Background Beauty pageants have been running for probably longer than fashion modeling and come in many forms. There are teen beauty pageants, baby beauty pageants, online beauty pageants and at the highest level, the Miss Universe beauty pageant. Beauty competitions started as small beauty competitions for garden fates and local community events. However, they have grown to a regional, national and now international scale. There are literally hundreds of beauty competitions some more prestigious than others. The main ones in the UK include Miss England and Miss Great Britain which are run by separate organizations. These can lead to international pageants including Miss World and Miss Universe. In the US Miss USA and Miss America are the top beauty competitions. In the US the prizes are the most generous and cash prizes can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Springboard your career Many people see beauty competitions as a way to springboard their careers and there are many examples of where it has worked. At the top of the pile Sharon Stone, Jodie Foster and many others began their careers with model competitions. On a different level but still an impressive one are Liliani and Jackie Turner, both UK glamour models are former Miss Great Britain and Miss England respectively. There are countless other examples of models, actresses, TV presenters or general celebrities that were once beauty queen's or wannabe beauty queens. Being in a ten beauty pageant can give a young model exposure and confidence. Also, the label of 'Miss .. whatever' can create an interest that a new face alone cannot get. At the very least an entrant can most probably get local newspaper coverage. How to win a beauty pageant Confidence is essential, and a keen interest in meeting other people from all types of backgrounds. Big smiles and a happy disposition are also vital. The level of looks that is required differs enormously, some preferring more 'girl next door' looks than 'model types'. Also, the judging can consider so called 'intelligence' however, in my experience this is more to pacify opponents rather than actually to raise the IQ rating of entrants. In the Miss England competition they claim that this is a huge part of their judging. However, it is more than a rumor that one year they were so busy teaching odd gym routines for the girls 'Exercise Section' (a thinly veiled replacement for the swimwear section of yesteryear) that they 'forgot' to do the interview with the judges! For more information on beauty pageants go to www.lifeofamodel.com |
