TLC’s Toddlers & Tiaras is known for outrageous behavior, beautiful dresses, expertly done hair and makeup and various talents of participants. Think Honey Boo Boo.
The pageants on television are usually glitz pageants. Though glitz pageants are more popular on television because of their dramatic antics, there is a different type of pageant that girls compete in called a natural pageant, and junior Bailee Flaming knows firsthand the differences.
Natural pageants are less intense, and not as glamorous as glitz pageants. Flaming competed in the Kansas installment of the National American Miss Pageant, a natural pageant for teen girls in Kansas, last July in Wichita.
In Flaming’s opinion, the natural pageants are less extreme.
“[Natural pageants] are not as intense as glitz pageants,” Flaming said. “They make [glitz pageants] seem so glammy but this one was based more on natural beauty.”
Though natural pageants aren’t as extreme, Flaming admits one of her favorite part of competing was wearing a fancy dress, along with meeting new people.
Coaching is another difference between glitz and natural pageants. Glitz pageants have a talent portion which requires practice while natural pageants usually do not.
Sophomore Alex Ralston also competed in the National American Miss Pageant last July. She hadn’t competed before and thought it would be a good experience.
“It sounded like a fun thing to do,” Ralston said. “It was different than anything I had done before.”
Since the National American Miss Pageant didn’t include a required talent portion, Ralston prepared for the pageant on her own.
“I prepared my introduction and shopped for my dress,” Ralston said. “I practiced my interview questions and made sure all my information was filled out.”
Another difference between glitz and natural pageants are some of the rules and regulations that the girls have to follow. In natural pageants, girls 12 and under are exempted from having to wear lots of makeup and teen girls may only use makeup that enhances their natural beauty. In glitz pageants, many contestants use heavy makeup and other extreme beauty-enhancing products.
According to Flaming, in natural pageants, the judges really want to focus on natural beauty.
“They don’t want a whole lot of makeup,” Flaming said. “They want to see your natural and personal beauty.”
Flaming feels that many pageants get bad reputations because of their exposure on television.
“I would definitely say that pageants get a bad reputation on TV,” Flaming said. “Most pageants out there are about boosting self confidence and making new friends, but unfortunately, that’s not what people see.”
Ralston believes natural pageants are along the same lines as televised glitz pageants, but aren’t as catty.
“People think that pageant participants are stuck up, mean, and full of themselves, which isn’t true at all,” Ralston said. “[National American Miss] was fancy and all the things done on the shows are done there too, but the people were really nice. Everyone made lots of new friends, supported each other and were always willing to help.”
