The USA in the past decade has proven to the world that it’s not just about the glamour, Hollywood, fat people, advanced technology among many others like how it is portrayed by the media. In fact, it is above all, a country of unique customs, diversity and manifold cultural affinities. The USA's national costumes at Miss Universe pageant are patterned on the winning state – its culture, ethnicity, famous landmarks, sports, arts and customs, etc.
In this thread, let us go back in time (2001-2010) and reminisce USA’s pride showcasing its diverse culture through style – the national costume.
Winning State: TEXAS
Inspiration: THE COWBOYS
If you think of the state of Texas, you automatically picture cowboys and if you research "The Old West", Texas will invariably pop up in some way. This is in fact one of the common misconceptions about the state because the fact is, Wyoming is the one considered the Cowboy State.
Texas is known for its long list of famous (and infamous) cowboys which includes Francisco Garcia, Oliver Loving and Charles Goodnight among many others.
A cowboy wouldn't be a cowboy without his horse or cattle would he? Well, Texas boasts to be the home of the American Quarter Horse Headquarters in Amarillo, Texas the largest registry in existence; the American Paint Horse Association in Fort Worth. Texas is the third largest equine registry; and the American origin of the Appaloosa horse breed. Texas is also the birthplace of three of the better known cattle breeds, the Texas Longhorn, the Santa Gertrudis and the Salorn.
The setting for many movies, books and other entertainment venues, Texas will always be remembered for its historical backgrounds of cowboys, cowgirls and the men and women who still love them.
To represent the great state of Texas and its famous cowboys in history, here’s Kandace Krueger in her best interpretation of a Texan cowgirl:
Winning State: DC
Inspiration: THE FIREFIGHTERS
We all know what happened in 2001. Ten years later, justice was finally served. In remembrance of this tragic event, we pay tribute to the champions – the firefighters, the policemen, the medical personnel, rescue workers, and all the common people who helped others on the attack sites during the actual disaster days, and the aftermath of 9/11. These people accomplished some truly heroic tasks, and deserved to be called heroes.
These people saved a lot of lives, helped multitudes of people on the attack sites, and accomplished the tremendous task of clearing all the dead bodies, rubble, and debris from the destroyed buildings and aircrafts. They didn't concern themselves with their own comfort but unselfishly were more concerned about others - even to the point of losing their lives. "Greater love hath no man than this, which a man laid down his life for his friends."
To give accolade to these firefighters, here’s Shauntay Hinton sporting a traditional firefighter costume during 2002 Miss Universe Parade of Nations:
Winning State: MASSACHUSSETTS
Inspiration: WONDER WOMAN
Known in her homeland as Diana of Themyscira, Wonder Woman’s powers include superhuman strength, flight, super-speed, super-stamina, and super-agility. She is highly proficient in hand-to-hand combat and in the art of tactical warfare. She also possesses an animal-like cunning and a natural rapport with animals, which has in the past been presented as an actual ability to communicate with the animal kingdom. She uses her Lasso of Truth, which forces those bound by it to tell the truth, a pair of indestructible bracelets, a tiara which serves as a projectile, and, in some stories, an invisible airplane.
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She is a Princess of the Amazons and was created by Marston, an American, as a "distinctly feminist role model whose mission was to bring the Amazon ideals of love, peace, and sexual equality to a world torn by the hatred of men. Marston was born in Saugus, Massachusetts.
To pay respect to the most famous American superheroine, here’s Susie Castillo in her best adaptation of Marston’s Wonder Woman character – a true symbol of women empowerment:
Winning State: MISSOURI
Inspiration: THE NATIVE AMERICANS
Did you know the name "Missouri" is a Siouan Indian word? It comes from the tribal name Missouria, which means "big canoe people"? The original inhabitants of the area that is now Missouri included: The Chickasaw tribe, The Illini tribe, The Ioway tribe, The Missouri tribe, The Osage tribe, The Otoe tribe and The Quapaw tribe.
Missouri women wore deerskin skirts and poncho-like blouses. Missouri men wore breechcloths with leather leggings. The Missouris wore moccasins on their feet, and in cold weather, they wore long buffalo-hide robes. Later, Missouri people adapted European costume such as cloth dresses and vests. Here are some pictures of Plains Indian clothing (though Missouri men, unlike most Plains Indian men, tended to go shirtless.) And here are some photos and links about Indian clothing in general.
However, there are no federally recognized Indian tribes in Missouri today. Most Native Americans were forced to leave Missouri during the Indian Removals of the 1800's. These tribes are not extinct, but except for the descendants of Missouri Indians who escaped from Removal, they do not live in Missouri anymore. They were moved to Indian reservations in Oklahoma instead.
To offer reverence to the original tribe that settled in the old Missouri, here’s Shandi Finnessey dressed in a very sexy yet elegant and traditional Native American attire:
Winning State: NORTH CAROLINA
Inspiration: THE SOUTHERN BELLE
As defined by the United States Census Bureau, the Southern region of the United States includes sixteen states. Thirty-six percent of all U.S. residents lived in the South, the nation's most populous region. The Census Bureau defined three smaller units, or divisions:
The South Atlantic States: Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Delaware
The East South Central States: Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi and Tennessee
The West South Central States: Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Texas
A southern belle is an archetype for a young woman of the American Old South's upper class. A southern belle had a lot of rules in order to behave. Pants/trousers were not allowed on girls; they always had to wear a dress that covered their ankles and their wrists. Not doing so would result in accusations of being a tomboy, a princess and in some cases a lesbian. These rules became more relaxed in the 1940's when most of the men were fighting in the war, and companies began to hire women to do the work in the men's absence.
To pay homage to the classic ladies from the south, here’s Chelsi Cooley in her best rendition of Gone with the Wind’s Scarlett O’Hara-inspired Southern Belle costume:
Winning State: KENTUCKY
Inspiration: KENTUCKY DERBY
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is known in the United States as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" or "The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate duration, and is also called "The Run for the Roses" for the blanket of roses draped over the winner.
In recognition of this old and famous Kentucky event, here’s Tara Conner in her very feminine equestrian outfit:
Winning State: TENNESSEE
Inspiration: ELVIS PRESLEY
Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953.
Elvis’ musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager.
In 1954, Elvis began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation. With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular culture.
To glorify the King of Rock and Roll and Tennessee’s very own, here is Rachel Smith’s chic and modern take on Elvis Presley’s outfit -- one of the most immortalized icons in the music history:
Winning State: TEXAS
Inspiration: THE STATE FLAG
The Flag of the State of Texas is defined by law as follows:
”The state flag consists of a rectangle with a width to length ratio of two to three containing: (1) a blue vertical stripe one-third the entire length of the flag wide, and two equal horizontal stripes, the upper stripe white, the lower red, each two-thirds the entire length of the flag long; and (2) a white, regular five-pointed star in the center of the blue stripe, oriented so that one point faces upward, and of such a size that the diameter of a circle passing through the five points of the star is equal to three-fourths the width of the blue stripe. The red and blue of the state flag are the same colors used in the United States flag.”
The Texas flag is known as the "Lone Star Flag" (giving rise to the state's nickname "The Lone Star State"). The official Pantone shades for the Texas flag are 193 (red) and 281 (dark blue). The flag, flown at homes and businesses statewide, is highly popular among Texans and is treated with a great degree of reverence and esteem within Texas.
In honor of the state pennant, here’s Crystal Stewart in her very “Victoria Secret” rendition of the Lone Star flag:
Winning State: NORTH CAROLINA
Inspiration: NASCAR
After World War II, stock car racing evolved as a sport in the foothills and Piedmont of North Carolina. It quickly became one of the deepest traditions in North Carolina popular culture. Several world-class tracks stretch across the state and provide fans a chance to watch the legends of the sport every year. NASCAR is probably the only sports in the US that has not been dominated by the African American.
North Carolina is the birthplace and home of many NASCAR legends, including Dale Garrett, Dale Earnhardt, and Richard Petty.
To pay tribute to North Carolina’s biggest sports event in history, here is Kirsten Dalton sporting a very foxy, trendy and raunchy portrayal of a NASCAR driver:
Winning State: MICHIGAN
Inspiration: THE SEAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Out of all the national costumes Misses USA had in the past years, 2010 was peculiar because it did not showcase anything about the winning state. Instead it was dedicated to the President of the United States.
Rima Fakih addressed a video letter to the President of the United States, Barack Obama about her National Costume. It stated:
Mr. President,
The amazing costume I will wear during the Miss Universe Pageant represents the celebration of life, love, liberty and all that is American.
The bald eagle, which is featured on the seal of the President of the United States, is the National bird of the USA.
The Eagle holds an olive branch and arrows which denote the powers of peace and war. The Eagle faces right to show a preference to peace over war.
The symbolism of this costume is a tribute to your work to bring peace to the world.
Eagles are considered spiritual messengers between Gods and Humans by some cultures.
Fly high, President Obama!
Sincerely,
Rima Fakih
In reverence to the great President Barack Obama, here’s Rima Fakih in her very fashion-forward, sexy and another Victoria Secret-inspired “Seal of the President of the United States” national costume: