So the Miss Universe preliminary competition has come and gone, and we will have to wait until Monday to find out who the judges have selected to contest the final rounds of competition. Unlike previous years when there were clear, universally accepted favourites, the contest is wide open this year and any one of at least 10 contestants could walk off with the crown.
As far as our gorgeous Miss SA, Nicole Flint, is concerned there are two very distinct, but opposing, camps: There are those who love her, and there are those who feel she has absolutely no chance. Given that I am a huge fan, I'm in the former camp.
I was crazy enough to wake up at 4:45 am (just in time to see Nicole in evening gown) to watch the prelim webcast. I have been super critical of the hideous purple KKK (Krappy Kluk Kreation) evening gown and the webcast merely served to confirm what I already thought of the couturial (nice word) nightmare. Add that the criticism of the gown has been universal, particularly from parties that have no vested interest in Nicole's final placement.
The gown was ill-fitting (made Nicole look top-heavy even though she isn't particularly well-endowed in that region), poorly put together, and the bottom looks like they ran out of fabric and slapped some netting on to make it longer. Add that the colour blended into the purple backdrop/set/lighting settings, and Nicole stood out like a chameleon does once it has had time to adapt to it's surroundings.
I understand that money is tight right now, and that Miss SA has to make do with what is available, but come on now! How difficult is it to put something together on a shoe-string budget? Anyone with an iota of creativity could come up with something eye-catching. How about something like this:
I think the Jessica Rabbit look would have fit perfectly. Nicole has really come a long way since she stomped her way on the catwalk to the title in December. The hair is long and volumous, and she has learnt to "sex it up". A little bust and leg never hurt the overall look in a pageant, and she would have been noticed for all the right reasons.
Pageant gowns are supposed to be glittery and kitsch. You don't wear a pageant gown to a matric farewell, and you don't wear a matric farewell gown to a pageant. Period. I just hope she doesn't feel the moral and ethical obligation to wear THAT gown again if she does make the Top 15. If she does, I fear it will be the end of her Miss Universe quest.