How much jewelry a contestant should wear to accessorize their competition wardrobe can be answered simply but watching a few of the major pageants. Just remember to keep it simple for competition in a natural beauty pageant.
You don’t want anything to distract the judges from paying attention to you. When you’re making an appearance or doing a fashion shoot, that’s another story. For fun fashion or runway, accessorize to the max.
Last night’s Miss Universe pageant was a wonderful example of how to look drop dead stunning without over doing the bling. With all the stoning and beading on today’s evening gowns, all a contestant really needs for the final touch is a single pair of earrings. Even if you have multiple holes in your ear lobes, wear only one pair of earrings.
For bathing suit competition, nude strappy high heels and a pair of earrings are all you want wear with your swimsuit. No pantyhose ladies and yes I mean Mrs. contestants, too. You will still see some pageant contestants ( and all fitness competitors) wearing the clear shoes with bathing suits. But the new trend in pageantry is taupe or nude strappy heels. You want to make sure they are at least 4" tall. The nude color elongates the leg. Always check with the director of the pageant system you are competing in. Some will want you to wear silver or gold instead of nude or clear.
Every bracelet, rhinestone hair accessory, and ring you put on yourself draws attention away from you and to that object. The only ring I like to see on a contestant is their wedding ring if it is a Mrs. pageant. These items are fine for fashion shows, costumes, or for special events; but they do not work in your favor when you are competing for the overall title.
Resisting the urge to over accessorize your outfit is especially important during your interview. You want the judges to focus on your face and to listen to what you’re communicating to them. If you’re a “hand talker” and you’re wearing a gorgeous bracelet, the judges are going to be watching that bracelet instead of listening to you. Or if your necklace is an intricate piece of art, that’s what they are going to be admiring during your interview time. Wear a stud or button style earring during interview. Hoops and dangling earrings move when your talk and can be distracting. There are a few pageant systems, like the Perfect system, that have the interview on-stage and it’s press style. For the Perfect system, a dangle earring would work because you are onstage and the judges aren’t close to you.
Anything you put on your body should ultimately draw the judges’ attention back to your face, especially your eyes. Pageants are glamorous. Jewelry can help us feel beautiful and radiant.
Just remember to Keep It Simple Sweetheart (K.I.S.S.)
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The Stunning Leila Lopes is first Angolan to win the Miss Universe title.
Photo: Paulo Whitaker/Reuters
The 5’10 ½” beauty is 25 years old.
Photo: Paulo Whitaker/Reuters
Photo: Paulo Whitaker/Reuters
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Rhonda Shappert is an expert pageant coach, an iPEC Certified Professional Coach, an Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner, and a member of the International Coach Federation. She created Winning Through Pageantry® to partner with pageant contestants and their support people to provide complete pageant preparation, achieve winning results in life through pageantry, and to Succeed From The Inside Out®. She has over 30 years experience in the pageantry world as a contestant, judge, emcee, staff member, mother of daughters who compete, Mrs. Ohio America 2005, and has held multiple titles at the local, state and national levels.
Rhonda graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors degree in Musical Theater from The Ohio State University and has performed on stage in 15 countries on the Asian, European and American continents. This mother of three home educates their children and has been married 22 years to her husband Stephen, is the former mayor of her community, and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Ohio Virtual Academy. She and her husband perform original contemporary Christian music. For more information on Rhonda, visit www.WinningThroughPageantry.com .
