BLAST FROM THE RECENT PAST: Miss Universe 2018 Mini Recap





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BLAST FROM THE RECENT PAST: Miss Universe 2018 Mini Recap

Postby xrickyxryuki » Fri Mar 27, 2020 9:23 am

    


I still remember that morning in Thailand; from waking up early and anxiously waiting for a Grab taxi to accept a booking from Bangkok to Nonthaburi to going inside the stadium chock-full of eager pageant fans, all feverishly waiting for the show to start. It was my first time watching a major pageant live and my mind couldn’t comprehend what to expect yet.

But enough of the mushiness, just wanted to say I was there at IMPACT in 2018 and I could say it was overwhelming and fast, seeing everything happening onstage and with the collective gasp of thousands of pageant fans in one place.

In what I consider to be one of the best recent Evening Gown segments from Miss Universe, I now present my recap of 2018’s top 10 in their swimsuits and glittering gowns (because all their gowns were literally glittery).


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Tamryn was one to watch out for that time and I’ve been keeping my eye on her ever since she won Miss South Africa. She has an exotic feel about her plus her credentials are something to watch out for (a soon-to be physician, hello). Her beauty reminds me of Patricia Velasquez, another exotic Colombian model who starred as Anck-su-Namun in The Mummy series.

Her swimsuit, being the first one out, she walked with such sophistication for a swimsuit walk. I like how she held her cape by her arm at first, then dropped it, and spread it on behind her then letting it flow. The walk was not overdone yet it exuded sexiness, with the way her long straight hair was blown gently by her pace. The pose at the end of the runway could’ve been more graceful though, and now I think posing is her weak suit.

While having long flowing capes seem to be her specialty, I am somewhat surprised by her choice for her final gown. The styling was topnotch, that long silky mane tied in a high ponytail looked glorious on her cocoa complexion but the gown was meh. I do love how it catches light in the dark but the overall appeal of it was kinda bland. Plus, the fact that it made her have difficulty walking (the seam must’ve caught in her heels) kinda took off the elegance factor. Her face in that styling though, gorgeous. A different cut would have given her an edge. I prefer her prelim gown to be honest since she handles capes quite well.

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Dear Hhen Nie captured the hearts of pageant fans everywhere with her humble beginnings, unconventional beauty, and quirky personality. Born from the Rade ethnic minority in Southern Vietnam, the girl worked hard and eventually got noticed, paving the way for her to represent Vietnam in the Superbowl of Beauty. The pixie cut, tanned skin, and her inspirational story is her edge in this and she gave quite a fight with her performance too.

Starting her swimsuit walk with her cape wrapped around her, she snapped into her catwalk as soon as Tamaryn turned her back to the camera. Her strut emanated confidence and strength, a walk which still would’ve been noticeable if she was between the other girls.

The evening gown was a custom made, glittering silver gown, with long sleeves and a side-front slit. From that yellow, flowing gown her had on prelims (watch her prelim twirl in that yellow gown) to this silver number, I think they were aiming to lean on the glamorous side. She doesn’t look bad but I think H’hen could’ve had a bit more edge if she wore something less sparkly. Regardless of my opinion, she was uber elegant when she turned from her final pose.

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When I learned of Sthefany winning MUV in 2017, I found it interesting that she is not your usual Latina beauty with Caucasian features and light curly hair (she had a lot of competitors who looked Miss Universe ready back then). I noticed she really highlighted her long hair and curvy physique along with her almost indigenous Amazonian look to be a change from the usual Barbie dolls from Venezuela. I knew she had things up her sleeve, and perform well, she did.

That walk, come on…really just goes to show that Venezuelans are the best, the most effortless walkers (not the Walking Dead types). Right from when she turned, there was no hesitation or clunkiness. She didn’t even touch her cape all the way and she let her hips do the talking…those full, sexy hips. Her smile was just the right mix of sweetness to cancel out that Latina sexiness.

If ever there is something that made her enter the wildcards, it is just how she performs and her presence. Come evening gown competition, her body looked perfect, as if linear drops of jewels were coming out of her skin. It’s a repeat from her prelim gown and it looks even more stunning up-close. The Nidal Nouaihed did her well and she performed sublimely with that endearing smile. Her long straight hair, not being overly styled, just fell on her back which something I rarely see in Venezuelan queens. I could just say, she performed good enough, even excellently, to be in that roster up there.

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Now, to be honest, I started following Catriona back in 2016 when she won Miss World Philippines and after that missed opportunity at Miss World, I, along with thousands of other fans will say that she was destined for something greater, a prophecy which she later on fulfilled much to our satisfaction. The hype was understandable ever since she joined Bb. Pilipinas and by then, I could only say that she never ceased to amaze and inspire.

Catriona’s swimsuit walk is quite unique, in a sense that, her legs, hips, and shoulders move in a way that seems to make it seductive yet strong and lively. I don’t think I saw anyone move or walk like her. Don’t even get me started with her turns and twirls. I remember Cynthia Olavarria, Dayana Mendoza, Yendi Phillips, and Clarissa Molina having the most memorable turns and Catriona added her name to the list with her slow-mo-snap turn. Considering it was her first time walking with that cape is remarkable, her final pose with that shoulder movement was uber flirtatious.

The evening gown, oh God. The vision of her slinky-inking down that long runway in that fiery red lava gown, with the Thai backdrop in the sound of Lauv’s I Like Me Better with always and forever be vision that will haunt me with how perfect it is. From when she first turned and stroked her hair, and then smiled with those red lips as she walked on that runway, it was just the right amount of beauty and magic that a pageant fan in me hopes to see in these shows. At the end of the runway, when she twirled and that face turned towards the camera, the expression was spot-on, so hopelessly beautiful and glamorous, it will go down in my mind as one of the best EG performances ever.

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There are a lot of beauty in Costa Rica but I think what made Natalia standout is her personality as evidenced with her banter with Steve Harvey. Should come off as no surprise since she is a TV personality back in her country. And when I saw those pictures in a page somewhere with her uber toned body along with Vene and Canada, literally shaped like a coca cola bottle, it came off as no surprise when she got called as one of the chosen candidates from the Americas.

Swimsuit-wise, even if I wanted a two piece to showcase her body to the max, she did well in the segment. Lu was right, she did have a commanding air about her, especially with stare-down with the camera. The end pose was just a bit clunky, with how she wrapped the cape in her hand.

With the evening gown portion, while she looked decent (but a bit dated) with the blue number, I looked back at her prelim gown and saw that she performed and looked better back then with that dark green, one-sleeved feathered gown complemented with her overly coiffed side curls which balanced her dress’ asymmetry. She also walked slower during her prelim stint which even exuded that sex appeal from her already curvy body. It was a missed opportunity really because if she performed that well, she would snatch one of the top 5 spots for sure.

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There is somewhat a stigma that when a girl has joined several competitions, they are labelled as overly “pageant-patty.” A lot do fall into that category but with certain women, it makes them more matured in terms of performance. Akisha Albert is one of those who have grown sublime and owned her inner elegance. Having joined Miss Earth, Reina Hispanoamerica and later on, the biggest, most competitive pageant stage, she managed to polish herself and standout amongst a bevy of 95 contestants.

While it is somewhat comical to see her stumble backstage while Costa Rica was posing, she eventually cancelled that out with a decent catwalk. I think she tried out a trick with her hair but somewhat went unnoticed. Seeing her in her candid state, I think she could have gone further if she did a smize or a sexy, come-hither stare at the end of the runway.

However, with the evening gown portion, she was more in the zone. Wearing the same gown she had in the prelims (would wear it again too if I were her) which is another translucent, silvery tone, it moved like cascading water on her brown legs. The low bun (though kinda outdated) suited her along with the ensemble crystal earrings. She moved with such dignified elegance that it boosted her chances.

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I will just start with the fact that her face is one of those faces that I audibly went “wow” when I first saw her in the prelim introductions. It is just a pleasant mix of soft yet distinct features which makes her one of the faces of this year’s pageant. Her credentials are something that must’ve caught the MUO Org’s eye as well, being a consistent Dean’s lister in North Carolina and a first generation immigrant and college graduate.

Swimsuit-wise, if we were to be all stingy, her walk needs stability and presence. It can get a little clunky and good thing her hair covered her shoulders which moved quite awkwardly. Her hooded eyes looked sexy though, and if she were able to project it directly and strategically, she would be much more of a threat.

It’s unfortunate for her to choose that evening gown as her final gown because honestly, it held her back. It was poorly designed, it was too long, it did nothing to highlight her assets and it looked flat. I wasn’t sold with her prelim gown too but at least it looked better than her final gown. A simple white gown a la Miriam Quiambao would have taken her far because her beauty does not need all that gimmick. It was a wasted chance, really.

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Oh Martha Stephien, the perfect it girl of this edition. The doll-like, Polish-born beauty is a pageant veteran too, having joined Miss International 2017, Reinado Internacional del Café 2018, and Miss Canada 2017. If it were up to beauty alone, she would most-likely be the runaway winner but somehow, as with Johanna Solano, Melinda Bam, and Olga Storozhenko, prettiest may not always mean the best….orrr they just had an unfortunate streak.

Having one of the best bodies in the batch, she looked very good in the swimsuit segment, like a literal Barbie. Her lipstick shade even had the same tone as her orange two piece. The way she wrapped her cape in her final pose is how it should be done (take note Costa Rica) and undoubtedly one of the strongest swimsuit performances that morning. It’s important to take note than when she was walking, it was also the time that Thailand stepped out of the runway, so I’m not quite sure if the cheers were for her or for Sophida.

Come evening gown portion, Marta had the same dress as during prelims, but added this glittering layered crinoline overskirt which looked humongous against her tiny frame. It looked dramatic and eyecatching…there was a literal collective gasp at IMPACT when she went out. The Michael Cinco creation majorly stood out and that was my issue…the gown looked too good and drew attention on itself rather than to highlight Marta. It practically ate her. I wonder how she would have fared if she got rid of that huge train because her beauty really is enough to make her stand out.

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Ahhh, Ning. One thing I knew initially is that she wasn’t much of a favorite by Thai pageant fans as most were rooting for Paveena Singh during their national pageant. However, come pageant day, the support for her was deafening. I thought it would be another Miss Universe 2005 scenario where the homecourt girl will not make the cut but it wasn’t obviously the case. I think her being humble and educated was a plus for the organization. I could have replaced her with other girls in the top 20 to be honest, but hey, she boosted Thai fans’ morale that day.

Can’t really say much about her swimsuit walk because it is not as confident as Lu says. She could use some more energy or hipsway. One thing I can say though, her face showed proud she is of her supporters because the crowd was really in a frenzy when she came out.

Her patterned gown made by Asava consisted of strips of red, embroidered with jewels, reminding a bit of elaborate temple walls and a piece made by Guo Pei in some Met Gala exhibit. It is definitely a unique gown design that I haven’t seen before in the pageant stage and it’s nice how Thai designers always have that touch of culture in their gowns. It could have been longer and a tad bit more dramatic. The sleek styling and minimal jewelry (just a bracelet) complimented the look. Sophida carried it with class and just enough flair, I think.

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Now I knew Kiara was a force to be reckoned with back when she won in September 2018 because I know Boricuans have been thirsting for a placement in the recent years. It’s been a while since they sent a candidate that looked “sweet” since Mayra Matos but knowing that she’s from PR, they have some tricks up their sleeve.

For the swimsuit, Kiki in that blue one-piece and with that Latina strut was an energetic finish for the top 10. Can’t enough of that winsome smile and she genuinely looked like she was having fun in the runway. What I like about it is that it’s not an overly calculated performance (although it probably is and just didn’t look like such); there’s an element of spontaneity to it and that’s where she edges against her other Latina contestants.

She wore the same dress she had in the prelims, a silvery Sherri Hill number which looked like a staple in beauty pageants. I personally would’ve preferred a different, more sexy cut on her like the one she wore in the Thai Silk fashion show, and her tan would’ve been complimented by a solid color. Nevertheless, her performance was laudable, a strong yet sultry walk, just rightly paced with the music and having that slow-mo effect. In her final pose, you can’t take your eyes off her, how that smile evolves and how she looks even more beautiful the longer you stare at her.


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It’s a different vibe when you are actually there and let me tell you, the final look was breathtaking, with everyone’s cellphone flashlights on and with IMPACT being high, made you feel like you are surrounded by thousands of twinkling lights.

Just some more vibes at the arena:
1. The cheers for Philippines and Thailand were DEAFENING. It almost became awkward with the girls after them because they did not have a lot of cheers.
2. The opening segment was amazing, how the backdrop simulated the sunrise at Wat Arun and then Neyo appearing in the middle with Thai dancers. It was so epic, it gave me goosebumps.
3. After the pageant, a group of Filipino fans gathered at the second floor and sang the Philippine national anthem quite loudly. It was a bit “in your face” kind of move but I guess they were so proud of our win. I was too.
4. The Miss Universe memorabilia were quite expensive, being sold at the venue. A tshirt costed about a thousand baht as far as I can remember which is about 1500 pesos? (Anyone clarify?). A souvenir magazine with pictures of all the contestants costs about 450 or 500 baht.
5. When Miss USA was announced in the top 20 as a wildcard finalist, not a lot of people cheered. Not exaggerating but you could count how many people were cheering when she was announced as the majority of the crowd looked iffy with her inclusion.
6. In the segment featuring Angela Ponce, a lot of people stood up and clapped for her. It was a touching, tender moment and with Thailand being an LGBT friendly country garnered quite a lot of support, at least that time at the IMPACT arena I can say. Almost the entire audience near the stage stood up and applauded her.
7. Saw a lot of Ecuadorian fans near from where I was sitting and they looked visibly glum after all of the top 20 was announced.
8. Outside IMPACT, it was so stifling hot that fans and some drag queens were sweating trying to find a cab. Saw Miss Puerto Rico outside, wearing her intro dress, with an escort hurrying somewhere. A lot of people greeted her and pretty Kiara was beaming and saying hi to everyone but her escort looked annoyed and hot-headed. Not sure if it was a family member or an escort from their organization.
9. Days later, while going around Bangkok, the taxi driver asked where I am from and when I said from the Philippines, he said “Miss Universe, krup?” Felt proud.

Sorry for being wistful but those were some good memories. I was just so bored so I made this. Hope you had fun reading!

Photos from Bong Tan of Missosology and Miss Universe Facebook page.


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Re: BLAST FROM THE RECENT PAST: Miss Universe 2018 Mini Reca

Postby beautywatchnyc » Fri Mar 27, 2020 12:00 pm


Written from the heart! Kudos!
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Re: BLAST FROM THE RECENT PAST: Miss Universe 2018 Mini Reca

Postby xrickyxryuki » Fri Mar 27, 2020 4:28 pm

beautywatchnyc wrote:
Written from the heart! Kudos!


Thank you very much!
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Re: BLAST FROM THE RECENT PAST: Miss Universe 2018 Mini Reca

Postby wiltz13 » Fri Mar 27, 2020 11:37 pm

The 2018 Pageant season was memorable for many reasons!
THE 50 MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMEN IN BEAUTY PAGEANTS FOR 2019
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THE 50 HOTTEST MEN IN PAGEANTS FOR 2019
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Re: BLAST FROM THE RECENT PAST: Miss Universe 2018 Mini Reca

Postby goddessoxana27 » Sun Apr 05, 2020 5:04 am

Kudos...

A remarkable year of MUO...
CREDITS TO THE OWNER OF THE POSTED ARTICLES, VIDEOS, AND PICTURES...

RESPECT, BEAUTY, HEALTHY, OBEDIENT, SMART and FRIENDLY, that's the essence of being a Goddess.
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