Thank you Save the Date Photography for all of the amazing photos! I am always happy when I purchase photos from pageants because not only is it helpful for improvement but it's just a great way to remember the event. Here are my favorites from the pageant!
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It's taken me a long time to get to this post because I've had so much going but also because this weekend meant a lot more to me than I anticipated. Overall, the weekend, and the competition were so much more than I ever thought! It was a well planned weekend filled with events for the girls to enjoy California, get to know each other, get to know the system, and feel comfortable. There were some hiccups but I've yet to go, or hear of, any pageant that didn't have a couple. Events:
I honestly wish we could have had more events and spent a week getting to know one another, which would have been frightfully expensive but so worth it because these women are so knowledgable, eloquent, and wonderful. A whole week with them would have helped me grow and learn so much about what I can do to be better. Results wise, I'm disappointed. I am not disappointed in the Earth system or the judges; but myself. I had put expectations upon the event without putting in all the necessary effort. The women that are a part of the Miss Earth Elemental Court are stunning inside and out and I strive to be as big of an influence in my community as they are in theirs. I won't put myself down and say I didn't deserve to be competing because I earned my spot, but I now understand what it takes to win. I now understand what it takes to be Miss Earth United States and Miss Earth. While I struggled preparing for this pageant for all my usual reasons (work and school), I also put in the most work into preparing for this pageant than I ever had before because I am passionate in their message and their organization. Each pageant I get better and better at walking properly and posing. I still struggle with it but I'm proud that I walked with more confidence than ever before on stage. To me, that is a success. I had the most wonderful pageant experience in my life with my title and hope to put it to good use until my reign is over. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have experienced this organization and to have met so many wonderful people. This pageant helped me set my mind to the type of woman I want to be: eloquent, influential, graceful, and personable. I have absolutely nothing negative to say about Miss Earth USA because there is nothing negative to say. When I am ready, I hope that I can be a part of this organization again because I have a whole lot more to prove and a massive message to spread! I wish the best of luck to Miss Earth USA, Brittany Payne, you are a sincerely wonderful woman and I loved hanging out with you competition eve and getting to know you. She gave me wonderful pageant advice and is proof that hard work, passion, and perseverance means success. Good luck to Miss Grand US, and Miss US Intercontinental, you ladies are sweet and I wish we had gotten to talk more over the weekend. My fellow sister queens, you are stunners, survivors, change-makers, influencers, and some of the top women I know; you all are already successful. If you are interested at all in competing as a Teen, Miss, or Mrs. for Miss Earth USA then don't hesitate to contact me here or on twitter!
Links: Save the Date Photography Miss Earth US Facebook Page Miss Earth US Webpage Just talked to Kylie Hurd about her experience at nationals and all the events the International Family is going to be doing and got really excited about the International Pageant System again! While I could talk for a long time about all the things I love about the International System, I'm recovering from wisdom teeth surgery and am not all that articulate at the moment. So here are the best photos from the pageant! Thank you DePoe Barksdale Photography for the amazing photos!
Right next door to the Woodland Park Zoo, is an amazing rose garden filled with every color rose I'd never imagined (and had seen before). Apparently the Washington climate is perfect for roses, except for the deer, and that this garden is 1 of 10 test gardens in the US. That means there are some roses there that no one else has ever seen. I went there on a 90 degree day which probably wasn't the best but it was still gorgeous. There is no admission fee to enter or parking fee. In the park there are rose bushes galore with nice gravel pathways, fountains at one end and a pond in the middle filled with gold fish. Yes, I did put my hand in the water and it did smell afterwards. There are many places to sit and relax and we even saw sunbathers there studying! I will definitely be back, probably to study. The atmosphere was very elegant and felt like a throwback to Victorian England. I encourage everyone to come here and relax and maybe even do a mini-photoshoot! I'm a huge fan of parks and I love to go to all the parks close to home and take walks on the trails, look at wildlife (squirrels), and just breath in the fresh air. It's calming for the brain to just read and relax and just being outside. If you struggle with anything mental from depression to just high stress levels, I highly encourage you to go outside when you can. We are of the planet and it provides more than we'll ever need. If that's not enough and you need professional help, don't be afraid to ask. I have a lot of resources from my weekend helping NAMI at PRIDE.
There are many reasons you might need cheap or even free headshots. In pageantry, headshots are what you are first judged on and are very important. If you're like me and working on a limited budget then you have make what you have work for you! While I've tried using student photographers from my university, I haven't quite gotten the headshot I had been looking for so I decided to give it a go for myself! Now this method will not replace professionally done headshots but this will give you a fighting chance if you take the time to do it. Share with me your results via twitter and instagram!
Things You Need:Steps:
If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter you know that I'm obsessed with #sustainablefood but what does that even mean? Most focus are completely unaware of where our food comes from, who grows it, how it grows, and how it came to be at our local grocery stores. My platform is to educated about where our food comes from and to help everyone find sustainable sources for their food! I love to eat. If I posted half of the food pictures I take you all would wonder why I'm not obese! If everyone loves food half as much as I do and eats anything, not just a vegan diet, than we have some major work to do. Our planet is sick, it's no surprise but our food is a major contributor to this. Factory farms often use methods that are incredibly unhealthy to over produce what we eat. The US produces way more than our nation needs to eat! We have food borne illness running rampant, factory farms ruling over local communities, small farmers being run out of town, and a complete ignorance of what we need to be healthy. I'm not judging, I recently started really understanding all that was happening in the food industry myself. My platform is easy to follow. We need to educate ourselfs about what we're buying, including the ethics and production methods of companies. They're not as "friendly" as those warm and fuzzy adverts let on. Then we need to go local. The easiest way to eat sustainably is to go vegan and eat local. I know most people won't even pause to think about going vegan but local is easy and doesn't have to be expensive. Tips for buying local: 1) Don't grocery shop at grocery stores! Even the ones who market themselves as organic and wholesome. They often don't have locally farmed foods and while organic is nice, the U.S. still allows for pesticides to be sprayed on organic foods. 2) Go to the farmers market. Need cheap food? Go near the end when the sellers need to get rid of their produce and bring cash. You can get some amazing dead! 3) Go to that sketchy looking produce stand that you always pass buy. There's an amazing chance that they'll have great deals. I only shop at mine and I get two bags of produce that last me a week + 2 weeks of potatoes for around $20. When I only eat that, that's an amazing deal!
I cannot believe that it's almost here and while I feel prepared, I also feel so unprepared! I want to represent my best self and since this is my first year competing in pageantry I'm still finding out how I want to represent who I truly am through fashion.
I've got lots of things to do, mainly make appointments and workout for the pageant. I've heard that there will be tons of fun events for us and I can't wait to find out about our conservation work! I'll be purchasing tickets this week and am pumped to head back down to California. Not only is the pageant in 4 weeks but I've just started summer quarter at the university so I can finish school a quarter early. I'm focusing on sustainable business this quarter. I'm dedicated to changing the world especially with all the reports of the 6th Mass Extinction caused by the Holocene (Age of Humans). This week I'm meeting with my personal trainer, getting a tan, and doing a photoshoot for the Miss Earth USA calendar. I'll also be pamphleting for my organization about going vegan for the earth and the animals. I hope to keep you all much better updated as we get closer. I want to thank everyone for their support, especially Canary Salon and my personal trainer for sponsoring me. If you are interested in sponsoring me please go to my GoFundMe to donate or contact me about Paypal. I'm still working on my pageant wardrobe as I've lost weight and getting my make-up done. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me! Getting into pageantry has really inspired me to get good at makeup and being vegan has forced me to get up close and personal with brand and product research. Here's my list for go-to everyday products! Primer: Tarte Clean Slate Poreless Perfecting Primer I recently bought a new CoverFX brightening primer and I still prefer the flawless feel that Tarte has. Foundation: CoverFX Cream Foundation I 100% love this cream foundation! It's a "healthy" make-up and ethical brand and cream foundation is so easy compared to liquid and I get much better and more natural looking coverage. Concealer: Au Natural Organic Cream Concealer I got a sample of this from my Petit Vour beauty box and used it all and decided to use my coupon (that came in the box) to by this concealer rather than use my tarte concealer. This is a light weight concealer that covers up what my cream foundation didn't quite get. It applies smoothly and is less work than other concealers. Blush: Everyday Minerals (from Petit Vour beauty box) My absolute favorite blush is RawSkinCeuticals Cream Blush because it blends easily and is so powerful but I ran out and haven't replaced it so I've been using my EveryDay Minerals blush and while I think it's a bit too peachy (I prefer a pink look) I've been getting a bunch of compliments on it. I find it to be a normal loose powder blush, blends well. Bronzer: TooFaced Chocolate Soleil Bronzer I can't get enough of this and while I like to think there's a better bronzer out there I'm not sure if it's worth it if doesn't smell like chocolate! This bronzer gets the job done and builds up really easily; the Milk Chocolate is great for pale skin. Mascara: Lily Lolo I'm still milking my sample from Petit Vour before I have stock up on it! This is by far the best mascara I've ever had in my life, including Better Than Sex, which held that position for quite a long time. Only issue is that in a high heat and sweating job, it has a tendency to flake off which is very embarrassing but the way it makes my eyelashes look is worth some extra mirror time. Eyeliner: Tarte Gel Liner (not sold anymore) I feel like an old lady with my favorite product not being sold anymore but this was an amazing gel liner because it went on so smooth and didn't require much effort in getting the right shape. I guess I'll have to use it less now so I can keep it forever. Eyeshadow: ELF Little Black Beauty Book - Warm Edition I know most people may have the idea that ELF is for beginners because it's so cheap but I've really loved a lot of ELF products and with the whole company being vegan it's worth checking out. I love palettes and this little book has a whole lot of brown that I love to use. I've never had any problems with pigment although the texture of the shadow isn't my favorite on the brush. It's doesn't come out of the palette smoothly but for pigment and $5 why not give it a go? Brows: Anastasia Dip Brow I don't know what my life was like before defined brows but I love it. Their lightest shade is a bit dark for my hair color but it makes my eyes pop so I'm not complaining. This gel lasts a long time and is amazing and contouring the eyebrows and lightly filling. Believe the hype. Lips: Ellovi Lip Butter I get the lip butter with the slight tint and while it's definitely not a real lip tint it adds a lovely shade and I am in love with how it glides on. I'm not sure if it's the most moisturizing but I haven't found anything I love more. Setting Spray: Urban Decay All Nighter I bought this purely off of recommendation and I liked it enough to not look up another one to try when I went. I now have to full size so I hope there isn't anything better... Going vegan is a massive transition for most people because it's simply shocking how dependent we've made ourselves on animal products even though it's not necessary at all. I hope this list has given you a few ideas of brands and products to try or to replace yours with. Most of the products are fairly mainstream and can be bought at Sephora or at the Petit Vour shop!
I will be honest when I say I do have a few items that are still non-vegan. I've sold or given away most of my product that are non-vegan but I have 3 cruelty free items I still use: 2 lip colors and my setting powder. Remember that veganism is a journey and when you go vegan you say to the world you passionately believe in your ethics and while I feel guilt about the animals used in my products (beetles and bee by-products), I am aware and honest with myself and know that I will replace them. I am still looking for others to take them off my hands for me but I won't create more waste than I already do. Evening gowns can be pricey, especially if your style is glitzy and glamorous! These may not be new to many seasoned pageant girls but for newbies, like myself, I wish I had known about this when I first started.
When you first start shopping for an evening gown go to your local dress shop, especially a high end dress shop that has the "name brands" like Tony Bowls, Sherri Hill, etc. The local you're taking part probably has a gown sponsor and will let you know where a dress shop is. When you go dress shopping don't limit yourself to style and brand; try everything on. Then take pictures of everything on so you can go back later and decide what you liked best, fit the image you want to present, and the sizes that you fit in each brand. The brand size everything differently and there's no way you can do the next step if you don't know the brand and size. Then go get your laptop when you go home. There are few websites you can go to find used pageant gowns. Now, you may be thinking, "Used? Aren't new ones better?", and all sorts of other questions. Personally, used is the way to go. The fact is, lots of pageant girls only wear their gown once before moving on. If you're going to be one of those girls, go cheap and go used. Buying is also the most environmentally sound thing you can do when creating your pageant wardrobe. No matter how environmentally sound the fabrics are, used will always be friendly. I have found some amazing brands on sale online; such as current season Sherri Hills for $400. The best resale site I've found has been the Glass Slipper Facebook Page which has basically everyone selling from national girls to local pageant winners of all ages and sizes. My next favorites are My Pageant Rental and Pageant Resale. This is my biggest tip in buying your next evening gown on a budget and environmentally friendly. My next tips are pretty simple. On Etsy there are tons of shops that can make custom dresses for you and you can simply send them a picture of your evening gown with your measurements and it will be cheaper than buying the designer; or go completely unique and design your own gown! I have done this before and it didn't fit properly and wasn't long enough which I'm 100% was my fault because it was my first time; but I know a regular pageant girl who only does this. Finally sponsorship, as with a sponsor ship you can get your gown covered! Many state titleholders get their gowns sponsored by the gown shop itself. Or try a GoFundMe page to help raise the funds for your dream gown. Just remember when budgeting for a gown there is also the budget for getting it tailored and if buying used for getting it cleaned. There are also additional costs of a proper hanger, gown bag, etc. Not to mention many girls need another pair of shoes, especially if the dress has a slit, and jewelry to match! I hope this helps you find the gown of your dreams but not break your bank :) Let me know what you think in the comments. Who would have guessed that I would do another pageant before Miss Earth United States? After receiving some negative feedback from those closest to me, I was unsure if pageantry was the right thing for me. If pageantry was turning me into somebody "judgmental" and "pretentious". It wasn't till a chance encounter with the director of Miss Teen Seattle America and Miss/Mrs. Washington International while dress shopping for a friend that I was driven to compete. Elizabeth Gibbons is truly a wonder to speak with as she is so knowledgable and experienced and so passionate about helping young women into themselves and helping them be successful.
The Friday before the pageant we all met for the first time in Renton. I chose to stay in the hotel for the convince of driving and sanity. There was when I met my first Mrs contestant ever, who was an absolute blast! We carpooled to rehearsals and boy were we late because of typical Seattle traffic and poor parking lot design. Rehearsals went quickly and were ran well thanks to Elizabeth and Cassie Searles who knew exactly what they were doing. Not only did they help but in the audience we had Gary Umemeto and another pageant queen giving us walk, facial, EVERYTHING advice so that we would compete at our highest the next day. Even our Executive Pageant Director and most amazing sponsor Dr. Erik Suh came by with snacks to come watch as we prepared.
While in bed I was so distraught and dreamt that I tripped on stage, rolled my bad ankle, and would continue with the opening number sobbing but still snapping because you can't stop the dance. |
MeganMiss Earth Pacific Northwest 2015 Archives
October 2015
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