This is a guest post written by Kristen Johnson-Darden, a pageant coach out of Tennessee.
We all have met Pageant Patti. She is the girl in the pink pageant suit. The one with the pearl earrings. The contestant with the Save the Puppies and Babies platform. In this series of pageant tips, I will let you in on a secret about Pageant Patti: Nobody likes her! In the competitive World of Pageantry, your best weapon is your own unique personality and wardrobe. Let it Shine!
Tip #1: Drop the Pageant Suit. It doesn’t fit you…
As a part of your job as Queen, appearances are a must. Gaining the acceptance of young people can be tough, but the surest way to lose is by looking a dated mess. Directors are looking for that “IT Girl” that they can take anywhere. In pageantry we so often spend a ton of money on pageant suits and other items we would not dream of wearing in our real lives.
Pageant Intervention Begins Now
News Flash: Pageants are not excluded from the world of beauty. Style is a prerequisite. Who are people that are your style icons? What makes these women different is their ability to make something their own. On that list, I could expect to find women like Beyonce, Audrey Hepburn, Fergie, or even Madonna. Its time for you to re-create what a “Beauty Queen” looks like. This means you are going to have to kick Pageant Patti out of your dressing room!
The standard pageant suit is the first thing to take out of your pageant wardrobe. Pageant suits make you look like the Senator’s wife, not the modern and progressive woman that you are inside. Instead, you can replace your interview suit with a great dress, or slacks with a nice button down shirt. Don’t shy away from color; it is your friend. So in your selection choose a color that is fresh and one that compliments your tone. I assure you this new look will be refreshing for the judges and will help to spark interest in the girl that is wearing it.
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