Beauty Pageant Minute: Miss America 2013, the Winner, the GOWNS!

There She Is...







Last night, a new Miss America was crowned: she was Miss New York Mallory Hagan, 23, from Brooklyn New York. The 92nd (!!) Miss America pageant took place at PH Live/Planet Hollywood Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, the same venue where the Miss Universe 2012 pageant occurred last month.In terms of a TV show/production, I actually think the Miss America pageant was better--highlighting more of Las Vegas, all its offerings and I also thought the surprise inclusion of a "Judges Favorite" in the top 15 (thereby making it 16 total) was great and the quick final Q & A was wonderful as well.







Hagan defeated Miss South Carolina Ali Rogers, who took second, and Miss Oklahoma Alicia Clifton, who finished third and MissWyoming Lexie Madden and Miss Iowa Mariah Cary, who ended fourth and fifth respectively.










The new Miss America wins a $50,000 college scholarship and gets the crown for one year. Her platform was stopping child sexual abuse.She is expected to spend her title reign on a nationwide speaking
tour and raising money for the Children's Miracle Network, the
organization's official charity.




Mallory Hagan (above) is originally from Alabama and not new to the pageant scene. Mallory
competed in the Miss Alabama and Miss Alabama's Outstanding Teen--and
then after moving to Brooklyn N.Y., she won Miss Brooklyn 2010, Miss New
York City 2011 and Miss New York 2012.







Crystal tap Dancin': Mallory Hagan won the Las Vegas beauty pageant after
tap dancing to James Brown's "Get Up Off of That Thing" (above) and answering a
question about whether armed guards belong in grade schools by saying we
should not fight violence with violence.




The Gown: Mallory Hagan, Miss New York--and the new Miss America-wore a one shoulder white jersey gown. It was simple, elegant and one of my favorites. There was some odd rippling on the side where her zipper is (and you could see this during the live telecast and while she did her evening gown walk), but overall, this was a nice modern choice. I also thought it was good styling to add oversized jeweled earrings and cuff. Clean gown, elaborate accessories.

Gown Score: 9.4



My Best-to-Not So Best Gowns of Miss America 2013 Finals:




Miss Wyoming Lexie Madden: For me, my two TOP gowns were the ones worn by Miss Wyoming and Miss Tennessee (see below)--it was basically a tie (with Miss New York/new Miss America coming in Fourth in terms of the Best Gowns). I thought Miss Wyoming's gown--a black sequined dress with nude-lined top section and high side slit--was very "red carpet-ready", impacting and a strong choice. She looked GORGEOUS! It helps that she looked SIX FOOT tall and perfect model-size.

Gown Score: 9.7




Miss Tennessee Chandler Lawson: My other top favorite in terms of the gowns worn by the Top Ten semi-finalists was this ivory gown on Miss Tennessee. It was again, very simple and to-the-point--not filled with unnecessary gown "bells & whistles"..i.e. feathers, horsehair'ed stiffened ruffles, etc. It was clean and elegant featuring a sweetheart neckline and yes, THAT side slit (them pageant girls just can't stay away from a side slit!). It also had beautiful turquoise and silver oversized jeweled crystals framing the neckline and in the back. If I am not mistaken, it was very Gionni Straccia (the Venezuelan pageant gown go-to designer)...




It had elements of these gowns above--designed by Gionni Straccia--worn by past beauty queens Morgan Woolard, Miss Oklahoma USA 2010 (left) and Marelisa Gibson Miss Venezuela 2010 (right) .

In terms of a Gown Score for Miss Tennessee, I give her a 9.7.




Miss Washington Mandy Schendel: Great gown, elegant, clean, yet with just the right amount of crystals to give it special "sparkle" onstage and well, make the gown seem "important" enough--without looking tackety-tacky. I thought the fit was good and the black color was a wise choice--especially with her blond hair and especially since it seems A LOT of those Miss America contestants think white is the gown color of choice to win the crown (ooops, I guess it was!!).

Gown Score: 9.5





Miss Iowa Mariah Cary: I know, I know, her name! God bless her. Miss Iowa is only 20 years old and after doing the math, that means she was born ONE YEAR after singer Mariah Carey's "Emotions" album came out! (1991) So, momma must have been either listening to that record while doing the naughty...or while giving birth (it also helped that her last name was very very close). But I digress...let's discuss the gown: Mariah (the beauty pageant contestant not the singer), wore a strapless black taffeta and velvet with a "mermaid Lite" silhouette. I thought this was a nice choice and it was one of my Top Five favorites in the Miss America 2013 Finals gowns.

 Gown Score: 9.3




Miss Texas DaNae Couch: Next on my list, I would put Miss Texas' gown. She wore a one shoulder and one sleeved fully sparkled gown featuring iridescent crystals on a nude-colored background. It was three steps from looking like a Figure Skating costume but I guess that was why I partially liked it. It was A LOT of gown--it also had a side cut-out, some backless detail--and I'm just not sure all that other stuff was necessary. But leave it to pageant gown makers to take gowns to another level...

Gown Score: 9.2








 Miss Maryland Joanna Guy: Here's another one-sleeve gown--this time on the cutie Miss Maryland. On stage last night, she looked like a US Olympic Gymnast. Speaking of...McKayla Maroney, 2012 Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast was one of the judges and I swear Miss Maryland could have been her sister! In terms of her gown, it was white, had delicate crystals and yes, that one sleeve detail. Again, it was very Figure Skating Costume and well, just cute. Not oustanding but cute. 

Gown Score: 9.0





Miss Alabama Anna Laura Bryan: Anna Laura wore another white gown--this time in a brocade fabrication with sequin embroidery. It looked slightly heavy but I did like the shape and cap sleeve detail. It didn't have much "sex appeal" but then again, we leave that for the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, Miss America is Miss USA's "not-so-naughty" sister.

Gown Score:  8.9




Miss South Carolina Ali Rogers: Ali was the favorite to win--at least as an arm chair viewer that's what I kept thinking the entire time. She ended up First Runner Up and almost capturing the crown. Ali just looked like a Miss America, the perfect US beauty--tall, blond, sweet...Barbie come to life. Her gown choice was a bit odd. I appreciate that it was "different" and the elaborate applique oversize solid/see-though swirls. I also like the drop shoulders but I didn't think it needed a slit. Instead it should have had a nice train and been covered.

Gown Score: 8.8




Miss Illinois Megan Irvin: Two words: Oh Dear!! I give her points for having the chutzpah for wearing this concoction of a gown--but again: Oh No She Didn't, is all I kept saying from my couch as I saw this on my TV screen! Megan wore a red strapless SUPER Mermaid number with way too many horsehair'ed stiffened ruffles. Needless to say: it's A LOT of gown, plus the bouffant hair, plus the chandelier earrings...it all adds up to something I'd rather see on RuPaul.

Gown Score: 8.5





Miss Oklahoma Alicia Clifton: I loved Alicia, she was great and I was rooting for her last night as I watched the pageant. But what was not so great, was her choice of gown. While I liked the color, the style of the gown was very "Mother-of-the-Bride"--the neckline, the mini-gathered torso and high-hip detail...it was--dare I say--aging--on her. This was not an innovative gown--even for beauty pageants--and certainly not something one would see on the red carpet--maybe on the wife of a producer...but not on an A-list actress.

Gown Score: 8.0




Miss Indiana MerrieBeth Cox: Speaking of Mother-of-the-Bride...Miss Indiana. This gown was not right for the pageant. This was more for a fancy wedding. It just looked like something a woman buys at a local department store in the "after Five" dress section. Nothing against that but for Miss America, I think it's time to call, hire, and pay, for the "big guns"!

Gown Score: 7.5





Well, that's it for now--my Top-to-Not-so-Top List of evening gowns form last night's Miss America 2013 Finals. Congrats to Mallory Hagan, the new Miss America! Have a great year working as America's Beauty Ambassador--and don't forget to look FABULOUS while doing it!