Recently in Pageant Category

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.

Everyone who's anyone knows Sherri Hill designs crown-winning gowns. Across the world (and universe for that matter), Sherri Hill's dresses have captured judges' attention and scored tens across the board. 2007 Miss America winner, 2007 Miss USA Rachel Smith, and Top Ten Miss Universe pageant winner Zana Krasniqi, Miss Kosovo topped the gold list in the past few years.

This year, you have the chance to wear a gown especially designed by an award-winning designer. So what's your style? Miss Universe? Miss America? Maybe Miss Teen USA? Whether you're entering a major pageant or going to senior prom, choose the Sherri Hill dress that will turn heads and shower you with petals.

Every detail counts when it comes to entering a beauty pageant. Right down to your rhinestones. Make up and jewelry can make or break your overall appearance onstage. So let's find out how to polish your self to pageant perfection.

With base and powder, match your skin color. You'll feel confident with an even skin tone under the lights. Use a lighter color foundation below the eyes to accentuate your eye color.

On to the eyes. Color can be tricky. Remember that harsh lighting can make you look washed out. Use a few shades darker than normal, daytime wear. This will make your eyes shine from a distance. Gotta wow those judges. False lashes can emphasize the eyes, but make sure they stay in place. Mascara, liner--of course.

Blush should be in the same color family as your skin. If you're super dark, don't wear light pink blush. Bleh. Apply directly on the cheekbone, beginning at the ear and working toward the nose. Dab a little on the forehead and nose. Think about wear the sun hits your face--that's wear blush belongs.

Choose a lip color that isn't too bright so not to make your lips appear thinner. Don't try to match your dress if you're wearing pink or red. No one's filling you in with magic marker here. Lip gloss, and you're set!

Jewelry should be minimal. No necklace needed in most cases. This keeps the attention on your eyes and draws a smooth, flowing line down to your dress. Nobody will count the karats in your rocks. Fake crystal and rhinestones work just fine. Basic, elegant stud earrings will do with an elaborate dress. Keep in mind jewelry should never outshine your smile.

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.

So you're about to enter your first pageant. Now that you have your gown and shoes from Tiza, it's time to keep your eyes on the prize and get down to business. Check out part two of our vital tip series for first-time pageant contestants.

Let's focus on formal wear. It's easy to feel gorgeous in a stunning gown, but when you're surrounded by a hundred other beautiful girls, nerves can get you down. So before walking onstage, focus on something besides other people. Pick an uplifting saying to chant to yourself while you wait for the escort to get you. And remember to lock that natural smile in place before the judges see you.

Speaking of judges, don't stare them down. But do make eye contact. This shows confidence. Also remember to scan the crowd, whether you can see them or not. Most likely, you'll be blinded by bright spotlights, so the audience won't be so intimidating.

If you have to be stage for a certain length of time, remember not to lock your knees. Remember Model-T stance! Practice turning and walking to the beat of music several times before the big night. Practice pivots in your gown until it feels natural--not too slow or too fast. You're not a robot, you're a beauty queen. So make sure the judges, the audience and--most importantly--you know it.

We'll be back with more pageant tips. In the mean time, scout out Tiza.com for your perfect pageant dress and shoes. We have a gown for every girl!

Don't think you have what it takes to compete in a pageant? Think again. Tiza did a little digging and found an extraordinarily wide range of competitions to choose from. That's right. You don't have to be Barbie to win a crown--check out the real world of pageants, from the weird and wondrous to downright wacky.

In 2004, China held a Miss Plastic Surgery pageant. The idea came from a previous pageant in which a contestant was disqualified for having had cosmetic surgery. Can't beat them, join them, right?

Ms. Pregnant pageant. Yep. Bare your belly bikini style. From the looks of it, we can only guess being in your third trimester is a requirement.

The annual Ms. Landmine Pageant, held in the country of Angola, created by Norwegian artist Morten Traavik, celebrates physical imperfection caused by wartime landmine explosions. Tiza applauds this pageant for its humanistic approach to real beauty.

Prison Pageants are apparently all the rage all over the world. In Bogota, Columbia, the incarcerated can be crowned Miss Prisoner--if they have what it takes. For some, it means freedom, as the parole board takes into account prison community involvement.

Miss Jumbo Queen is the brainchild of an elephant conservation project in Thailand. Though the last Miss Jumbo was crowned in 2005, we're hoping more philanthropies will hop on this grand idea.

Every girl dreams of being Miss Worm Gruntin' Queen or Miss Meat Pie, right? Harvest Festival Queens certainly hold the most...interesting titles. Personally, we're rooting for Miss Garlic Girl, 2009.

Exotic animals and pumpkins aren't your thing? The pageant world doesn't stop there.

How about the Zombie Beauty Pageant. More gore more gorgeous.

Not quite feeling up to Miss Universe this year? That's okay. Tiza's found a few alternatives to choose from...choose your platform wisely.

The media's buzzing with new gossip about the lovely first-runner-up for Miss America, Miss California U.S.A. Carrie Prejean. Prejean's semi-nude photos may only be semi-scandalous or a gigantic beauty pageant blooper, but at least we know she has sophisticated taste when it comes to dresses.

How can beauty pageants expect girls to display their bodies on stage in bikinis and heels--not exactly modest--and not be a bit confused on what skin a camera can capture on film? Whether Prejean was 17 or not when the pics in question were taken, one thing's for sure: ladies need to process their pasts before entering a beauty pageant.

Here at Tiza, we believe in moderation. A little skin goes a long way, and modest can be dead sexy. So keep yourselves covered in the finest of fabrics and most elegant dress designs from Tiza.com.

Tiza fashionistas think the dress is where it's at. Leave the rest to tabloids.