Pageant and Promwear: What's the Difference?

This age old riddle has rattled the brains of beauty queens worldwide. Every fashion magazine under the sun attempts to solve the mystery--what's the difference between a pageant gown and a prom dress? But with so many different answers, how's a girl to know a trustworthy source?

With plenty of proms and pageants under our funky leather belts, Tiza has the scoop on how to tell the real difference between a pageant and promwear.

Classically, the main difference is price. Tack on several hundred dollars worth of fabric and precision and you've got a pageant gown. Trim off the real gold embroidary and a little spilled prom punch won't matter as much. But today, the line is fine between the two. Sometimes even a little blurry.

One rule to remember is you can typically pull off a pageant dress at prom, but never the other way around. Flip through your favorite magazines and check out Tiza's prom and pageant online sections to find out for yourself. Your fashion instincts will smell the difference right away.

A pageant dress isn't one you'll find on the racks in department stores. Usually, pageant wear comes custom made to fit a contestant's features. Don't get us wrong, prom dresses can be fit for a princess, too. But usually, prom dresses are mass-produced, less intricate and made for a little wear and tear.

Another tidbit to remember: short cocktail dresses can pass at prom, but not at a pageant. Funky flies on the dance floor, but go for elegant on the stage.

When shopping for a pageant or prom dress, go with your gut. If a dress feels too simple for a pageant, it probably is. If it feels like too much glitz and glam for a dance, think it over. You know your style. Tiza is here to help. Shop away!