I was a local pageant director for several years, and let’s face it-- a lot of people think that preparing for a major pageant is like preparing for Christmas. You take the tree down from the attic a couple of weeks beforehand, and suddenly, everything’s a flurry of activity up until the big day.
Is my shopping done?
Oh no, that one package is going to be late!
Will the kids notice if I don’t bake M&M cookies this year?
Then, before you know it, Christmas is here, and the very next day, the tree gets shoved back up into the attic. Good riddance. Stress over. And if the M&M cookies weren’t baked? It’s okay—hopefully the kids had such a good holiday that it didn’t matter.
Now, preparing for Christmas like that is fine—my family loves me regardless of the cookies-- but preparing for a pageant like that? I don’t dare.
To me, preparing for a pageant is like preparing for a big wedding. I prep for months, maybe even up to a solid year, in advance. I have a notebook that I fill with ideas and plans. I’m always making lists: who to contact, who to pay, and what to order.
And after the big day? Um, I made a major commitment. The “wedding ring” in my case might be a crown and sash. I’m still “married” to my title for a year, and perhaps to the pageant system itself for the rest of my life. And if the big day didn’t go my way? I have to decompress and think about it.
What could I have done better, if anything?
What will I be sure to do for next time?
The tree can’t go back up to the attic, per se, until these questions are answered.
You see, the judges can tell who prepared well and who didn’t, and not just from the typos on your resume. If someone’s gown doesn’t fit right, that means they threw it on at the last minute without a proper tailoring. If someone’s off key, obviously they didn’t practice their talent. Et cetera. Everything needs to be ready, from the dress to the paperwork to the interview introduction.
Now, like a real wedding, not everything can be perfect, and that’s pretty much going to be anticipated. Let’s say that your makeup artist’s flight got delayed, for example, and they aren’t going to make it for the optionals show.
This shouldn’t be a problem if you plan months in advance.
I always hire a makeup and hair artist for a national or international pageant (or a high-stakes state pageant, for that matter!) I feel that having a professional do this task will boost my confidence on stage, because I’ll look the best that I can possibly look. Yet, people are human! Sometimes flights get delayed. Sometimes people get sick.
So I took lessons with a hair and makeup artist, just in case. My “big day” can always be salvaged if I’m consistently prepared.
Some women enter pageants simply to make friends, and they don’t really care if they win or not. And there’s nothing wrong with that—you do you! To me, though, pageantry is my sport, like Nathan Chen is to figure skating. If I can do it—and I know I’m able to win at it-- I want to do the best I can. I know that winning isn’t everything, but without consistent preparation, there’s honestly no way I’m going to have the confidence enough to do my best.
So, what does pageant prep entail? What should you be doing? Why do I need months upon months to prepare, anyway? That’s for next time.
In the meantime, print out that pageant handbook and read it word for word, pen in hand. Start making a list of tasks.
That tree’s coming down from the attic NOW.
By Alison Lee, National Ms. AWOS 2019 and Lifetime Ambassador
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