Pageant 101: Vital Tip Series, Part III--Hair Do's and Don'ts

Now that you've entered the perfect pageant, let's start from the top and make sure everything is picture perfect. Beginning with your crowning glory--your hair.

First, when choosing a style, remember that appearance is the first things the judges read. So what do you want your hair to say before you speak? You want to choose a hairstyle that you're comfortable with. Length is important. Too long hair is hard to deal with between rounds and won't hold shape easily. For flowing, perfectly bouncy locks, keep it medium to medium-long in length. If your face shape allows, you can go chin-length. But keep in mind more attention will be drawn to your frame.

Keep your hair out of your face. This is vital. You want everyone to see your smile. Also, keep your dress in mind. Your hairstyle can accentuate or easily class with the shape and overall attitude of your dress. Discuss this with your stylist. Try different styles with your dress on. Take pictures from all angles--portrait and full-length. Lay them out on a table to thoroughly examine which style best fits your frame, face, color, and dress.

If you plan on dying your hair, keep your skin in mind. Don't go overboard on the blonde if you're super tan. No one is Malibu Barbie. If your hair is naturally dark, don't try for platinum. You'll look orange and fake. Play up your natural shades.

Warm/yellow/gold skin: try deep, dark browns and auburns. Highlight with copper or red.

Cool/Blue-red skin: Try intense browns, reds or blondes. Highlight with wheat or honey hues that will warm up your skin.

For red skin: Avoid red dye. Highlight with beige, honey brown or light coffee colors.

Be prepared. A cordless curling iron can whip those crazy curls back in shape when you can't find a plug backstage. Make sure to have a handheld mirror and hairspray handy, as well. You never know how crowded the dressing area will be.

Get a winning style with these hair do's and don'ts and you're sure to hit the stage with confidence.