PRINTGlitz is their crowning glory
Beauty pageant fashion spurns the rules of haute couture
Courtesy Brittany Davis
Brittany Davis sings opera during the Miss Audrain 2006 pageant.
November 30, 2006 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Truckloads of sparkle, enormous white ball gowns and 5-inch heels are not what the average American woman considers high fashion. But for a beauty queen, they are wardrobe essentials. You might not find such clothing in the pages of Vogue, but the pageant world has its own fashion rules.
“I’d like to think that I have some fashion sense,” says Brittany Davis, an MU senior who currently holds the titles of Miss Audrain 2006 and Miss Gateway to the West 2007. Instead of hiring a stylist to help select pageant-ready outfits, this aspiring fashion editor has always done her own shopping. Advice, however, is never refused. Davis’ mother, Lynnda, a former Mrs. California, helped initiate her daughter into the secrets of pageant dress when Davis participated in her first pageant when she was 17 years old.
Pageant contestants share four must-know tips that ensure every participant is her most sparkling self. Follow their advice to make sure you are ready to take the stage.
Stripper shoes
With evening attire, many participants wear clear 5-inch acrylic heels. These shoes are difficult to find, so many contestants patronize stripper stores. Retailers such as Snaz 57 and Sexy Shoe Siren will often solicit pageant participants on their Web sites.
Butt glue
No wedgies for these ladies. Contestants use spray glue to ensure their swimsuits don’t stray into the nether regions.
Eye shadow cleavage
Some participants use skin-toned eye shadow to draw a line down the middle of their chest, which gives the appearance of a larger bust.
Double-sided tape
Two-sided tape is the cheap, classic solution to prevent embarrassing exposures on stage.
Brittany Davis and Crystal Short sign autographs in Mexico, Mo., during the final days of ...
“Pageant people want a lot of sparkle,” Davis says. “You need to take the ordinary and make it stand out.” While most females over the age of 5 cringe at the thought of being decked out in head-to-toe glitter, pageant women use shiny accessories to draw attention to themselves on stage. For example, Davis recently added jewels to a pair of jeans that needed that extra something to catch the judges’ eyes.
That extra sparkle is one of the things that creates a divide between what is considered high fashion in the pageant world versus the runway. It’s a safe bet that Sherri Hill, one of pageant wear’s most exclusive designers, and Marc Jacobs won’t turn out the same spring line. “The pageant industry does not care for avant-garde,” Davis says. She speculates this is because the higher-ups in the pageantry world are often middle-aged judges who are probably not following fashion week’s decree for the hottest looks.
Davis says pageant judges tend to consider whatever trends mainstream American girls are wearing to be “in.” That means “mall fashion,” such as above-the-waist belts and headbands, are currently considered the height of pageant fashion. “If I were to dress too ‘out there’ in fashion and wear something from, say, Urban Outfitters, they would look at me funny,” says Davis, who describes her street style as free-spirited and eclectic. “The pageant girl is not really that. The pageant girl is a mainstream fashionista who shops at Dillard’s.”
Davis predicts pageant trends won’t make the jump to high fashion anytime soon. She says participants study what past winners wore and make future purchases accordingly. They think if they dress like the queens, the crown will be within reach.
Me’Lisa Enyard, an MU freshman who holds the title of Miss Moberly 2006, says velvet is a popular choice in evening wear, as is anything that flows well on stage. Davis adds that strapless dresses with fitted, beaded bodices and sarong-style bottoms are staples of the evening wear competition. White gowns are perpetual winners, whereas puffy gowns are decidedly out. “That’s more of a teen thing,” MU senior and pageant contestant Debra Phelps says. “Older girls want something that is slim cut, elegant and figure flattering.”
It doesn’t matter whether contestants choose one piece or two, but swimwear is an important segment of the competition. Glamour Suits are custom-made, heavily padded swimsuits that are in high demand in the pageant world. The suits, produced in Mississippi, can run upwards of $200 and are made of fabrics such as velvet and adorned with rhinestones. The suits are cut high on the waist to show the legs off. Davis says most women shun store-bought suits because, under certain stage lights, they become see-through.
The interview segment features the most toned- down apparel. Phelps prefers a simple pantsuit and heels with closed toes. Because the interview allows the contestant to display her personality, Phelps wants the judges and audience to focus more on what she’s saying than on what she’s wearing.
No matter the category, pageant wear is a lucrative industry. At Caché, the crème de la crème of retailers for pageant participants, a tank top may cost upward of $75. Davis says most girls will spend in the neighborhood of $1,000 on an evening gown, the most expensive piece in the ensemble, for a state competition. For the upcoming Miss Missouri competition in June 2007, Davis expects to spend at least $2,000 on her gown.
“They’ll tell you it’s not about the outfit, but you have to look good up on stage,” says Enyard, who has been participating in pageants since age 4.
Not every contestant is willing to shell out large sums of money for the sake of pageant-ready apparel. Phelps finds her outfits at everyday stores such as Target, Deb and Maurice’s. The key to transforming everyday fashion into pageant fashion is accessorizing, she says. She adds that taking advantage of options such as eBay, used gowns and last season’s apparel can help lower the cost.
All three beauty queens agree their pageant style is vastly different from their everyday, laid-back fashion senses. Davis sums it up: “I have to have two wardrobes.”
