Think back to the last beauty pageant you watched and tell me the color of the winner’s gown. Most of you will answer white, or some shade of it. Neutral colors of white, beige, gold, champagne, and black dominate the crowning moment followed by shades of blue and red.
Neutrals colors are safe for teens and women because they draw focus to the woman in the dress and don’t elicit strong emotional reactions from the judges.
Every human being has emotional reactions to colors. You love some colors and dislike others. So you don’t want to wear something that will potentially turn off the judges. However, not everyone looks their best in white or in a neutral color. Some skin tones need brighter colors to make the contestant look radiant. For girls under the age of 18, judges like to see vibrant shades of pink, blue, and coral along with white. Black and dark colors are too mature for young girls.
The style and color of your gown should work together to highlight your physical beauty. More importantly, the gown should bring attention back to your face. If they’re admiring (or distracted by) the color and detail of your gown, they’re going to miss YOU. That’s where you get comments like “the dress wore her”. The contestant must wear the dress not the other way around.
When you’re at a Red Carpet event or making an appearance, you can make a bolder statement in your gown selection. But for competition, a classic gown with tasteful embellishments will appeal to the masses.
Choose a pageant gown with a color and fit that highlights who you are without being overbearing. It isn’t the color alone that wins. It’s what the color and style brings attention to that makes it a winning gown.
