A year ago I think I came up with an entry, one of those tips/ advise entry for those competing in beauty pageants, kan? Mrasalah this time around, I think this entry would come in handy for myself as well kot. After the disasterous bimbo-ness mistake during IQP2006 back in April, I think I ought to get myself prepared. Biarpun masuk pa per pageant hanya utk suker², but, like katanya si Ginger... "It's better to be prepared and lose in the competition - rather than losing because you didn't get yourself properly prepared", kan? So - mrasalah I've been doing some read-ups dalam internet and mek rase mek nak share lah these info semua kat u ols semua yang teringin nak bertanding ratu cantik or will compete in the upcoming Miss World 2006... Opps!

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Source: Pageant Club.com

How do you win pageant interviews?

It has long been said that pageants are won--or lost--in the interview. Certainly, anyone watching recent Miss America pageants couldn't have seen a more impressive demonstrations of that truth.  Heather Renee French and Nicole Johnson's masterful handling of their crucial final interviews onstage clinched their titles. The women displayed the combination of intelligence, charm, poise, personality, and relaxed confidence that has been the deciding factor in the selection of national titleholders for generations.

In fact, if one watches tapes of earlier pageants or spokesmodel competitions, its obvious that the same qualities that convinced judges that Nicole had the right stuff to serve as Miss America were present in noteworthy winners of the past. Marilyn Van Derbur (Miss America 1957), Mary Ann Mobley (Miss America 1959), Barbara Peterson (Miss USA 1976), Shawn Weatherly (Miss Universe 1980), Gina Tolleson (Miss World) all dazzled the judges with their interview technique, both in the private judges interviews and on-stage conversations.

So, just what makes a woman stand out in this crucial competition and how can a young woman develop those qualities? As I discussed in more detail in 101 Secrets to Winning Beauty Pageants (Citadel Press, 1995), pageant interviewing is a skill that can be mastered by any young woman willing to work to improve her performance. Given the importance of managing nervousness and the handling the unexpected with grace, I am sharing the following interview strategies, from 101 Secrets:

Learn to Manage Nervousness

Like competing in the Olympics, facing a panel of celebrity pageant judges whose scores on your "performance" could change the course of your life is an understandably nerve-wracking experience. It's a one-shot deal and you've got minutes to win the panel over. Indeed, NOT being nervous would be the real surprise.

The pressures of upper-level competition can be especially tough on contestants' confidence. "It can be very intense," says Debbie Bryant Berge, a former Miss America and past telecast commentator. "A lot of people go into pageants and they are so intense because they want to do well, but they're so nervous that it affects their performance."

The most effective way to conquer such point-losing jitters is to prepare beforehand. "In the interview, when you see five or ten judges lined up against the other side of the table and you're sitting there by yourself--the situation IS intimidating," says Christi Taunton, a former Miss Arkansas. "But, if you are PREPARED when you get there, you really shouldn't have much of a problem with nervousness. I think preparedness is the greatest thing you can do to block the nerves."

Keep in mind that judges are real people. Like anybody else, they work long hours, get the flu, and have car trouble. "The girls need to realize that the judges are people who put their shoes on every morning and brush their teeth just like they do, explained the late Jeff Bell, a longtime pageant director. "I think that helps the girls be more relaxed." And if all the above doesn't help, he suggests this unique strategy: "Picture them in their underwear!"

So when you're hit with the shakes, sweaty palms, and rapid breathing, remember to relax and treat the judges as regular folks. "We have as much stress as we put on ourselves," asserts Lee Beaman, Miss North Carolina 1988. "It's a matter of keeping the interview in perspective. It's just a conversation with people. They mess up and make mistakes, they're not perfect, and they know that we're not. This will be your one moment in the spotlight. Why be nervous? Let it be fun! If you have your mental attitude right, it's usually not too stressful."

Keep Your Composure

In any competitive situation the unexpected can occur: a contestant trips walking into the room, knocks over the stand microphone as she sits down, or calls a judge by the wrong name. Because mishaps do happen on any level of competition, remember that no disaster is so calamitous that you can't handle it with poise. Always keep your composure. When the unexpected occurs, turn it to your advantage with honesty, humor, or wit.

Kenn Berry, a Miss New York regional director and state and national judge, cites the case of a state contestant whose ring snagged and tore her hosiery during her interview. Since the judges had observed the mishap, the young lady slapped her hand over the run in mock horror and quipped, "Darn it, there goes my interview!" Says Berry, "I appreciated that because she was being totally honest. She reacted to it the right way and when she walked out of that interview, I gave her the highest score I gave any girl in that pageant because she was honest under fire. Those things impress me as a judge."

Should the unexpected occur, turn the incident to your advantage by keeping your composure and handling it in a relaxed, down-to-earth manner.

Indeed, while the prospect of being grilled by a panel of celebrity judges can be unnerving, the actual experience of meeting with the judges should be an enjoyable opportunity to let the panel to see your finest qualities. Take it from a judge: We want to see contestants present themselves at their best. We root for you! As a national judge, my observations have been that the most relaxed contestants-- those who succeeded in allowing us to see them at their finest-- were very well-prepared. It was evident that they had taken the time to educate themselves about current events, practiced articulating their opinions in mock interviews, and exposed themselves to as many interviewing and speaking opportunities as possible. They had applied and benefited from the "PPP" formula:

Preparation and Practice = strong Performance

Can you model if you are not pretty?

"What if you aren't very pretty but modeling has and always will be your dream?"  - T.C., Arizona

Answer

As with most occupations, modeling had specific market niches.  Not every model can - or needs to - look like Cindy Crawford. 

Depending upon a young woman's physical characteristics, there are a number of potential modeling markets.  Tall, lanky models are ideally suited to work on European runways.  Models with athletically sexy builds are well-suited for work as calendar/swimsuit/lingerie models.   Other modeling markets - although often smaller - include plus-size models, ethnic models, and mature models.  An increasing number of companies now make an effort to include physically challenged models in their catalogs to better reflect the diversity of their potential customer base. Other catalog companies, like L.L. Bean, have mainstream customer bases that respond favorably to less glamorous models people can relate to.  

Some print advertising models succeed because their average features allow them to realistically portray students, mothers, working women, and the like.  While breaking into modeling and finding work in smaller modeling niches can be difficult, young women who aspire to modeling careers should focus on specialized markets in which their physical characteristics are an asset, not a liability.  

As final points, consider the cases of Cindy Crawford and Lauren Hutton.  Crawford had initially been advised to have her now-famous facial mole removed.  Hutton, the gap-toothed supermodel of the 1970s, had been told that she would need to cap the large space between her front teeth to succeed in modeling.  Lauren refused and became a enormously successful, gap-toothed, supermodel (although, for some magazine cover shoots she did wear a temporary cap to conceal the space.). 

The bottom line is, it can be difficult to distinguish between those characteristics that can prevent a young model from developing a successful career and those features that may set her apart as the next Crawford or Hutton.  Our advice is to consult a qualified modeling agency for professional guidance on career development - but also to look for ways in which your individuality can be an asset.

"Do you have to be super skinny to win a pageant?" - J.D., Texas

You bring up an important point.  Like many observers, we have been concerned about the trend toward pageant winners being exceptionally thin.  

We oppose pageantry encouraging contestants to conform to unrealistically thin stereotypes.  The physical development that occurs from junior high though college is a crucial stage for building stores of  bone calcium for adulthood. If girls restrict their dietary intake for a prolonged period of time to achieve and maintain a low level of body fat for comeptition, the calcium stores needed for a lifetime of healthy bones may be jeopardized.  Some nutritionists have expressed concern that dieting at this stage could place young women at risk of early onset osteoporosis.

While there are well qualified physical trainers and nutritionists available to contestants who can afford that option, many most teens and college women cannot afford private nutritional coaching.  Therefore, given   potential health complications from adolescent dieting, we encourage pageant organizers to encourage contestants to strive for a healthier standard of physical beauty and instruct judges to reward participants who demonstrate physical fitness and beauty without resorting to excessive thinness. 

To contestants who ask, "Do you have to be super skinny to win?" we reply that, whether or not that is the trend, in our opinion, the risk of potential health problems due to prolonged dieting is simply too high a price to pay.  

We'd also like to point out that many women have won major titles without being exceptionally thin.  Miss Americas: Phyllis George ('71), Shirley Cothran ('75), Tawny Godin ('76), Susan Perkins ('78), Gretchen Carlson ('89), Debbye Turner ('90), Marjorie Vincent ('91), and Carolyn Sapp ('92), were all of normal weight for women their age. Several of these women had larger bone frames and "husky" thighs.  Kenya Moore is a recent Miss USA who thighs some people viewed as surprisingly large for a "beauty queen." So, while it may be common to see very thin women win, many judges support contestants who project physical fitness and health without resorting to excessive thinness.