose their will on the organisation and the other participants, therefore disempowering them. Each pageant’s rules are known in advance and if a contestant has any objection to any of the requirements of the contest, she should simply not compete.
Another consideration is whether the competition includes a talent round. Do you have a pageant-worthy talent or do you have time to actually fake one?
Another issue to ponder is the length of the international competition. This can vary from a few days to close to a month. The longer the contest, the more activities there will be and the greater the amount of money you will have to invest in an appropriate wardrobe and the more it will cost you to transport all that wardrobe to the pageant’s venue. It also means you will have to take more time off work or studies. Are you willing to invest all that time and money?
Finally, you have to consider what is expected of the winner of the competition. Some pageants require you to live in their headquarter city for the duration of your reign and travel extensively. This may sound glamorous, but stop to consider whether you really are willing to put your regular life on hold for a period of time and submit your independence to an organisation.
You should enter into a pageant with open eyes, aware of all that is expected of you. If not you could be in for a rude awakening.
MASTERCLASS: The Fourth Best Gown Look of the 65th Miss Universe Pageant’s Preliminary Competition
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.
WHY ARE YOU COMPETING IN A PAGEANT?
Over the many years I have been involved with pageants, I have heard different reasons why young ladies compete in them. Some are very lofty, some are simple and most of them are not the real reason.
The true reason you compete is what will ultimately determine how you react to the outcome of your participation. Therefore, it is primordial that you are very clear on why you are competing and what it would mean if you win or not.
It may very well be that you are not even aware of the real reason you are competing. Any objective that entails personal development, moving out of your comfort zone and challenging yourself, is a good one, because no matter what the outcome you will realise your goal.
Consider though if you are competing to prove your worth to someone else. Off course, if you win you will feel a great sense of accomplishment. If you do not, it will be a tremendous disappointment and you will probably make it mean that now the person(s) must think even less of you. I doubt that is the outcome anyone wants out of their participation in a pageant.
In preparing to compete in a pageant, be brutally honest with yourself. Really take a cold, hard look at your true reason for competing. Find out if you are prepared to deal with the outcome of not winning, given what your real motivation is. You may realise that another avenue of dealing with whatever is bothering you, will be more beneficial for you.
You will find that you are most successful competing in pageants when your ultimate goal is to grow as a human being. For most people, competing is stepping out of their comfort zone and that is probably the greatest benefit you can derive from pageants. At the end of the day, your success is measured by the personal achievement you walk away with and that doesn’t even have to entail a crown.
“TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF”, Part 1
It only lasts about 3 minutes and all you have to do is talk about yourself. It should be the easiest part about competing in a pageant, right? NOT!
One the parts of pageants that makes contestants most nervous is the personal interview. Yet, you can easily prepare yourself for it because you talk about a subject you should know everything about.
The interview is the part where the judges evaluate whether you got what it takes to fulfil the duties that come with the title you are vying for. Pageant directors instruct the judges which are the qualities to look for and these can vary per competition. Yet in big lines it is all about being able to carry out a conversation, while being engaging and composed.
When I started in pageants, each contestant would get 3 minutes with each judge. This worked because we had 10 contestants and 5 judges. In most pageants nowadays, because of the large number of contestants, each participant gets 3 minutes with the whole panel of judges.
In some international pageants, a group of delegates gets interviewed at the same time by the whole panel. In my opinion, this is a waste of everyone’s time because it hardly gives a judge the opportunity to say good afternoon to the delegate.
Three minutes does not sound like a long time, yet it can be if the conversation does not flow. This is the key to a great interview and to give a great interview you need to prepare yourself. Preparation is not difficult, but it is time consuming.
The first step is to make a list of:
- your likes and dislikes
- people you admire and those who irk you
- your accomplishments
- things you want to accomplish
Next step is to look at why all those things are on your list, i.e. why do you wish to become an accountant?
Next, think of the event(s) in your life which determined the way you feel about the things on your list, i.e. did winning a math competition make you decide you wanted to work with numbers?
You should also keep abreast of current events and have an opinion about them. Again, look at what led you to form that specific opinion.
It is important to have clear plans for the future. Where do you want to go, how do you plan to get there and do you have the necessary tools to get there. For instance, it is very laudable to want to become a doctor of medicine. However, if you do not have the required secondary education, it is not a very realistic goal. So, be very realistic in your ambitions.
All these steps serve for you to have a clear understanding of who you are and how you got to be that way. Next, we will look at how to present what you know about yourself in the personal interview.
So, get pencil and paper and start making those lists!
NOTEWORTHY: This is How You Do Pageant Photography
Zara Nortley, Miss Galaxy England 2016
Photographer: Stacey Clarke
Make-up: Sascha Martini
NOTEWORTHY: Gowns with nude material
THIS IS HOW YOU ROCK A NUDE FABRIC GOWN:
AND THIS IS HOW YOU DO NOT:
WINNING (HAIR) STYLES
Miss Venezuela 2012, Irene Sofía Esser Quintero, poses in her evening gown at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. She will spend the next few weeks touring, filming, rehearsing, and making new friends while she prepares to compete for the coveted Miss Universe Diamond Nexus Labs Crown. Tune in to the LIVE NBC Telecast from PH Live at 8:00 PM ET on December 19, 2012 to see who will win the title of MISS UNIVERSE® 2012.?HO/Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP–LIGHT RETOUCHING–
Miss Switzerland 2012, Alina Buchschacher, poses in her evening gown at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, in Las Vegas, Nevada. She will spend the next few weeks touring, filming, rehearsing, and making new friends while she prepares to compete for the coveted Miss Universe Diamond Nexus Labs Crown. Tune in to the LIVE NBC Telecast from PH Live at 8:00 PM ET on December 19, 2012 to see who will win the title of MISS UNIVERSE® 2012.?HO/Miss Universe Organization L.P., LLLP–LIGHT RETOUCHING–
FOR THE BEAUTY, THE SPLENDOR, THE WONDER OF MY…
VARIATIONS ON THE COLUMN DRESS
The Pageant Consultancy 