So you want to win a pageant? If you have been involved in pageants long you may have heard the expression that “it takes a village” From personal experience…it truly does!

I have won about 17 pageants in my lifetime and each and every time I have had a “team” of people helping and supporting me.

The most important place to start is knowing what kind of pageant you are entering. There are thousands upon thousands of pageant in the United States…making it very difficult to pick which one(s) to compete in. So, do your homework first and find out where you fit. They all look for different things. If you are strong in interview and communication then look for pageants that are geared towards those specifications and the scores are heavily weighted in those categories.

When it comes to preparing…build yourself a team! (A village!)

No matter what pageant you are competing in wardrobe will always be important! When shopping go to places that have a lot of stock so you can try different styles and see what flatters you best and take someone with you! Even take a couple people…unless you’re shopping here at Bridal Elegance where we have a pageant consultant to assist you. Me!

I am often asked are coaches necessary? I firmly believe that they are a very valuable asset. Just make sure they know the system you are competing in. I often in the past would hire 1-3 different coaches and work with them all. Varying opinions are a huge help and can make you really see the big picture. You don’t want a coach that does not give constructive criticism. You must know what you need to work on in order to improve.

Family is great for support but I would not take them pageant shopping with you or have them too heavily involved in your preparation or coaching sessions. They already think that you are fabulous and what you need is someone from the outside looking in to properly assess you and your pageant needs.

So in a nutshell…I would highly recommend building your village with family and friends for emotional support, 1-3 coaches for choosing wardrobe and styling as well as fine-tuning skills such as interview, modeling etc.

Don’t forget that here at Bridal Elegance we are the largest pageant retailer in the Midwest! Offering many custom and one of a kind gowns and swimwear! Our facility has a 4,000 square foot pageant room and an on-site pageant consultant that can assist you with any of your pageant needs!

Stephanie Piller, Ms. Galaxy International 2010 and Illinois Galaxy State Director