Tag: Miss Universe

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.

MASTERCLASS: The Fifth Best Gown Look of the 65th Miss Universe Pageant’s Preliminary Competition

When the Miss Universe Organization was bought by Donald Trump the late Nineties, the Miss Universe pageant went through a self-described Redefinition. One can say that the recently concluded 65th edition of the pageant, now under ownership of WME/IMG, was another rebranding.

What defies redefinition however, are the gowns worn by the contestants in the competition. One could imagine that the Miss Universe stage would be the perfect showcase for elegant and fashion forward creations by up and coming talent from around the world. Yet every year, and this year again, the majority of contestants wears dresses that you would only see in a pageant or at a prom.

Still there are some contestants who manage to present red carpet looks suitable for the most elegant and classy events.

We will present to you the five gown looks that we consider to have pushed the envelope in the right direction during the Preliminary competition of the latest Miss Universe pageant.

Starting in 5th Place:

MISS USA

Deshauna Barber wore a gown of very simple design made eye-catching by the beauty of the material used. The colour looks amazing on her and the classic styling, without much embellishment, completes a look of understated elegance.

How would we have improved on this look?

The matching earrings are too obviously costume jewellery and cheapen the overall result. These earrings, although also costume, are of a richer appearance and would complement the gown beautifully.

Styling Perfection

15073555_10154852033549180_8405151238107485157_n

Anna Burdzy, First Runner-up Miss Universe Great Britain 2014, gives a Master Class in evening gown styling. From the flawless make-up to the perfect accessorising. Most notable is the perfect hairstyle to highlight one of the most beautiful features of a woman, her neck.

Too often we see beauty queens covering their necks with hair, necklaces and gown necks, absolutely not the way to go for evening gown.

Anna, we commend you for your styling perfection.

 

KNOW THE RULES, FOLLOW THE RULES

This year, 2016, will probably be remembered as the Year of the Dethronements, as all over the world pageant winners, local, national and international, are being stripped of their titles. The reasons are quite varied and ultimately it comes down to a violation of the rules of the pageant involved.

As the recent, very sad, case of Genesis Davila clearly illustrates, it is imperative that you know your pageant’s rules and, more importantly, actually follow them.

miss

Genesis’ dream was always to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. In 2012, after finishing as first runner-up to Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2013, Genesis represented her native Puerto Rico at Miss Intercontinental 2012 and ended up as first runner-up again. She later won the title of Miss World Puerto Rico 2014 and competed without placement at Miss World in London. It was evident that Miss World was not the right fit for her and that she was a Miss Universe kind of beauty queen.

genesis-davila-2

Genesis moved to Florida and competed in the state’s prelim for Miss USA and lo and behold she won that title. Once again, she had a shot at the Miss Universe crown through the Miss USA pageant. Then it all came crashing down as Genesis was accused of breaking the Miss Florida USA pageant rules.

The saddest part is that in the scheme of rule violations, hers was a rather minor one. Genesis used professional stylists to prepare her on finals night and this is prohibited by her pageant’s rules.

Rules protect both the organisers and the contestants as they clarify where each stands with regard to the other and what is expected of each. Usually the rules clearly favour the organisers, however as long as they are clearly stated there is no excuse for violations.

When you register for a pageant, you are agreeing to their rules. You may think some of these rules are unnecessary or even ridiculous but you agree to them of your own accord. You give your word that you comply with and will follow all regulations and failure to do so demonstrates a total lack of integrity on your part, no matter what your opinion is of those rules.

So, the first step in joining any pageant is making sure you know all their rules, that you can comply with these and are willing to continue to comply and follow these rules.

Some contestants try to get away with not following the rules. Some even win their pageant. In the long run, the stress of having the Sword of Damocles hanging above their head will preclude them from properly enjoying their triumph. And in this day and digital age, you can be sure that eventually the truth will come out.

If the pageant’s rules are not for you, then the pageant itself is not for you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

13199473_989834577790288_1218633161_o

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–