Results tagged “Pageant” from Tiza Prom Dress and Pageant Blog

Think you've got what it takes to take the crown? You're one click away to owning your own Miss USA 2009 gown designed by Tiza's own Sherri Hill. Find out which winning dress best fits your personality. From peppy and posh to diva demure, Tiza has you covered in all that glitters.

Miss Arkansas' dress is for the girl who won't wait for her genie. She makes her own dreams come true in a daring mirage of exotic hot fuscias and pinks.

The judges do a double take at Miss West Virginia's dress. Classy on top and super sassy waist down, a girl in this dress knows how to make the grade and take a walk on the wild side.

Miss Vermont looked like a Valentine's dream come true in this heart-shaped, hot pink, hip-hugger that splits just where you need wiggle room. For the glam girl who's always armed with lip gloss, this gown's for her.

Miss Tennessee's gown comes sewed with sophistication. Chic and all-woman, a girl who owns this dress expects nothing less than the best. She takes her coffee black, her chocolate dark and gets the job done before going out.

Get yourself wrapped in royalty in nationally-acclaimed dresses right here at Tiza.com.

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!

About to make your grand entrance into the pageant world? Tiza knows the ropes. Tiza has created numerous award-winning gown ensembles--from 2007 Miss USA..... Now, we're ready to share our pageant secrets to get you crowned and showered in petals, no matter what stage you choose to walk across.

Pre-pageant Prep

A pageant is more than what you'll wear. Do your research. Find the pageant that fits you. Look at pageant requirements to make sure your talents compliment. Research previous winners to see what responsibilities are.

Take care of yourself. No diet pills, crash diets or over-exercising. This only drains you of natural energy and won't make you lose weight. Talk to a nutritionist for real nutrition advice, and a personal trainer for a regimen that's detailed to your body.

You don't have to be a tan, 5'9" blonde to win. Accentuate your natural colors and shape with your dress. Tiza offers pageant gowns in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

Finally, don't change anything the week before--dress, talent, hair color or otherwise.

Day Of Duties

Be on time. That means don't stay out late the night before. Get enough sleep. No carbonated beverages to avoid bloating. Stay stress free by surrounding yourself with positive, calm people who won't freak you out. Soothing music and candles are vital de-stressors. They will help you focus on your fact sheet and possible interview questions. Be friendly backstage.

Show Down

Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth. Think of something funny before walking on stage to get a real smile and avoid looking plastic. Even if you trip, keep your head held high and a proud smile on your face. Walk slowly with shoulders back, like you've already won. Lastly, have fun. Hey, you just put in a ton of work. You're already royalty.

Sometimes we tend to think that Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss America are running the show as far as beauty pageants go, Miss America being the oldest beauty competition (1921). But there's a lot more going on in the whole wide world of beauty pageants. Some of the most popular world-wide pageants include Miss World, Miss Universe, Miss Earth, Miss International and Miss Asia Pacific International.
Miss Universe - Run by the Miss Universe Organization, the pageant was founded in 1952 by a California clothing company. The pageant was originally part of the Miss America competition, but the winner of the 1951 pageant refused to pose in a swimsuit during her reign. Sponsors withdrew from the competition and started the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. The contest is run through a partnership between television station NBC and Donald Trump. The pageant is held during one week in the summer and finalists are chosen based on preliminary swimsuit and evening gown competitions. The current titleholder is 20-year-old Riyo Mori from Japan.
Miss World - After its birth in 1951, Miss World has become the most "widely attended and broadcasted international beauty pageant." The final Miss World competition is the television event with the most viewers worldwide: up to two billion in more than 200 countries. The competition was originally held as a bikini contest and was supposed to be a one-time event. A few years after the pageant premiere, contestants started showcasing more modest swimsuits. The winner is crowned after a year of preliminary events. Each contestant must win her national title or a national preliminary contest. Before the final 20 delegates are chosen, they all participate in a month-long series of events, dinner, parties and galas. Another unique aspect of the Miss World pageant is that one contestant it automatically picked to be in the final 20 by winning a Fast Track event, which can range from beauty, talent, sports, modeling, personality, people's choice or contestant's choice. Miss World 2006 is Tatana Kucharova and she will crown Miss World 2007 at the 57th Miss World pageant on Dec. 1, 2007 in Sanya, China.

Miss Earth - Known as the third most prestigious international beauty pageant, Miss World is the right pageant for young contestants who are involved with environmental causes and Earth preservation. The organization is also very young, only founded in 2001 by Philipino company Carousel Productions, Inc. Another unique aspect of Miss World, aside from the dedication to environmental issues, is that it is the only major pageant that hold individual titles for runners-up. For example, the third runner-up is crowned Miss Fire, second runner-up is Miss Water and first runner-up is Miss Air. In the past, delegates have been taken from talent agencies to participate in the competition. But in 2005, controversy began to arise about accurate country representation and standards were set, asking participating countries to select contestants based on a national pageant. Miss World 2007 Jessica Trisko of Canada was recently crowned on Nov. 11, 2007.
Miss Asia Pacific International - Previously known as Miss Asia Quest, Miss Asia Pacific International is the oldest and the very first beauty pageant in Asia. It began as a regional pageant with participating countries from Asia and Oceania. In 1985, the pageant changed its vision to include countries that bordered the Pacific Ocean in North America, Central America and South America. However, the majority of the winners have been from the Philippines. There is currently no 2006 Miss Asia Pacific International due to a strike. The 2007 pageant will be held some time in November.

Is this your first beauty pageant? Feeling a bit lost, especially when it comes to picking out clothes for the competition? Well, fret no more because we're here to tell you a few secrets to help you achieve the best look for your beauty pageant.

First and foremost, it is extremely important for any contestant to dress her own age. If you are competing against girls who are a lot older or a lot younger than you, just keep in mind that the judges know how old you are and they will be able to notice disparities in age and dress. This goes for the evening gown competition and during the casual wear interview.

When choosing your casual wear, make sure that it is age appropriate and suits you in color and fit. You want something that you are able

to comfortably move around in. Also, ask yourself if you actually like your outfit. Does it make you feel good or just awkward? No matter what, you need to make sure that you can sell the outfit and make the judges like it.

Look at the winning dresses of the past. One thing you will notice is that most of them are designed by Sherri Hill. There are a few pictures here of Sherri Hill's recent winners.

And now for the talent competition. No matter what your talent may be, dancing, singing or gymnastics, what you decide to wear is a costume and it will really show off your entertainment style. Your costume should translate the image of your talent and convey a mood for the audience. You do not want to send mixed messages to the judges. They will just be confused and deduct points. If you are doing a singing act, the second you walk on stage sets the mood for the piece. It is a good idea to set the dress specifically to the song that you choose, but do not be literal. If you are singing a classical piece, your costume should be theatrical, especially if you are doing an operatic piece. Something traditional and symphonic-looking is ideal such as a costume with regal colors or rich velvet. For more contemporary songs the costume should just give more to the piece. Broadway or show tunes call for lots of shimmering pieces with rhinestones or glitz. These are the songs you can really have fun with.

If you are playing an instrument for the talent portion, think about the demands of your instrument while playing. If you are playing something like the flute or violin, the judges will focus on your face, so your dress should bring attention to the upper body. Choose a dress that has a detailed neckline, shoulders or sleeves. If the tune you choose to play is energetic and calls for a lot of movement, be sure to choose a dress or costume that allows you to move comfortably. If you are playing the piano, remember that the judges will probably be facing you from an angle or directly towards the piano keys. If they are facing the keys, they will also be facing your back, meaning the back of your dress has to be interesting. If you are facing the judges from an angle, then they will have the chance to also see your face. You will need attention there and also along the torso. Flowing trains and embellishments are going to work best if you are a pianist.

The talent where costume is the most important is definitely dancing, gymnastics or any athletic event. These talents are physically demanding and really need great costumes to reflect the performance's music. There are also many options for costuming that shows off your show biz side. You want whatever you wear to go directly with the music. For example, if you are doing ballet, any classical piece would require a classical outfit, like pink tights and a tutu. But if the song you are dancing to is more modern, pick something that reflects that image. You are giving the judges a real picture and costume, makeup and music all play a part.
Miss USA 2007
Rachel Smith
dress designed by Sherri Hill

Lifelong ballet dancer, Riyo Mori from a village near Mount Fuji won Miss Universe 2007. Mori wore a striking black gown with colored lapels for the final.

"My mind went blank," she said of the winning moment.

It's the season finale, and it's about time. I don't know about everyone else, but I've a pretty good time over the last few weeks just trying to make sense of the beauty queen world. But Miss Universe, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA and, of course, Tara Conner have made it unbelievably difficult.
Especially when Katie and Josh start this week's episode off with a surprise. They are moving in together and they are already hunting for apartments in New York City. And Katie just has to tell the girls in the Trump Apartment. Geez Katie, I thought you hated Rachel. Why would you be rushing to go see her right after you gave your title away? Oh, I get it, she's still camera-hungry.
Rachel doesn't have to worry about Katie's "wonderful" news, because she has some of her own. After her graceful plummet at the Miss Universe pageant, Rachel is invited to model at Fashion Week, only the most important fashion show with the world's best fashion designers. Things are starting to look up for you, Rachel. Let's just hope that they don't call up Tara to walk too.
But Katie called her up to join her and Josh along with the other beauty queen for dinner and Josh is always the least pleasant person to be around in any social setting. He's so ignorant, it's embarrassing for even me to watch. Tara finally calls him out and dinner turns into a beauty queen bitch-fest. Katie walks out taking Josh's side and the girls are all behind Tara. Go figure because the whole world, with the exception of Katie, HATES Josh.
This is Rachel's time to shine. But she's psyching herself out about what happened at Miss Universe. Yes, Rachel you fell and it was an amazing tumble, but now you are at Fashion Week, so suck it up! And she does. Congratulations, you walked straight down an even strip without falling.

After all of the drama, Katie and Tara both decide that NYC is not the right place for them to be and the 2007 queens can really begin their reign. And in the last five seconds of the show, we finally catch a clip of Mr. Trump himself. After that, I have to say that the eight daunting episodes of Pageant Place were totally worth it.

Swimsuit designer Jamye Shaw has been producing quality and stylish swimwear for pageant since the 1970s. Her extreme attention to detail, style and fit make her designs stand out from all the rest. She also has experience in designing interview suits and evening wear for beauty pageant competitions. Her long resume of pageant experience gives her an original perspective to the pageant industry. She understands pageant style and how to make any woman stand out during one of the most stressful stages of the pageant: the swimsuit competition. One of the best things about Jamye Shaw, Inc. is that her suits can be special ordered and designed to have the fabric, cut, color and accessories that you want in your dream pageant swimsuit.
It's true that Jamye's styles stand out with some of the finest European fabrics and handpicked accessories. Jamye makes sure that each fabric is comfortable, offers support through great linings and elastics and her suits are extremely fashionable. With a wide variety of colors, textures and styles, Jamye is able to stock a warehouse full of different designs. She also keeps a range of possible trimmings and embellishments for her swimsuits such as metallic rings, chains and other decorative hardware. Her brilliantly-cut rhinestone accessories are designed by the Swarovski Crystal Company, just for Jamye. With proper care, Jamye's suits are long-lasting and durable. Another plus is that her suits are all made in the United States and are sweatshop-free.

Jamye's stylish one-and-two-piece swimsuits have been seen on beauty pageant winners from across the nation. Miss New York 2003 Jessica Lynch says, "Never have I worn a swimsuit that was more comfortable, fit better or made me feel as beautiful as [Shaw's] suit. Having the ability to pick the color and style really helped me choose something that was appropriate and worked best for my figure. I enthusiastically recommend her to all my friends and anyone else who wants to be competitive in pageants."
Make your own testimonial and test yourself in Jamye Shaw's swimsuits. Check out some of her styles at Tiza.com.

Oh my god! The entire clan is going to Las Vegas for the Video Music Awards--Rachel, Riyo, Tara, Hilary and Katie. The girls rock the red carpet, but cameras cannot get enough of former Miss USA Tara Conner. Rachel is upset and oh, so jealous. The new Miss Teen USA Hilary Cruz has something to complain about as well. It's Miss South Carolina Caitlin Upton, rocking the red carpet right along with them in a gold Sherri Hill gown. But who will get to present at the VMAs? Do I have to say it? Caitlin is just making herself sound dumber and dumber, but hey, if that's how she plans on making it in the whole wide world of entertainment and beauty pageants, they Hilary is better off making fun of her with the rest of the world.

After the craze, I can't help but want to love Tara. It obvious to her that she's getting some of Rachel's spotlight and begins to wonder if the Miss Universe Organization is the right place for her. But she still gets to ride in Mr. Trump's helicopter to the Hamptons while Riyo and Rachel have to drive and suffer under oh so much in traffic.

Next thing you know Caitlin Upton is meeting with all of Donald's people before Hilary even gets a chance. And the girls are forced to meet for lunch for whatever reason. Are they supposed to play nice, or was the meeting arranged just so show off more of Caitlin's super wit? Seriously doubt that.

Then both Hilary and Caitlin are off to an event where they will both meet Mr. Trump for the first time. Now I am starting to get a little confused? Which one is Miss Teen USA, again?

That's right, Miss Teen USA Katie Blair's reign is up. And the boyfriend drama begins, yet again. Katie HAD officially broken up with Josh last week, but with only four hours left to enjoy the pageant crown, he comes crawling back.

Then the pageant begins and Katie is more emotional than ever about giving up the crown. But the pageant goes on and all of the beauty queens cannot help but want to die when Miss South Carolina answers her interview question about U.S. Americans. Maybe it's because some people don't have maps. But Miss Colorado answers her interview question with perfect ease and the next thing you know, Miss Colorado Hilary Cruz is wearing Katie's crown. Then it's off to New York City!

Meanwhile, Josh continues to be the chauvinist pig, trashing Katie's hotel room before they beat it back to Houston. Let's just hope that is the last we see of Josh and his squealing eyebrows.

Back in the city, the world begins to welcome the new Miss Teen USA. She attends media events left and right and every PR geek around just had to know what happened with Caitlin Upton, Miss South Carolina, and her absolutely awful interview question. Hello, people?! Who actually won the crown? Hilary is so pissed about Caitlin's popularity, that she even talks about giving up the crown. Hilary, just be happy that she didn't get the crown for being so oblivious.

Katie's getting ready to go. Her reign is up and it's time to move on. She's packing her things and for the first time this season, Katie finally begins to see the horrible side of Josh that we have been watching all season. Josh, you need to worry about your own armpits.

Then Tara turns into the Big Apple Tour Guide, canceling all of the queen's publicity events for the day for a fabulous day in the city. And Josh complains the entire time-"That building looks like sh**. This pizza looks like sh**." Josh, please get over yourself, and fast because after Miss Teen USA dumps you, you are going to be the one feeling like sh**.

And after Josh leaves, Tara and the girls really try to make Katie's last day as Miss Teen USA the most memorable. They take Katie to see a psychic to help her with all of her unanswered questions about her next chapter of her life as a former Miss Teen USA.

But all good things much come to an end and Katie has to leave to crown a new Miss Teen USA. After some final tears and goodbyes, Katie heads to Pasadena, Calif. to the 2007 Miss Teen USA pageant. She makes the best effort to be a real role model to the 51 teens and, along the way, finds out how controlling Josh really is. And then she finally calls it off. That's right, now the real Katie Blair is calling the shots.

Let's just play nice! All of the girls-Katie, Tara and Rachel-are sucking up to each other, even though there is some serious tension concerning Katie's "teeny bopper" habits. The girls head down to the Gay Men's Health Center where they are put to work. Of course, Katie has never worked a day in her life and Rachel has had "every job under the sun." I'm sorry Rachel, but I don't think anyone cares that Miss USA has ever gotten her hands dirty.

While all of the drama is going down, everyone tends to forget that by next month, Miss Teen USA is no longer going to be Miss Teen USA. What has Katie Blair got in store for herself after she gives up her crown? At lunch, she keep Rachel and Riyo in the dark about her future plans. Is she going to be a singer, actor or just plain freeloader? And with only two weeks left, she is still burping like a giant man in public. Good luck, Katie.

While Katie complains to her oh-so-wonderful boyfriend Josh about all the pressure to grow up, Rachel and Tara have a bonding moment where they both decide to confront Katie about their issues with her. Rachel needs to be straight-forward- let Katie know that she needs to step up and really start acting like the adult she claims to be. Tara, on the other hand, has a more serious issue to bring up with Katie- that fact that she turned her into the media for abusing cocaine.

And Tara is straight up about it, with tears and everything. Despite the fact that she was forced into rehab, lost her best friend and became known as the Miss USA coke-head, she still wants to try and be friends.

Don't forget little Riyo. Yes, she is still around as the breath of fresh air around the Trump Apartment. This time she is perfecting her English-speaking skills and today's lesson is idioms. Riyo, you are one good egg.