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Thursday 10 May 2012

Beauty contest or Beauty pageant

P.T. Barnum launched an early beauty pageant in 1854. It was deemed so risqué that instead of having a live show, Barnum just asked the women to submit photographs for judging. His beauty contest was closed down after public protest.

The world’s first beauty contest with the winner titled 'beauty queen' was held at Spa, Belgium in 1888. All participants had to supply a photograph and a short description of themselves to be eligible for entry and a final selection of 21 were judged by a formal panel. It was won by 18-year-old Bertha Soucaret.

The Blonde & Brunette Beauty Show, the United Kingdom's first beauty contest, was held in Newcastle upon Tyne on December 23, 1905. The winner, whose name is not recorded, was awarded a gold bangle and bracelet.

The Miss America Contest was created in Atlantic City, New Jersey with the purpose of extending the tourist season in the resort town beyond Labor Day. On September 8, 1921, 100,000 people gathered at the Boardwalk to watch the contestants from Washington, D.C., Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Ocean City, Camden, Newark, New York City, and Philadelphia. The winner from Washington D.C., 16-year-old Margaret Gorman (see below) was crowned the "Golden Mermaid" and won $100.


In 1929 Mussolini banned beauty contests in Italy. He considered them immoral.

The requirement for contestants to wear a swimsuit was a controversial aspect of the various beauty competitions. The controversy was heightened with the increasing popularity of the bikini after its introduction in 1946. In 1948, bikinis were banned.

It wasn't until 1997 that Miss America allowed contestants to wear two-piece swimsuits again.  In 2018, Miss America eliminated the swimsuit competition after 97 years.

The first Miss World competition took place at the Lyceum Ballroom in London on April 19, 1951. It actually was originally called Festive Bikini Contest, but the media panned it as Miss World, and it retained that name from then on. The competition was won by Sweden’s Kiki Hakansson.


Mrs. America Pageant is a beauty competition that was established in 1977 to honor married women throughout the United States of America. Before the Miss USA beauty pageant, there existed a "Mrs America" which chose an annual best wife, based on cooking, sewing, ironing skills, as well as personality and looks. 

Canada declared national beauty contests canceled as of 1992, claiming they were degrading to women.

An average beauty pageant contestant spends around $6,000 for their clothing, hair, make-up and classes.

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