Secret Weapons of a Beauty Pageant Runner

Do you dream of that tiara? I did.

My first larger-scale beauty pageant was Miss Singapore International when i was 20. It didn't teach me much but that i was told by Luke, the pageant trainer that i am fat at 47kg.

Then i joined Miss Earth when i was 24 but i had no advantage even though it was my second pageant. Tricks of the trade were not ingrained in my head yet.

Thus this post to aspiring beauty queens wannabe.

If you are planning to be a pageant runner, here's what you ought to invest in or get if you see them overseas where it's considerably cheaper than Singapore.

1) Transparent Heels elongate your calves, making you taller. They are difficult to find in Singapore and they are expensive ($70 and more).

I refused to purchase a new pair of heels and thus stood at a disadvantage to the taller girls who are even taller with those heels.

Compare No.10's legs and mine (No.18).

Extremely high heels is also needed to kick that long gown as you sashay around.

2) Chicken Fillets are necessary.

Chicken fillets gives you the boost that most Singaporean women need. You will usually starve on the big event day, so good to have the chicken fillets that you can pull out after to eat!

I'm joking! These are the pageant queens' chicken fillets.

                                 

Funnily, the above image is found from secretweapons.com.au, the secret weapon to obtain maximum fullness and softness!

                                 

No.2 chicken fillets are working extremely well. She stuck it on right.

Me? Disadvantaged, no chicken fillet, only fillet-o-fish.

                     

You'll enter beauty pageants where all other contestants are regular pageant runners so they know all the tricks of the trade. I was extremely amused when at a outdoor shoot, we were asked to leap into the air for a happy jumping shot.

As we jumped, i spied out of the corner of my eye, someone's chicken fillet flew out!!!

It was someone from the right. I think it was No. 8 or 10 or 11. No one noticed it flew out except yours truly. Also because we had to jump numerous times, sand was kicked everywhere and soon it buried her chicken fillet. I had to discreetly slide over Missing Chicken Fillet girl after the photograph to tell her she's one boob short. She then had to discreetly feel around the mounds of sand to find where it's buried.

3) Exaggerated Bling Bling attracts judges' attention when the spotlight is on a group of girls. You have to OUTSHINE everyone!

I am the one on the extreme right with beige heels. No. 16 and even extreme left 14 outshone me.

Again, i was disadvantaged not knowing this trick of the trade. See below and the comparison of the contestant behind me.

4) Even Eyelashes need Bling

Pageant regulars stick on double falsies to make their eyes pop. Because without all that make-up, we really look like this.

5) Posing awkwardly is expected of a pageant runner. Notice the 3rd and 4th girl from the right at the bottom row, their hands are at the right positions and their feet form a perfect T. The last girl on the extreme right is over-doing it.

Me at a disadvantage, the only one who didn't pose like a tea pot. I tip toe though!

6) Beauty is subjective. Pageant participants are expected to sell tickets to their own show, starting from $50 to even $150 per ticket. Some without drinks or food even. You will also gain approval from the organizers if you purchase ads in the programme booklet that starts from $500 to $1000 for a full page.

Don't be disheartened if you didn't win. Often it takes some luck, some affinity and lots of money.