Inside the Making of a Gown (A. Klinzing)

GUEST BLOG: Gown designer, Kate Walz and Aly Klinzing

I’m Kate Walz, a 17 year old women’s wear designer from Omaha, Nebraska. I have been designing since I could hold a crayon, sewing since I was 8, and started selling my clothing in a boutique when I was 12 years old.

Original Kate Walz gown on the runway at New York Fashion Week. — Original Kate Walz gown on the runway at NY Fashion Week.

I have participated in over 30 fashion shows, including Omaha Fashion Week, Kansas City Fashion Week, and an offsite show of New York Fashion Week. I am currently the spokes designer of Fashion Camp NYC.

I had the pleasure to design Miss Kansas Teen USA 2013 - Aly Klinzing's gown for Miss Teen USA 2013.

Aly’s gown was a slightly altered version of the finale gown of my Fall 2013 collection.

The original had a leather bodice and a less full skirt which was inspired by the history and architecture of New York in the 60?s.

I took inspiration from the architecture of the buildings and the fall fauna of Central Park.

Aly first saw the original gown when she walked for my show at New York Fashion Week.

"The first time I saw this gown was at New York Fashion Week last February. The gown was Kate Walz’s finale piece of her Fall 2013 collection. It was a show stopper and I just fell in love with the gown the minute I saw it! I was thrilled to be able to spend time in New York on location doing a shoot for the collection after walking in fashion week for Kate, keeping my fingers crossed I would get to wear the gown for the shoot."
-Aly Klinzing, Miss Kansas Teen USA 2013

UntitledD — Original Kate Walz gown (with leather bodice and slimmer skirt) worn by Aly Klinzing during photo shoot in New York.

On our trip to New York, we were also able to have a few photo shoots around the city with photographer Greg Higgins. We tended to do them at strange hours (like 3am) because of lack of time during the day.

We were able to get some really cool pictures this way however, because we were able to capture New York almost empty, which was an interesting perspective and helped focus the eye on the clothing and Aly.

A few months after our trip Aly contacted me saying that she would be interested in wearing the gown to the Miss Teen USA 2013 pageant.

"Aly and I in the city, it was so great growing so close to her and becoming such great friends!" — "Aly and I in NYC, it was so great growing so close to her and becoming such great friends!"

Being that we are so close in age, (at the time she was 15 and I was 16) I think that she really connected to the gown because we have a similar taste in style.

I think the deciding factor that caused her to ultimately choose my gown was that we had both already achieved so much through this dress and created so many great memories in it.

I was so excited she chose my gown! Not only was it great publicity to have it seen by so many people that wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to my work, but it was also great having her represent my brand. After having it approved by her pageant director I got right to work.

"Once I put on the gown during that time, it just stayed with me…I really, really loved it. A few months after the trip to NYC, it was close to have to finalize my gown choice for Miss Teen USA (13 weeks and counting), so I decided to show a picture of the dress to my directors to see what they thought. They loved it too and really wanted me to have the gown of my dreams, so I decided…this is the one!"
-Aly Klinzing, Miss Kansas Teen USA 2013

Aly’s first time trying on the dress after the Omaha Fashion Show. — Aly’s first time trying on the dress after the Omaha fashion show.

It’s a pretty simple gown to construct, just a bodice with a sweetheart neckline and a circle skirt with a layer of taffeta and a layer of organza over the top. I made Aly's gown from scratch and it probably took close to 8 hours to construct.

I changed the bodice from leather to dupioni, and made the skirt a bit fuller to make it more pageant appropriate.

The flower was the tricky part. I wanted it to have some dimension so I put tiny pleats in each petal and attached them all to a big circle of taffeta separate from the skirt.

I did this so it would still have some movement to it. I also added vertical top stitching to cover the bodice for extra detail. I finished it with a feathered pin in the center of the flower.

I actually ran out of fabric for the flower and didn't have time to order more. I made one with what I had, but it wasn't big enough so I had to take the flower off of the original dress and switch the two!

Since she has modeled for me multiple times and lives 3 hours away, I just made it to her size without having a fitting. When she came to Omaha to model in a show for me she tried it on, and it fit perfect the first time!

"I remember at my first fitting that it fit perfectly (literally like a glove) and I felt like I was at my personal best in the gown…confident, elegant, and beautiful. I remember how much I was looking forward to wearing it at Miss Teen USA! It was perfect for me.”
-Aly Klinzing, Miss Kansas Teen USA 2013

I first saw Aly's gown on stage when I was watching the preliminaries online. Seeing her float across the stage gave me such a rush of pride in both my work and in what Aly has achieved. It was so incredible to see Aly's gown standing by Sherri Hill gowns and other big name designers.

Aly is truly one of my best friends and favorite people, so seeing her in my gown really meant a lot. She was so radiant and happy on stage, and I may have been smiling just as hard she was!

It was truly an honor to have her wear it! Aly placed Top 15 at Miss Teen USA 2013 and I couldn’t have been more excited! She is the perfect representation of my brand, and I was proud to have her wear it.

(Photos courtesy of Miss Universe Organization, Kate Walz, and Greg Higgins)

January 26, 2014January 28, 2014

Top 10 in Swimsuit for 2013

Similar to the Top 10 Pageant Gowns of 2013, this list was also designed to be the most relevant and comprehensive to determine the top contestants competing in the swimsuit competition. Additionally, I wanted the opportunity for readers to gain a inside look and learn from those who were the best in swimsuit for 2013.

To make this the most comprehensive Top 10 list, I contacted pageantry’s leading authorities across the country including gown designers, boutique owners, pageant coaches, seasoned pageant judges, hair and makeup stylists, photographers, and current and former state and national titleholders from the Miss America and Miss Universe organizations.

Once the final rankings were calculated, I personally contacted the majority of the Top 10 to interview them about their fitness training, nutritional plan, and overall preparation for their pageant.

Those eligible for nomination were ANY contestant competing in ANY pageant, in ANY system during the 2013 calendar year, then ranked in Top 5 format with points for each placement. People’s Choice was determined by popular vote by the public.

I present to you the Top 10 in Swimsuit for 2013.

“On the bubble”

These ladies barely missed cracking the Top 10, but deserved special recognition.

Constanza Baez, Nastassja Bolivar, Megan Ervin, Lauren Guzman, Gabriela Isler, Brittany Deaville (People's Choice)

10. Miss South Carolina 2012

Our first to appear in the Top 10 in Swimsuit for 2013 is Miss South Carolina 2012 - Ali Rogers.

Ali gave thePageantGuy.com some insight on preparing for the swimsuit competition at Miss America 2013:

"My key focus while preparing to compete in swimsuit at Miss America 2013 was to stay healthy and more importantly, happy. I had competed in swimsuit only two times before, at Miss Laurens County and at Miss South Carolina.

While maintaining a balanced diet, I never let myself become miserable with the same boring foods. I mixed in foods I like with fruits, vegetables, and high-protein, low-carb dishes.

I even left room for biscuits and gravy...that kept me happy, which was undoubtedly more important than being thin. When it came to working out, I didn't stay confined to a treadmill and weights in the gym. I grew up playing sports, not competing in pageants so swimsuit competition gave me the chance to utilize my passion for sports.

I mixed things up with CrossFit, Zumba, running outside, and anything to give my workouts variation. For me, cardio was key. I began and ended every workout with cardio...running, biking, or rowing. With multiple speaking engagements and appearances everyday for the six months leading up to Miss America, I used the month of December to really buckle down before I left for Las Vegas.

I worked out twice, sometimes three times a day, but I never let myself get bored. Balance was key. While I may have not been the thinnest, I learned very quickly that skinny doesn't always win swimsuit. I was healthy and of course, happy."

9. Miss West Virginia 2013

Coming in at 9th place is Miss West Virginia USA 2013 - Chelsea Welch.

Chelsea shared with thePageantGuy.com her process of preparing for the Miss USA 2013 pageant:

"To prepare for swimsuit competition I worked with Nancy Bond at Complete Physique and there's no way I could have been swimsuit ready without her help.

I started 4 months before my state pageant on a clean eating lifestyle. 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks every day, never more than 3 hours between eating.

I only ate clean foods like complex carbs, fruits, veggies, lean protein, healthy fats, and didn't take any supplements.

I also drank over 1 gallon of water each day. As for workouts, I trained for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours a day, 6 days a week, which included high intensity cardio intervals and quite a bit of strength training (I even used a squat rack). I dropped nearly 15 pounds in 3 months and became so toned.

My confidence in my body skyrocketed and I was so proud to show it off on stage. Working with Complete Physique was key to my success."

8. Miss Wyoming 2012

Placing 8th on the Top 10 in Swimsuit for 2013 is Miss Wyoming 2012 - Lexie Madden.

When asked about her preparations for the Miss America 2013 swimsuit competition, Lexie offered thePageantGuy.com this:

"To prepare for the swimsuit portion at Miss America, I did a variety of cardio 6 times a week, generally trying to keep my heart rate in the fat burning zone.

I also added in weight lifting, incorporating low weight with lots of reps to create leaner muscle.

In terms of nutrition, I ate a lot of fruit, veggies and lean protein and drank a gallon of water a day.

I definitely have a sweet tooth so I would still occasionally treat myself to sweet snacks.

Being healthy doesn't mean depriving yourself of everything, it means making smarter eating choices and eating things in moderation."

7. Miss Oklahoma USA 2014

Next on our list of the Top 10 in Swimsuit for 2013 is current Miss Oklahoma USA 2014 - Brooklynne Young.

Brooklynne gave thePageantGuy.com a quick glimpse on how she prepared for the Miss Oklahoma USA 2014 swimsuit competition:

"I made sure to go to the gym at least 3-5 times a week and if I didn't make it I would do some work outs at home.

I would always start out doing some form of cardio and then would transition into circuit training using weights to target specific muscle groups.

To mix it up, I enjoyed trying new workouts I would find on Pinterest or on a good fitness website.

As for my nutrition plan, I have grown up liking healthy food so it makes it easier to keep good eating habits.

I did not completely cut out any food group because otherwise I would end up craving it all the time. My go-to meal (also my favorite) would be Greek yogurt with granola and fruit.

I believe that the best plan is to focus on whole, natural, unprocessed foods and stay away from artificial sweeteners and so-called 'diet' foods."

6. Miss North Carolina USA 2013

Narrowly missing the Top 5 is Miss North Carolina USA 2013 - Ashley Mills.

When asked about her workout routine to plan for the swimsuit competition at Miss USA 2013, Ashley explained:

"My workout regimen in preparation for the Miss USA 2013 pageant was rather simple.

I only worked out around 3 times a week.

I did some cardio and weight training but the key in how my body was shaped for Miss USA came down to my diet.

From the moment I was crowned Miss North Carolina USA 2013, I ate healthy and in moderation.

I definitely ate what I wanted, which included a lot of thin crust pizza lol but I stayed away from juice and soda.

Drank nothing but water. Ate lots of veggies, fruits and consumed a ton of protein (cans of tuna, chicken, salmon).

I was very disciplined for a period of 7 months up until the Miss USA 2013 pageant and even now, I still maintain the same diet."

5. Miss Nevada USA 2013

The first to appear in the Top 5 in our list of the Top 10 in Swimsuit for 2013, is Miss Nevada USA 2013 - Chelsea Caswell.

Here is what Chelsea explained to thePageantGuy.com about her fitness and nutrition plan leading up to Miss USA 2013:

"I am a firm believer in being fit is 70% what you intake and 30% what you workout.

I worked out at least 5 days a week and really focused on my overall fitness. I did all different types of workouts to ensure I was getting the best results.

Everything from 'Insanity' to hiking, I tried to do it all. It also helped keep my workouts fun, and not so mundane!

Like I said 70% what you intake, therefore I was extremely strict about what I ate. I followed a pretty true "Paleo" diet (which I learned after the fact) but I essentially ate only natural foods, nothing processed, no dairy, sugar, or grains.

I'll admit the hardest part was candy! I have an addiction to sour gummy worms like none other, but in the end it was all worth it.

Something I thought I could never give up was coffee. If I could have an IV of coffee everyday I would! Hahah...it was hard but so worth it, I felt the best if ever felt in my entire life going to Miss USA."

4. Miss Utah USA 2013

Placing 4th on our list is Miss Utah USA 2013 - Marissa Powell.

Marissa also explained her routine to prepare for the Miss USA 2013 swimsuit competition:

"I was very fortunate to have an amazing trainer for Miss USA. I trained with Scott's Training System out of Arizona.

Although I was not in the same state as him, it was no problem at all. He was wonderful about calling and emailing back and forth 2 to 3 times a week to make sure that I was sticking to my nutrition plan and exercises.

Before starting to train, I told Scott exactly what I wanted to work on to obtain my ideal Miss USA body, and he helped me know what exercises and nutrition plan I needed in order to make it happen.

I grew up playing a lot of sports, so I was excited to do cardio and light weight lifting at the gym three times a week along with eating clean and natural foods.

Every week I would take photos of myself in my swimsuit in order to see the progress that I was making and it made me very excited and motivated to see the changes I was working for! I was thrilled when I got on the Miss USA 2013 stage and felt perfectly beautiful in my own skin.

I had worked hard and stayed dedicated. I knew that all my hard work paid off because I had reached my personal fitness goal that I had set for myself. Scott help me every bit of the way, and I could not have done it without him!"

3. Miss Illinois USA 2013

Placing 2nd runner up is Miss Illinois USA 2013 - Stacie Juris.

Stacie explains to us her "no fun diet" helping her to place in the Top 5 at the Miss USA 2013 and in our list of the Top 10 in Swimsuit for 2013.

"To prepare for the Miss USA 2013 swimsuit competition, I went on what I call the no-fun-diet.

I worked with personal trainer and former Miss Illinois USA, Ashley Bond 2-3 times a week and the other 4-5 times a week I would train on my own, at Lifetime Fitness.

As I got closer to leaving for Miss USA, my diet became more and more boring.

Eventually I cut out all grains, dairy, alcohol, and processed sugar.

I was eating a lot of vegetables, chicken, and egg whites.

Yawn.

It was really important to me that my hard work was evident when I hit the stage.

I didn’t just want to be skinny, I wanted to look fit and feel great. Getting ready to be on national television -- in a bikini -- may not be fun, but it is worth it!"

2. Miss Great Britain Universe 2013

Our 1st RU for the Top 10 in Swimsuit for 2013 is Miss Great Britain Universe 2013 - Amy Willerton.

To prepare for the Miss Universe 2013 pageant KX, an exclusive health and fitness club based in the UK, provided Amy a custom program consisting of personal training, spa treatments, and a particular diet and nutritional plan.

Courtesy of KX, here's a look at Amy's specific diet for Miss Universe 2013.

The diet that Amy followed for the Miss Universe 2013 pageant is a Mediterranean Paleo Menu.

This includes three meals per day consisting of a wide variety of lean proteins, fruits and vegetables and healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, fish oil and grass-fed meat.

Following this diet, combined with regular exercise, can help you stay lean, strong and energetic.

Below is Week One of Amy Willerton’s Miss Universe 2013 diet:

Monday: Smoked salmon and spinach / Super green salad & Cod / Chicken Paillard, green beans and broccoli
Tuesday: Poached eggs & grilled tomatoes / Tuna Tartare & Quinoa side / Salmon, beans salad & asparagus
Wednesday: Chicken, avocado & spinach / Vegan pasta & prawns / Beef filet stracchetti with mushrooms & kale
Thursday: White omelette w/red pepper / Beetroots soup & chicken w/green salad / Dover sole broccoli & carrots
Friday: Chilean sea bass, mushrooms and baby spinach / Spicy vegetable & chicken soup & wild rice side / Beef Bresaola & cherries tomatoes
Saturday: Steamed chicken and kale / Lentils Prawns soup / Veal filet green beans mixed salad
Sunday: Scrambled eggs & asparagus / Salmon salad & buckwheat side / Cod & shitake mushrooms

1. Miss Virginia USA 2013

Receiving the highest 1st place votes and placing in Top 5 on over three-fourths of all our expert polls, Miss Virginia USA 2013 - Shannon McAnally earns her the top spot in the Top 10 in Swimsuit for 2013!

Shannon exclusively spoke to thePageantGuy.com about her fitness and nutrition lifestyle and preparing for the Miss USA 2013 swimsuit competition:

"While I have been a vegetarian my entire life, I was definitely more strict than ever with my eating habits leading up to Miss USA.

I took in about 100 grams of protein per day, included lots of fresh veggie and fruit juices I made at home using a juicer, ate all healthy natural and organic foods, and cut out anything processed or things with a lot of sodium or sugar.

I can honestly say I have never looked or felt better in my life after practicing this diet for several months straight.

As far as my workout routine, I did a lot of low impact cardio several times per week, and worked out with light machines and free weights about 5 times per week.

I also Skyped with my trainer, Mark some towards the end to make sure I was targeting all the right spots correctly.

My workout routines were extremely intense and efficient, but well worth the time and effort!"

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So what do you think? Do you agree with the Top 10 in Swimsuit for 2013?

Who was your favorite? Was there a contestant you thought was worthy to be listed on our Top 10 list that we missed?

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

-Will the Pageant Guy

January 19, 2014January 19, 2014

VIDEO: Alexa Taylor – Miss Nevada Teen USA 2014

During the Miss Nevada USA and Miss Nevada Teen USA 2014 pageant weekend, I had the opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look with the staff and contestants including a few interviews.

Immediately after being crowned the new Miss Nevada Teen USA 2014, Alexa Taylor spoke to Miss USA 2011, Alyssa Campanella about her win.

Be sure to follow Alexa on Twitter at: @RealMissNVteen

-Will the Pageant Guy

December 30, 2013December 5, 2018

Top 10 Pageant Gowns of 2013

2013 was once again another landmark year in pageantry. Whether it was history repeating itself in the form of controversy, or breaking new ground in the pageant world, 2013 had several moments to reflect back on.

This year the first Indian American was crowned Miss America, the cyber stalking of Miss Teen USA made headline news, and Venezuela reclaimed their dominance in the pageant universe.

2013 also brought new and innovative gown designs creating memorable moments with the gorgeous ladies that wore them. To recognize these ladies and their gowns thePageantGuy.com presents the Top 10 Pageant Gowns of 2013.

To make this the most relevant and comprehensive Top 10 list -- in lieu of only posting up my own personal opinion or the opinion of a pageant intern -- I contacted pageantry’s leading authorities across the country including gown designers, boutique owners, pageant coaches, seasoned pageant judges, hair and makeup stylists, photographers, and current and former state and national titleholders from the Miss America and Miss Universe organizations.

Gowns that were eligible for nomination were those worn by ANY contestant competing in ANY pageant, in ANY system during the 2013 calendar year, then ranked in Top 5 format with points for each placement. People's Choice was determined by popular vote by the public.

Nearly 50 gowns were nominated…

…but only 10 made the list as the Top Pageant Gowns of 2013.

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“On the bubble” gowns:

These gowns barely missed cracking the Top 10, but deserved special recognition.

? Miss Gulf Coast Teen USA 2013 (TX)

This gown was designed by famed Venezuelan designer, Gionni Straccia and was worn at the Miss Texas Teen USA 2014 pageant by Madison Lester, who placed in the Top 15.

When asked by thePageantGuy.com, Madison said this about her gown:

"My older sister, Logan, first wore this gown when she gave up her crown at the Miss Houston Teen 2013 pageant. Julie Roberts at Elizabeth Anthony had it brought in from Gionni Straccia for Logan to borrow for the evening.

I was competing in my first pageant ever, and when I saw my sister in it I immediately wanted it!

I adore the classic beauty and elegance of Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn and the classic features of this gown reminded me of them!

The second I saw it, I knew this was the gown I wanted to wear to compete at the Miss Texas Teen USA 2014 pageant. Not only did it make me feel exquisite beyond belief, but it also boosted my confidence and composure. Wearing my gown was a fairytale!"

? Miss Kemah USA 2013 (TX)

Another Gionni Straccia design, this time worn on the Miss Texas USA 2014 stage by 4th runner up, Peyton Saverance.

Peyton offered this insight about her gown:

"Choosing my gown was a difficult task. I knew I wanted it to be better than my previous Gionni Straccia gown, but I really didn't know how I was going to top it. I went to Elizabeth Anthony to meet with Gionni Straccia himself in June 2013. The date itself was already stressing me out because I was unsure the dress would actually be to the States in time for competition. Now here comes the part where I was tested, I had four of the most opinionated people in the room all with different ideas of what they envisioned for me.

After trying on 6-8 different Gionni styles, we found the color, the fit, and the fabric..but no design. Gionni sat down and showed one design that we all agreed was good, but it was too much for the Miss Texas USA pageant and it would also include multiple fittings because each strip of beading had to be strategically placed. We passed on that design. He then began drawing and using his imagination amongst my clan and I disagreed on what we wanted. He then showed the design with a plunging neckline and we ALL fell in love!

The dress came in 2 weeks before Miss Texas USA...which about gave me a heart attack. My dear friend Ashley called to let me know the masterpiece had arrived...and I immediately felt a pit in the bottom of my stomach...What if I didn't like it? What would I do? I don't want to wear the same dress as last year. I showed up to Elizabeth Anthony a few days later and Julie was so excited to show me...but I was nervous. I actually put off seeing it for 20 minutes because I didn't know how to react if it was something I didn't like. She finally conned me into the dressing room...and it was better than I could have imagined. It was perfect and it fit perfectly...however we couldn't zip it up...not an inch. Gionni uses invisible zippers which can separate easily, and of course this happened! After several attempts to fix it, we ended up replacing the zipper with a wider one, and it finally went up and down as it should.

I finally got to Miss Texas USA on a Thursday and unveiled the dress to my mother (who had never laid eyes on it). It takes a lot to knock my mother's socks off, but it definitely did. I couldn't wait until I competed on Saturday...I wanted to wear my dress badly. I remember facing backwards to start the evening gown competition and hearing my title called.

The feeling I felt is indescribable. I felt like Miss Texas USA at Miss USA...or what I imagine it to feel like. I glided across the stage and felt like a million bucks. I had the best dress that ever hung in my closet and I felt like I was on top of the world. There was no better feeling."

? Miss America 2014

This custom gown was worn on the Miss America 2014 stage this past September by the first Indian American crowned Miss America, Nina Davuluri, and was specially designed by Gaspar Cruz.

This gown was first worn by Nina when she captured the Miss New York 2013 crown earlier in the year.

Gaspar, owner of Crown Couture, who has designed and dressed numerous national and international pageant titleholders provided thePageantGuy.com details on this custom design for Nina:

"Nina wanted something very red carpet and she loved a gown that Taylor Swift wore [at the Peoples Choice Awards red carpet].

I wanted to make something more fitted for structure and wanted to make sure that I respected her Hindu religion with the less plunging neckline and the netting.

The yellow double chiffon is cut on the bias, with a plunging neckline covered with netting to serve as a modesty panel. The cap sleeves add some structure and the full train for dramatics."

? Miss Washington USA 2013

This custom gown was worn on the Miss USA 2013 stage by Miss Washington USA 2013 – Cassandra Searles

Cassandra gave thePageantGuy.com an exclusive look at how she chose this gown to wear at Miss USA. Here is what she said:

"My gown was a Sherri Hill gown. I immediately knew I wanted a jewel color and was trying to choose between royal blue, red, and green. I ended up deciding on emerald because I wanted something that when people saw me, they would remember that I was from Washington. Since we are the Evergreen State and I'm from the Emerald City, I thought it was fitting.

I also remember seeing the way Miss Venezuela's green gown looked on stage last year, and it solidified my decision because my only concern was how it would look on stage. I didn't want it to look cheap. I had been working with Ypsilon Dresses from Salt Lake City Utah to come up with a design.

One of my all time favorite dresses was Ximena Navarette's at Miss Universe. I absolutely loved how her dress stole the show and I wanted a show stopper like that as well. So Andrea at Ypsilon had been communicating with Sherri telling her my must haves were the Emerald color, silk charmeuse, fitted bottom with a slit, and a gigantic flowing skirt. Sherri then sent back 3 different top options and I loved the sweetheart neckline. It was originally strapless but I have such a long upper chest that I asked if she could include straps in case we wanted to add them. Turns out the straps were a great idea.

I felt so amazing walking in that dress at Miss USA. It felt like a Miss Universe worthy gown and I received so many compliments from other girls on it and I'm excited that Sherri ended up putting it in her collection! It must've been a great gown for her to do that!"

Robin Fleming of La Casa Hermosa offered her comments about this gown: "Cassandra Searles' daring-wearing of green was pure silk charmeuse perfection flowing like a living waterfall on stage. I don't usually like green on stage but this dress was outstanding on her!"

? Miss Kansas Teen USA 2013

This custom gown worn by Aly Klinzing at the Miss Teen USA 2013 pageant was thePageantGuy.com's People's Choice gown winner, by way of popular vote on Facebook. This gown was designed and hand sewn by 17 year old designer Kate Walz.

When asked about her gown, Aly gave us these comments: "The first time I saw this gown was at New York Fashion Week last February. The gown was Kate Walz’s finale piece of her fall 2013 collection. It was a show stopper and I just fell in love with the gown the minute I saw it! I was thrilled to be able to spend time in New York on location doing a shoot for the collection after walking in fashion week for Kate, keeping my fingers crossed I would get to wear the gown for the shoot.

Once I put on the gown during that time, it just stayed with me…I really, really loved it. A few months after the trip to NYC, it was close to have to finalize my gown choice for Miss Teen USA (13 weeks and counting), so I decided to show a picture of the dress to my directors to see what they thought. They loved it too and really wanted me to have the gown of my dreams, so I decided…this is the one!

I remember at my first fitting that it fit perfectly (literally like a glove) and I felt like I was at my personal best in the gown…confident, elegant, and beautiful. I remember how much I was looking forward to wearing it at Miss Teen USA! It was perfect for me."

Gown designer Kate Walz said this about creating Aly's gown: "The gown I designed for Aly was a slightly altered version of the finale gown of my Fall 2013 collection. The original had a leather bodice and a less full skirt which was inspired by the history and architecture of New York in the 60's. Aly first saw the dress when she walked for me in February of 2013 in an offsite show of New York Fashion Week. She also modeled in it for several photo shoots around the city after the show. Being that we are so close in age, (at the time she was 15 and I was 16) I think that she really connected to the gown because we have a similar taste in style. Although, I think the deciding factor that caused her to ultimately choose my gown was that we had both already achieved so much through this dress and created so many great memories in it. She is the perfect representation of my brand, and I was proud to have her wear it."

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10. Miss California 2013

The first to appear in our “Top 10 Pageant Gowns of 2013?, is Crystal Lee - Miss California 2013, wearing this beautiful Gregory Ellenburg gown at the Miss America 2014 pageant, placing 1st runner up.

In fact, this was my favorite gown of the Miss America 2014 pageant leading me to believe that she could've easily walked away with the title. Purple (in this case light purple) is often noted as the color of royalty, would have been fitting if the crown was indeed placed on her head that night!

When thePageantGuy.com asked Crystal about her gown, she said: "My gown was created by Gregory Ellenburg and I chose the color based on another dress that my local Executive Director, Mary McCaman originally found on the web. I had been Mary's titleholder when I was Miss California's Outstanding Teen so she knew how important it was that my Miss America gown reflect a sophisticated departure from the teen who last appeared at nationals in 2008.

I loved the plunging back and long-sleeves of Hilary Swank's navy gown at the 2005 Oscars, so we asked if Gregory could create a lilac variation with rhinestones and a modified neckline. The final result was made of silk crepe, cut and sewn in the back room of Gregory's store. Because Mary and I were in Greenville, South Carolina for less than a week, the turnaround on this dress had to be quick. Mary and I stayed at his store for a whole day so I could try on the gown after each stage of completion. It was a fun and collaborative process, and I enjoyed meeting the women who helped sew it -- which is rare in today's age of manufactured exports.

I chose this gown because it has elegance, class, boldness. This is a design that I will be proud of forever!"

Gregory Ellenburg, the gown's designer gave thePageantGuy.com a few comments about his creation: "The inspiration for this design came from Crystal's gown when she won Miss California 2013. It was a lilac color, jersey gown, with bulky ruching in the front. Crystal wanted to wear something more couture at Miss America, and she was adamant about wearing the same lilac color. So we shopped around for several fabrics and decided to use 4 ply silk crepe. She also wanted a gown with low back to wear at Miss America, and we worked together to create a low back gown with a unique front slit, complemented with a flow skirt. When Crystal wore it, she modeled it to perfection...truly a case where the woman makes the gown!"

9. Miss Illinois USA 2013

Coming in at 9th place is Miss Illinois USA 2013 - Stacie Juris.

This Sherri Hill gown was seen by millions as Stacie competed for Miss USA 2013, placing 2nd RU. At first glance, Stacie's gown seemed simplistic in design, however a closer look revealed an intricate detailing of sequins throughout every inch of fabric, including her long sleeves. Personally, I thought Stacie had the best body of the Top 16, and this dress did not waiver from showcasing it!

Amin Kabani of Wardrobe: The Boutique gave us his opinion about Stacie's gown: "Miss Illinois USA's gown was a modern take on a very classic style. She chose a very sophisticated color, added a plunging front and back side, and tailored it to fit her body like a glove, which made this gown red carpet worthy as well as a favorite amongst many age groups."

Here is what the current Miss South Carolina USA 2014 - Christina Zapolski said about Miss Illinois USA's gown: "I love how her gown is so elegant but sexy at the same time. The beading really adds to the gown but doesn't distract from great her body looks in it and I love the color!"

Current Miss North Carolina USA 2014 - Olivia Olvera also commented: "The neckline is proportional -- not too wide or deep for her frame -- and it brings the attention up to her face which is just gorgeous to me. The color of her gown was perfect for her skin tone, she's not too brown -- more of a yellow undertone in her skin -- so the navy makes her look brighter in the face...even with the dark hair. It's classy and makes the obvious statement that you don't have to show everything to look sexy! Overall: Perrrrfection!"

8. Miss Nevada USA 2013

Our next gown featured was also seen by millions on NBC, as Chelsea Caswell competed and placed in the Top 10 at Miss USA 2013 pageant.

Chelsea shared with thePageantGuy.com the process of discovering her dream gown: "The gown we had originally designed for Miss USA was actually the gown my teen wore for Miss Teen USA. Although beautiful, needless to say it didn't turn out the way we had envisioned. A month out of Miss USA we were scrambling. And by scrambling, I mean I was. Shanna (my state director) was cool, calm, and collected, and assured me I would have the gown of my dreams.

Four days later, I flew to Austin, Texas to Sherri Hill's showroom with my dad and made him take pictures of every gown imaginable to send to Shanna. In the showroom my dress was featured in white. I fell in love with the liquid beading, the shimmer under the lights, and overall effect. The high slit reminded me of my gown from the Miss Nevada USA pageant, but the white just wasn't cutting it. My dad suggested black and I fell in love with the idea.

Sherri had the factory overseas working double to make my dress in black and bead it by hand! Truly everything happens for a reason, because although the first dress was beautiful, I ended up with something more perfect than I could have imagined!"

Miss USA 1995 and Executive Director of the Miss Nevada USA pageant, Shanna Moaker further added: "Chelsea knew she wanted a classic gown, simple but made a statement, we both fell in love with the liquid beading and to us there is nothing hotter then a blonde in black! You could tell she felt beautiful and just oozed confidence in this dress while still staying true to her own personal style. It was a perfect fit for this knockout blonde bombshell!"

7. Miss South Carolina 2012

Placing 7th on the Top 10 Pageant Gowns is Miss South Carolina 2012 - Ali Rogers. Ali placed 1st RU at the Miss America 2013 pageant, back in January (interesting note: four of the Top 10 in our list are 1st RUs).

Ali exclusively told thePageantGuy.com about her memorable gown:

"I would wrap up my evening gown at Miss America 2013 with one word: unexpected. Having grown up an athlete rather than a pageant girl, I don't have all that many gowns with which to compare this one. That being said, I never expected to fall SO in love with a gown. And let's be honest. I'm extremely conservative. This gown is very...well, not.

The Miss South Carolina team and I went to Regalia to try on dresses, and they were pulling a white, rather risqué gown out of a box when we got there. They had just received the gown from Stephen and Shawn Yearick, and no one had ever seen it. I literally said, "Ooo, that looks cool. Let's try it on for kicks." The Vegas showgirl-inspired gown wasn't exactly the style I expected to wear on the Miss America stage. I've been made fun of for dressing like a governor's wife, but what would you expect from a Southern Baptist born and raised in small town, South Carolina? I tried on the dress for fun, and when I came out of the dressing room, the six of us just stared in silence. I was beaming ear-to-ear. After a couple of minutes, I think I was the first to speak up with, "Holy cow." I was pretty sure this was that this-is-it moment I was supposed to have when I finally found THE gown.

The wonderful Yearick duo made a brand new gown to fit my measurements. The sample gown didn't exactly fit my five-foot, ten-inch frame so the cut outs revealed a few things I'd rather not reveal on-stage! We sewed down the slit a few inches and found the perfect heels and earrings to go with the gown and my "Make a Difference" bracelet my mom gave me in middle school (I've worn it every day since I was thirteen years old). I competed for Miss America 2013 in the most stunning gown I had ever seen. As unexpected as it was, it was perfect. I feel so lucky to have been the girl to wear it!"

Angela Hardin - veteran pageant judge in the USA system gave us these comments about Ali Rogers's gown: "I love white, always, and the sheer cut outs just were so sexy. I loved just how daring her gown was I literally gasped when she walked out...it fit her perfectly!"

6. Miss South Carolina USA 2014

Narrowly missing the Top 5 is current Miss South Carolina USA 2014 - Christina Zapolski. Christina wore this Sherri Hill design during the Miss South Carolina USA 2014 pageant and also offered a few comments on how she found her gown:

"Haley Morgan at the Foxy Lady actually found my dress and saw how long it was on the rack and stuffed it in a bag and brought it home for me to try on. We actually had no clue that it would even be long enough until I tried it on and it fit like a glove! I was still deciding if I was going to compete in the pageant and once I put the dress on and saw how great I felt in it, I knew that it was a sign that It was my year.

I only did minor alterations to the gown for silly things, but I could have worn it off the rack! Can you believe it? The gown was designed by Sherri Hill, and the thing that made me so in love was the long train. I love long trains on gowns as well as the more red carpet vibe it gave versus a typical pageant gown.

I began my journey as a model, so I like my gowns to always stay true to who I am and represent that. This gown made me feel like a Glamazon at Miss South Carolina USA, I felt tall, lean, and like nothing could stop me!"

Fellow RPM titleholder, Miss North Carolina USA 2014 - Olivia Olvera simply said this: "RED, RED, RED, and the train was AMAZING!!"

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5. Miss Great Britain Universe 2013

Our first gown in the Top 5 is Miss Great Britain Universe 2013 - Amy Willerton's red hot gown from Miss Universe 2013.

Honestly, the first time seeing this gown, all I could think of was 1) how HOT Amy was 2) how HOT the gown looked on her and 3) what a perfect combination of HOT gown and woman to walk on the Miss Universe stage!

This gown was a departure from the purple and white, mermaid gown she wore during the preliminary competition, not only in color but also in impact. In this red gown...Amy made a bold statement -- she was ready to win!

Pageant stylist and coach Beaux Wellborn offered his perspective on Amy's gown: "This gown was one of my favorites at Miss Univerise 2013. The thing I noticed first about Amy's gown was obviously the firey red color, but a closer look revealed the beautiful fabric choice, the unique architecture of the bodice and sweetheart top. This gown was "outside the box" without being "over the top". The dress looked like fire and so did she...she is a stunner! While some contestants merely have the intention to have a strong presence on stage, Amy doesn't. She effortlessly commands it."

Travis Stanton, a pageant judge in several Miss USA state pageants, also commented: "I adore when a girl takes a risk with her gown and does something a little different. That’s one reason I give Amy mad props for this unique red and purple gown. It fit her perfectly, and emphasized her athletic body beautifully."

4. Miss Utah USA 2013

This gown was definitely a standout at the Miss USA 2013 pageant and was my personal favorite among all the contestants. Placing 3rd RU on our list -- wearing this beautifully designed custom gown by A. Renee Designs -- is Miss Utah USA 2013, Marissa Powell.

When asked about her gown, Marissa Powell said this:

"My director and I spent time looking at a lot of designs and deciding what would be unique and what would match my personality for the USA stage. After trying on a few gowns, I decided that white was the color that I wanted to a a wear, but more importantly I wanted lots of crystals and sparkle to the dress because I love bling!

When I finally got the dress and put it on, I was THRILLED to say the least. The designer helped me put together the perfect amount of sparkle on the dress to compliment the white gown. My dress was interesting because you could see my legs through the material which I liked, because it was different. I felt like a million dollars walking out on the USA stage in my gown. I have never felt so beautiful in my life! I was so grateful to my designer, Ashley, for helping me create my dream gown and for making it come to life more beautifully than I ever expected!

Most importantly, I wanted to remember my friends, family, and state that had helped me along the journey to Miss USA, so before I left, I sewed into the top part of my dress some of the crystals from my state gown. Every time I got nervous I would look down and remember who I was representing on that stage and all of the people who had helped me along my journey -- it filled my heart! Some my most life changing moments happened in that dress, and I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Ashley Tribble of A. Renee Designs said this about designing Marissa's gown: "I am so proud of the girl in the gown more so than the design. I dreamt of this gown two Miss USA's ago, put it to paper but couldn't seem to place who it would go on...I knew it needed a curvy body and dark hair...So when Britt Boyse (Executive Director of the Miss Utah USA pageant) asked me to send the gown to her for Marissa to try as an option, I knew that was who I had been waiting for! Once she tried it on, it was her's!! I think it takes a confident woman to wear stripes across her body, but that's what makes it so special! I truly love this design, but I know it wouldn't have been half the gown with out Marissa in it."

3. Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2013

Our 2nd RU gown belongs to Miss Puerto Rico Universe - 2013 Monic Perez.

Although Monic advanced to the Top 16 at the Miss Universe 2013 pageant, millions of viewers only saw her compete in swimsuit and missed out on seeing this uniquely designed gown on the telecast. If you were able to catch the webcast of the preliminary competition, you would agree with the comments the experts below said.

Celebrity fashion designer and star of Lifetime's newest fashion competion show "Under the Gunn", Nick Verreos, commented on Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2013 - Monic Perez's gown:

"No. 1 Miss Puerto Rico Monic Perez: My Top Evening Gown Prize goes to Monic Perez "Miss Puerto Rico" for this strapless chartreuse-colored gown from fashion designer Harry Robles.

The gown was EXQUISITE featuring horizontal pleated body and side volants/cascade ruffles with hand-sewn sequins. It was a big surprise that both "Miss Philippines" and "Miss Puerto Rico" wore the same colored gown for the "2013 Miss Universe Preliminaries" but Monic's gown definitely WON! So much so, that it was my TOP Favorite."

Ashley Renee, gown designer and co-owner of Sassy Chic Boutique said this about Monic's gown: "The detail, the construction, the bead work...this isn't a gown, this is a piece of art. The pleating alone was amazing, but the side piece was breathtaking! Kudos to the seamstress' it took to make this!"

Gown guru, Robin Fleming of La Casa Hermosa offered her comments: "Monic Perez was Latin Barbie redux in gorgeous couture yellow silk taffeta in assymetrical ruffles -- eye candy with every step on stage!"

2. Miss Dallas USA 2013 (TX)

This custom gown worn by Miss Dallas USA 2013 – Jordan Schultz during the Miss Texas USA 2014 pageant was designed and handmade by couture gown designer Alexis Lantz.

This is the second year in a row that one of Alexis' gowns has placed 2nd in our Top 10 Pageant Gowns review.

Of interest, Jordan graciously lent this gown to Brooklynne Young to wear at the Miss Oklahoma USA 2014 pageant...which she won!

Jordan, who placed 1st RU at the Miss Texas USA 2014 pageant provided thePageantGuy.com an inside perspective about her gown:

"From start to finish the gown selection and process with Alexis was unique and creative. In the past I had always purchased my gowns from boutiques that carried familiar designer names in the pageant world (Sherri Hill, Tony Bowls, MacDuggal, etc). However, after seeing some of Alexis’ work on other contestants I knew from the get go I wanted her to design my gown for the Miss Texas USA 2014 pageant.

Her gowns and concepts blew me away. She had this fresh bold perspective that starkly contrasted from anything else that’s out there right now. In addition I knew I would be able to have a large hand in the designing process and I think for any girl that holds a certain allure. In the beginning Alexis just had me send her pictures of gowns that I liked, even if they weren’t cohesive. I sent her ANYTHING that peaked my interest whether it was the bodice of one gown, the color of another, the fabric on one, and so on and so forth. After a little while Alexis sent me THE SKETCH.

It was the first and only sketch she showed me for the gown she had in mind for me for Miss Texas USA. I knew immediately this was my gown. The attention to detail was truly astounding, she had a reason for everything she did on that gown and how it would highlight and showcase my best features. Over the next couple months the gown went from being a sketch to slowly coming together to be the masterpiece it is. The term ‘custom gown’ gets thrown around quite a bit these days, but this was truly and genuinely from concept to creation of a custom gown....designed and tailored to my taste, personality, style, body, etc.

To me the most important aspect of feeling good in a gown is the fit. The great thing about working with Alexis is that this gown was literally fit for my body. My sister went with me to the final fitting and needless to say we were both amazed with how talented Alexis is. I’ve NEVER loved a gown so much.

I felt beautiful, regal, sexy, classy, (pretty much every good adjective or word you can think of that a woman wants to feel/be when putting on a gown!) My whole hope and goal this year was to get EXACTLY what I wanted in a gown, that any idea or gown I could dream up could become a reality. The whole experience was truly rewarding!"

Alexis Lantz said this about her gown design: "Jordan's gown was designed to be soft and elegant, and yet sexy at the same time. It was a joy designing for a girl who had such an amazing figure and killer stage presence. I knew she would be able to pull off any style and so I really wanted to create a gown that had some unique touches, but I still wanted the eye to be drawn to her beautiful face. I also have to give Jordan a HUGE thank you for being so incredibly generous by letting my sister borrow the gown for the Miss Oklahoma USA 2014 pageant. She is such a sweetheart and truly as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside."

1. Miss Alabama USA 2013

Mary Margaret McCord can do no wrong in a black gown. Last year it was the show stopping, form fitting, liquid beaded gown in black she wore en route to winning the Miss Alabama USA 2013 crown.

Everyone wondered what she could possibly wear at the Miss USA 2013 pageant that could come close to the perfection of her previous gown. Enter black velvet gown.

Receiving the highest 1st place votes and placing Top 5 in over two-thirds of all our expert polls, Miss Alabama USA 2013?s gown is the Top Pageant Gown of 2013.

Mary Margaret McCord, who was 1st runner up to Miss USA 2013, gave thePageantGuy.com exclusive insight about her iconic gown:

"I went to Atlanta market in January to pick out my dress for Miss USA. I went with my directors and I had an appointment to meet with Sherri Hill. During my appointment, I tried on a few dresses and I actually loved the dress that my roomie, Megan Pinckney - Miss South Carolina USA 2013, wore and I had set my mind on that dress. It was originally in a deep purple color and I thought that it would be something different. However, there were some people in my group that didn't love it. So I decided to try on some more. And that is when I tried on the velvet black mermaid dress.

When I came out in it, everyone's mouths dropped. I knew if it had that kind of effect on my directors then it would have a great effect on the judges as well. I signed the dotted line 10 minutes later even though I couldn't get my mom on the phone to tell her about it. I felt amazing in that gown.

A lot of people ask me if I liked my state gown or my USA gown better. There is no way I can compare either of them. They are both so special to me in different ways and they have two completely different looks. I was lucky to have an amazing gown sponsor who provided me with a dress that gave me the confidence I needed to succeed. I will never forget the feeling I felt when I stepped on the Miss USA stage in my gown.

Side note: I had to get the gown taken up a couple times before I went to Miss USA and I had to get the gown shipped to me a couple days before I left for Vegas because my alterations lady was 4 hours away. I was so busy, I didn't actually try my dress on until I made it to Vegas the day before registration. I got Megan to help me put it on because I wanted to pick out which earrings to wear (I had gotten a custom vintage looking earring made along with the green ones). As Megan was zipping me up, my zipper broke. I had to cut myself out of my dress THE DAY BEFORE REGISTRATION. Luckily Sherri Hill had an alterations lady in Vegas and they got my dress ready for the stage!

Another side note: I had originally wanted earrings that had more of a vintage vibe but my sponsor recommended the emerald earring. We ordered both kind and they were shipped to me in Vegas. On preview day, I tried both pair on and asked people which earrings to wear. Almost everyone picked the vintage earrings. It wasn't until 5 minutes before preview started that I decided to change and wear the emerald ones! "

Shanna Moakler - Miss USA 1995 said this about her gown: "Mary Margaret nailed this gorgeous black gown with emerald earrings and the long wild mermaid bottom, it just took your breath away when she walked out on stage."

Travis Stanton, veteran pageant judge offered: "Not only is this gown the epitome of red carpet couture, but it fit her like a glove. So many girls pick beautiful dresses and forget that fit is absolutely critical. This stunning black gown emphasized her waist and made her appear taller than she really is, while the movement and flow helped her float on stage. Those emerald earrings were the ideal compliment to this classic, timeless look."

Gown designer and expert Robin Fleming commented: "Mary Margaret was pure elegance in a gown style that had proven to stand the test of time, the trumpet gown silhouette continues to make a grand entrance on red carpets and stages around the world -- showcasing the woman wearing it, and commanding attention. The ultimate gown in black velvet."

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So what do you think? Do you agree with the Top 10 Pageant Gowns of 2013?

Was your favorite gown showcase in this year's review?

Was there a gown you thought was worthy to be listed on our Top 10 list that we missed?

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

-Will the Pageant Guy

December 17, 2013December 5, 2018

Inside the Making of a Gown (B. Young)

GUEST BLOG: Evening gown designer, Alexis Lantz of Alexis Lantz Couture

In the fall of 2011, I was stopped in my tracks by Taylor Swift's Wonderstruck perfume ad that I saw in a department store.

I immediately fell in love with the gown and wanted to make a version of it for my younger sister Brooklynne Young, who would be competing in the Miss Texas Teen USA 2012 pageant the following month.

After tossing around the idea for a few days I concluded that it would be too rushed to try to do the gown with so little time left. Instead, I used the gown as inspiration for my sisters’ opening number dresses.

BrooklynneTeen — Brooklynne Young - Miss Fort Worth Teen USA 2011 wearing her opening number cocktail dress for the Miss Texas Teen USA 2012 pageant. Photo by TexasPageantScene.com

BreAnnaTeen — BreAnna Young - Miss Dallas Teen USA 2011 wearing her opening number cocktail dress for the Miss Texas Teen USA 2012 pageant. Photo by TexasPageantScene.com

The rules for opening number that year were jewel tones with limited to no beading. Because I could not make the dresses stand out with beading, I decided to employ movement and volume instead.

(Tip: I am a firm believer that, for a pageant gown, there needs to be some aspect that catches the eye, be it beading, movement, color, sheen, and/or volume. Care must be taken, however, to not combine too many of those elements into one design. This just ends up looking like a disaster.)

BreAnna Young, Overall Evening Gown Winner at the Miss Texas' Outstanding Teen 2010 pageant

Last year, I decided that I wanted to take the plunge and go all out with Brooklynne’s evening gown for Miss Texas Teen USA 2013. I knew that I wanted to use the same blush pink silk duchess satin for the bodice that I used for my other sister’s evening gown when she competed in the Miss Texas’ Outstanding Teen pageant.

For a gown with this much ruffle and tulle it was important that the pink be just right – not too “little girl pink,” but just enough pink to compliment the romantic softness of the design. I then began searching for the perfect shade of matching blush pink tulle. I searched every tulle supplier in the US and abroad, but every sample was either too pink or too peach. I then decided to make the gown with silk organza, because the fabric supplier for the blush pink silk duchess satin also carried the same color in silk organza.

Unfortunately, the supplier only had 40 yards left, which would not be enough to create the volume that I needed for the skirt.

(Tip: always order more fabric than you think you will need – and then add 10% to that!)

Thus, I decided to incorporate tulle, in a complimentary color, in with the organza. I imagined that a golden champagne tulle would look gorgeous with golden shadow Swarovski crystals around the empire waistline. After testing several different shades of champagne tulle, I concluded that it looked too “dirty” against the beautiful pale blush pink.

I then decided to just use ivory tulle because, mixed in with the organza, it would give a soft, cloud-like effect to the gown. I ended up ordering 75 yards of 54-inch tulle (for the large skirt panels), 400 yards of 12-inch tulle (for the large ruffles), and a whopping 1,150 yards of 6-inch tulle (to be doubled over and sewn into the smallest ruffles).

(Tip: all tulle is not created equal. Some of the cheaper tulles are made overseas, and are not always nylon, even when they claim to be - a lesson I learned the hard way (tip within a tip: if it sounds too cheap/good to be true, it probably is). Look for tulle made in the USA.)

At this point, I felt reasonably sure about the skirt fabrics so I put that aside in favor of beginning the crystal beadwork for the gown. The beading was done on a base of the blush pink silk organza, which was stretched across a large embroidery frame.

I used a mix of Swarovski AB, Clear, and Golden Shadow Chaton Rose Montees (in stone sizes ranging from SS20-40), as well as some large Swarovski cushion and marquis cut accent stones. Some Swarovski Ivory Pearls (4 mm and 8 mm) were added for depth and texture. I loved how the pearls brought an elegance and softness to the gown.

A close-up of the front waistline beading in progress.

After finishing the beadwork, I then happened upon, what appeared to be, the perfect blush peach pink dye that I could use to turn all of the ivory tulle into the perfect pink! I was overjoyed! The first rule of dying fabric is to test, test, and re-test.

(Tip: Different types of dye are used for different fabrics. For example, acid dyes are used for natural fibers (silk and wool) and also work well for nylon. Fiber reactive dyes are used for cotton, rayon, hemp, and linen.)

My first several testers came out way too peach. Remember the color wheel you learned about in grade school? Well, the opposite of warm peach/orangey tones are cool blue tones, and that is what I needed to add to cool down the color.

(Tip: though I usually use professional dye, in a crunch you can combine RIT dye with your acid or fiber reactive dyes because it has a combination of fiber reactive and acid dyes - thus why they call it “all-purpose.”)

I found that when I added a touch of the cool blue tones to the warm blush peach pink it was transformed into that elusive blush peach pink that I had been searching for.

The next step was to gather all 1,150 yards of the 6 inch tulle into ruffles.

(Tip: if you plan to sew something before you dye it, make sure you use the same thread color as the color you want the fabric to end up, because your polyester thread will not take the dye.)

Then, those ruffles were sewn to the 12-inch tulle. At this point it was time to dye the mounds of ruffles (I did not gather the straight side of the 12 inch tulle yet because it would have knotted when dyed). I used a 15-gallon stainless steel pot to do the job because it is important that the fabric have enough space to move freely, otherwise the dye will be absorbed unevenly.

The ruffles were dyed in 25 yard batches and I dyed them progressively lighter in order to achieve an ombre effect to the skirt. Once dyed, the straight side of the 12-inch strips was gathered and, I’ll be honest, my entire workroom looked like a cotton candy factory had exploded!

Now came the fun part – draping the gown.

I had already made the bodice and attached several layers of alternating organza and tulle to the natural waistline.

I used a dress form and begin the process of attaching the ruffles to the longest layer. I started with ruffles that I had left ivory, and attached those around the bottom. I repeated this process as I gradually moved up the gown with progressively darker pink ruffles. I angled the front a bit to achieve a slight asymmetrical effect. An early iteration of the gown had an organza top layer with an organza raw-edged ruffle, but removed it after determining that the tulle was much softer looking.

The finishing touch was to attach the beadwork pieces to the waistline (it was like icing a cake; literally, remember those Barbie cakes? Yeah, I know you were thinking it 😉

I trimmed away the excess organza and carefully hand-tacked the appliques onto the bodice (true confession: I ran out of time and did most of this in the car on the drive to the pageant in Houston – where there is a will there’s a way!).

Photo of the back of the gown as the beadwork was being applied. — Photo of the back of the gown as the beadwork was being applied

In the end I was in love with how it turned out. I knew it was a risk to make such an over-the-top gown, but I believe that pageants should be fun and I like bringing something new to the stage. I had a blast making it and adored watching Brooklynne model it.

I admit, I was slightly worried about whether she would fit on the stage – and she did! (barely).

And for the Despicable Me fans out there… I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that it was SO FLUFFAY!

Here is the final product:

www.AlexisLantz.com

December 12, 2013December 5, 2018

VIDEO: Miss Texas Teen USA 2014 – Crowning

Kellie Stewart, a 16 year old junior representing Dallas at the Miss Texas Teen USA 2014 pageant, was crowned Miss Texas Teen USA 2014 on December 1, 2013.

Moments before, Kellie responded to her onstage question regarding the removal of the Pledge of Allegiance from schools:

"I do not think so...at all. The Pledge of Allegiance is what represents our country, it represents all of the people that are fighting for our country, who have given their lives...the families that have sacrificed.

I don't think -- at all -- that we should ever take that out. As long as we are American citizens, we should stand up EVERYDAY...to teach the younger generations what it is all about."

Watch the Miss Texas Teen USA 2014 crowning below.

Video by Zac Grimaldo/Pixelbroom and thePageantGuy.com

-Will the Pageant Guy