You’ve just had your crowning moment. Suddenly, you dream of being a celebrity, going to glamorous events, and making countless appearances. Great! How are you going to make that happen? Yes, I said YOU. Your primary responsibility is [Read more…]
Beauty, Body Image, and Cosmetic Procedures in Pageants
August 30, 2011 By
In a beauty pageant competition, your physical attributes are being evaluated by a panel of judges. However, your value and worth as a human being are NOT defined by how physically beautiful you are.
Besides, beauty is completely subjective.
It’s good to appreciate your physical traits, but don’t make the mistake of basing your entire self identity around them because in the blink of an eye, they can be taken away from you.
I have experienced [Read more…]
A Balanced Life Equals Pageant Success
August 16, 2011 By
“Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices.”-Betsy Jacobson
It’s a new school year. With it comes a long list of possible activities that you and your family can get involved in. Are the activities you’re participating in helping you to reach your goals, or are they creating more stress in your life? How balanced is your lifestyle? When you look at your calendar, is it filled with one type of activity (such as sports) or is there a healthy balance between personal time, family activities, community involvement, church activities and school events? If it’s unbalanced, now is the time to make changes.
What does this have to do with pageantry? Everything. [Read more…]
What if your best isn’t enough?
August 5, 2011 By
After months of preparation, what do you do when your best isn’t good enough to win the crown? (Sigh) I have been there more times than I care to remember. As much as I tried to mentally prepare myself when I was a competitor, the sting of not hearing my name called out as the winner was always painful. Sometimes the pain was deeper than others; but it was there none the less. So, what do you do when your best wasn’t enough? The answer [Read more…]
Pageant Preliminaries: How Important Are They?
July 28, 2011 By
Your appearance and performance during pageant preliminaries are very important to your chances of winning the overall title. Preliminaries serve as the “weeding out” process. Usually, preliminary competitions take place a day or two before finals. All of the contestants receive scores during preliminaries; however only the Top 5 are watched, ranked or scored during finals.
What is so important to remember is that you can’t hold anything back during the preliminary competitions. Your hair, makeup, gown, suit, interview and overall energy level must be at its best during preliminaries. The first impression judges get of you is very difficult to change and you might not be given a second chance.
Most of the time, the judges have already chosen their favorite contestant before finals begins. If you haven’t got ten their attention before then, having your hair and makeup styled to perfection on the night of finals only, or saving your show stopping gown to wear during finals, isn’t going to make a difference. If you didn’t make the list of semi-finalists, you’re not going to be scored on finals night, no matter how flawlessly you perform or look.
Here’s how it typically works. There are basically three ways to score a pageant:
- Numeric Scoring. Each pageant system has their own numeric scale but each contestant receives a number somewhere on the scale.
- Ranking. In ranking, no numeric score is given. The judges are asked to put the contestant number of their favorite contestant on line #1, their second favorite on #2, and so one.
- Mentions. On the ballot are the state names or contestant numbers. The judges are asked to simply circle a set number of their favorite contestants in the pageant. During preliminary judging, they may be asked to circle their top 15 names; but on finals night told to only circle their favorite 3 contestants and finally the top one.
There is a fourth way of scoring that isn’t used much and it is by consensus.Consensus is where the judges talk among themselves after they’ve seen all the contestants and they must all agree on the winner. Oh yes, you can see how difficult consensus scoring would be.
The scores from the preliminary competitions are used to get the semi-finalists.The only names or numbers on the judge’s ballot on the night of finals is typically the top five. Usually the final ballot cast is a ranking ballot. Now, once you’re a semi-finalist, you need to continuing being spot on. At that point, the judges are looking for the girl who is a “stand out”.
So the moral of the story is this, you must be at your very best each and every time you are in front of the judges. Preliminaries are not to be treated as “warm up”. They are the deal breaker. The very first time the judges see you, is THE MOST IMPORTANT, because first impressions are hard to change.
Pageant Season Is Here!
Now’s The Time to Brush Up On Your Interview Skills
INTERVIEW CARD
The ability to answer questions about you, your purpose, current events, and controversial topics in a clear way is an important life skill that everyone can benefit from. The more you practice, the better you will get. These handy interview cards are a great way to practice with a partner or use by yourself to get you thinking about the topic.
The Beginning 10 Questions are the staple interview questions everyone must know the answers in an interview situation. Then each month you will receive a new card in the mail with fresh questions.
Now preparing for your interview is easy and for a limited time FREE.
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 .
Managing Pageant Stress To Avoid Pageant Drama
June 29, 2011 By
Yes, pageants are very exciting and fun; however, there are important logistics and details that need to be taken care of so you can fully enjoy the experience. Realistically, you can be the best planner and you will still encounter unforeseen things that are beyond your control. If you accept this fact upfront, you will save yourself a lot of stress,anxiety and remain cool when things get hot.
Here are the big 5 stressors I have found over the years and how you can prepare for them. [Read more…]
Interacting and Talking with the Pageant Judges Before, During and After the Pageant
June 16, 2011 By
Before The Pageant:
- A smile and saying hi to the judges when you accidently meet them in the hallway, elevator, restaurant, parties or restroom is [Read more…]
Pageant Coaching-When’s The Best Time to Hire a Pageant Coach?
March 16, 2011 By
I’m not sure what it is about our human nature that makes us want to do everything on our own. Some people say with great pride and wear it like a badge of honor; “I did it all by myself”. But how much do we really do ALL BY OURSELVES? For some people, the only time they reach out for help is when they are in dire need or as a last resort. However, time and time again, we see that more is accomplished when 2 or more are gathered for the same purpose. If you’ve been trying to do pageants on your own and still aren’t getting the results you want, perhaps it’s time to seek out the help of a pageant coach. But when is the best time to hire a pageant coach?
In an ideal world, the very best time to hire a beauty pageant coach is before you enter your first pageant. Why? Because you’ll save time by not reinventing the wheel; you won’t waste money purchasing the wrong wardrobe and you’ll be less frustrated because you’ll know what to expect. As I’m walking out to my car from a pageant, I’ll typically hear comments like “I wished I’d known that before I got here”, “Next time I’ll say this”, or “Next time I’ll wear my hair and makeup like that”. The list goes on and on.
Many times when a contestant comes to me with their clothing already purchased (and the tags snapped off) there’s not a whole lot I can do for them in regards to helping with their wardrobe. And yet, a different gown is sometimes the difference between 1st runner up and the queen. Pageant gown, interview, mental attitude, talent, swimsuit, fitness, casual wear, modeling, introduction, onstage question, hair, makeup, shoes and accessories all must come together in the winning combination for you. Your combination is different from the next contestant so you can’t just copy what you see someone else doing on stage because that might not be right for you.
It’s best when a contestant can explore different options with a professional experienced coach before they purchase or commit to anything. If you do buy things, keep all tags on the garment and your receipts. Get to your coach ASAP to get feedback so you can return things if necessary.
If you’ve done a couple pageants and you’re still not getting the results you want, then it’s time to hire a pageant coach who can help you identify and refine the areas that need work. Remember, however, not all pageant coaches are the same, nor do they all work in the same way. This goes for your stylists, personal trainers or anyone else you choose to bring into your team. You need to do your research and trust your instincts.
3 Pageant Preparation Tips For Mrs. Pageants and Married Women
February 16, 2011 By
Speaking from personal experience, the amount of time and level of preparation it took for me to get ready to compete in a Mrs. pageant was at least double the amount of pageant preparation time it took when I competed as a Teen or Miss contestant. As married women, we are juggling our husbands, jobs, children, managing our households and serving our communities. Because of this, Mrs. contestants need to start preparing long before single competitors to avoid making costly mistakes.
The first year I entered the Mrs. Ohio America pageant, I started my pageant preparation 6 months before the pageant. Looking back, all I really focused on was losing the baby fat I had gained with my third child. I did look great in my bathing suit that year; however I didn’t even make the top 10. Within 3 days after that state pageant, I started my preparation for next year’s pageant and the results were dramatically different.
Tip 1: Start your pageant preparation 1 year before your first competition date.
From the audience, watch the pageant you plan on competing in the year prior to entering. Closely observe the style of gowns, hair and makeup worn by the top 3 contestants. This will save you money and time as you will see which styles do and don’t work for that system. If this isn’t possible, purchase the DVD from the previous year and watch it.
You will need the year to develop excellent interview and communication skills. It takes time to break speech habits and to develop the necessary confidence to speak with ease in front of a crowd. This is especially important if married women have been home raising young children for several years. Mothers may be out of practice from speaking with adults and communicating on a deeper level. No judgment here. I’m speaking from my own personal experience of having had 3 children in 4 years. It’s a bit of a jump going from Elmo to the president.
Married women need to set aside time to work out. It takes time to refine your personal image, and to find the right hairstyle and makeup that is most flattering for your facial beauty.
Tip 2: Create your pageant budget.
Financial issues will quickly create stress and conflict in a marriage. To enter one of the big 3 state pageants for married women (Mrs. America, Mrs. United States and Mrs. International), a contestant will spend between $2000-$5000. For a national pageant, plan on having at least $5000 for starters. You’ll need to use your creativity and resourcefulness to produce the money you need to compete.
There are four main areas you will want to budget for:
Coaching services
Photos, headshots and advertising pages
Wardrobe
Travel, hotel, food and tickets for your family to attend the pageant.
Don’t make the mistake of spending your entire budget on your clothing. I did that my first year. Your wardrobe is important but not as important as the coaching services you need to polish your image.
Of course, there are smaller pageants you can compete in that don’t have as large of a price tag. But you will spend a couple thousand dollars on your first pageant wardrobe.
Tip 3: Put together your pageant preparation team.
When I heavily invested in my team, that’s when I started winning the titles. With Mrs. pageants, the look is very classy and elegant with a hint of fashion flair. Interview, walking, hair, makeup and fitness are some of the areas you will want to find experienced pageant coaches to help you prepare. Just because someone says they are a pageant coach or a makeup artist doesn’t necessarily mean they are the right fit for you. Research your people and trust your gut feeling with who you hire.
Your interview makeup needs to be flawless. No heavy false eyelashes or brightly colored cosmetics. Your skin should appear smooth and radiant. Choosing the right foundation is critical. This takes the skilled hand of a makeup artist experienced in the pageant world to bring out your natural beauty and make it look like you aren’t wearing any makeup. If you look heavily made up during your interview, it will cost you points. Stage makeup is different but the concept still applies. Your facial features should stand out without screaming bright colors.
Your hair needs to look healthy and shiny. Hair worn down is the best look for most women. When it comes to color, one solid color with subtle highlights scores better than the dramatic streaked look. The soft highlights help to give depth and texture to hair under the lights but you don’t want them to be overly dramatic. In Mrs. pageants, they are looking for the natural beauty of a classy woman to shine.
Questions To Ask Your Pageant Director
January 11, 2011 By
The pageant director is the heart of a pageant. They set the tone, create the environment and determine the quality of the experience on pageant day. The pageant director is the first person to approach when you have general questions, not coaching questions, about the pageant.
The difference between a general and coaching question is this.
A general question is information that pertains to everyone in the pageant and is factual. Coaching questions are opinion based and specific to the individual. For example, to ask what style of gown is appropriate for the pageant is a general question and okay to ask the director. However, sending a photo of yourself wearing a gown and asking the director what he or she thinks of it is not appropriate. That’s what your coach is for.
Read all of your paperwork first before contacting the director.
Here is a list of general questions you can ask the pageant director to help you prepare if it’s not covered in your paperwork.
- Am I allowed to take pictures and/or video during the pageant?
- Am I required to purchase an ad page for the program and how much is it?
- What are the mandatory expenses?
- Am I allowed to reformat my judge’s bio, or do I need to follow your template exactly?
- Am I (or stylists) allowed into the dressing room to help my daughter with clothing changes, hair, and makeup?
- What kind of drink and food is allowed in the dressing room? Do I need to bring my own clothing rack, long mirror, power strip, and extension cord?
- For interview, do you want the contestants to wear hose and closed toe taupe shoes or are bare legs and open toed shoes acceptable?
- For interview, do you want a classic suit (jacket with matching skirt), or is a fashion-forward dress okay?
- What length of hemline do you want to see on the interview attire?
- Do you want ball gowns, above the knee, or gowns with slits for formal wear?
- How glitzy do you want the clothing to be?
- Ask for clarification on what the pageants’ definition of fun fashion/ casual wear is: real clothing that people buy off the rack, high-low dress, red carpet, is denim allowed (in almost all cases NO ), are pants or capris allowed, are props allowed (hats, purses, masks, bags, etc).
- If your pageant has a timed personal introduction (NAM, COED, IJM, Teen America) make sure you ask if the time limit is a guideline or if points are deducted for introductions that go over the time limit.
- If your daughter wins, can she participate in other pageants while she holds this title?
- What expenses are covered by the pageant for your daughter to compete at the next level? For example, if you’re competing at a local preliminary, what’s covered for the state pageant? If you’re competing in the state pageant, what’s covered for the national?
- What are the appearance requirements of the titleholder?
- What is the modeling style like for this pageant? Traditional pageant walk, straight modeling with no hand gestures, high fashion runway? It may differ with each category so ask. It’s okay to ask about the walking pattern, too. Which side of the stage will you enter? How many stops? Where will you exit the stage?
- Will you receive scores and feedback after the pageant? What is that timeline and how should you be looking for it (mail, email, a phone call).FYI, most pageants do not give scores or feedback after the pageant so be appreciative for the ones that do.
Be respectful of the director’s time. Think of all the questions you may have ahead of time and send them in one email, or ask them in one phone conversation. As the pageant time gets closer, directors do not have the time to answer individual questions because their focus shifts into production mode. It’s nothing personal. They have a show to produce and hundreds of details to manage.
Meet all their deadlines. Communication is critical. Directors are wonderful people who want you to participate in their pageant. If you are having challenges with the deadlines, talk with them. Don’t wait until the last minute. In order to plan the best experience for all contestants, they need to have the fees paid and know how many contestants are going to be in the pageant.
You are ultimately responsible for your pageant preparation. Once you understand the rules and expectations of the pageant, all the details are up to you and your team.
