10 Random Truths About Pageant Girls

​In pop culture today there are hundreds of subcultures and every single one has its own stereotypes and stigmas. There are Trekkies, hipsters, bikers and cosplayers; and truth be told, with 2.5 million girls competing in pageants in each year, pageant girls are definitely a major subculture of their own. So, I thought it would be fun to create a list (based on personal experience of course) of 10 random facts about pageant girls that you may or may not have already known.
Enjoy!

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10 Random Truths About Pageant Girls

By Kathryn Kueppers

1. Having a title is like having a full-time job.
Between appearances, platform work, practicing talent, interview preparation, wardrobe selection, blogging, keeping fit, perfecting your look, meetings with directors, and balancing it all with school and work, you are constantly on the go. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity, so you might as well embrace it!

2. It’s us, hipsters, and moms that keep coffee houses alive. 
Caffeine has officially achieved “source of life” status among pageant girls.

3. Little kids both flock to you and fear you.
Having a sparkling crown and sash on in public places is like being a Disney Princess to little ones. They are simply in awe of that sparkly thing on your head! Some tykes want to follow you around while others hide behind their moms and peak at you through their fingers. You get questions like “where’s your castle” or “are you a real princess?”  Often any fear goes away the moment you take off you crown and offer them to try it on.  It's crazy cute!

4. We have ALL made fast food stops in evening gowns, or changed into gowns in the bathrooms.
McDonalds, Culvers, DQ, Cherry Berry, Subway, Burger King, you name it! Nothing like a pre or post-pageant quick change or pick me up at one of your favorite rest stops!

5. We all secretly dislike being compared to toddlers and tiara’s.
Many of us from the midwest generally started participating pageants in our late teens or early adulthood years. However, sometimes people think our moms signed us up early on and had us wear make-up and poofy dresses before we could recite our ABC’s, which could not be farther from the truth.

6. Pageant day is the ultimate “girl’s night out.”
The day of a pageant you get to hang out with amazing women who have similar interests. It’s a full day of trying on your dresses, practicing dance steps, snacking, getting all dolled up, and having dance parties in crowded dressing rooms. It’s insanely fun!

©2014 Sarah Morreim Photography

7. We crush the stereotype that women take hours to get ready.
It’s not uncommon to have less than an hour to get stage-ready for a competition if you’ve been rehearsing all day. On top of that, we go through full wardrobe changes about 3 times during the pageant and are given probably 8 minutes on average to do so. And if you’re like me, you just leave your heels on the whole time (factor in balancing abilities, or lack there-of!) But after surviving the pace of a pageant, we can be ready for any appearance in no time flat, complete with the crown on our heads and our lipstick in the perfect matching shade.

8. You will ALWAYS find pizza and snacks backstage during the pageant (and leftovers are not a thing.)
I have fond memories of hording the bag of gummy bears and swiping the last slice of pizza by the end of the night. Sometimes the nerves make you less hungry, but by half-way through a pageant, it’s worth ruining your lipstick for some sugary goodness.

9. Miss America pageant girls have a cause for which we advocate.
I can’t speak for those in other pageant systems, but if you meet a Miss America girl, she has a “platform.”  A platform is a cause or purpose she promotes during her year of service that has the potential to become her legacy. Contestants make numerous personal appearances with their platforms, giving them the opportunity to effect positive change in the world.

10. No girl is alone.
We all have a tremendous support system to help us.  Our support system usually consists of our directors, our local or state committee, our family, and friends. These people guide and mentor us, and set us in the right direction. These awesome people are the reason we can do what we do.