SASHES AND TIARAS.....My Ten LEAST FAVORITE Gowns, Gown Disappointments of Miss Universe 2015 Preliminaries + a "Special Gown" Mention

SASHES AND TIARAS.....My Ten LEAST FAVORITE Gowns, Gown Disappointments of Miss Universe 2015 Preliminaries + a "Special Gown" Mention

The Sale Rack: Some of Least Favorite Gowns seen at the Miss Universe 2015 Preliminaries

In my last post HERE, I discussed the Top 15 Best Gowns (in my humble opinion) from this past Thursday's Miss Universe 2015 Preliminary Competition. I have to say that for the most part, there were a lot of Good gowns--out of the 80 on display, worn by the beauties from all over the world, there weren't too many cray-cray ones. But...there were some. So, I've compiled a list of my TEN LEAST FAVORITE gowns from the Miss Universe 2015 Preliminaries. Either for the lack of "gown funds" in each national pageant's organization, or lack of taste level, or just lacking anything resembling what a top Hollywood actress and/or model would wear to an important red carpet event, these were among some of the reasons why these ended up here... 

At the end, I also included a couple gowns which disappointed me, especially because the candidates wearing them are A) considered favorites and B) I expected more; plus a "Special Gown Mention"...



The Oh Dear! Gowns:

Miss Guatemala Jeimmy Aburto: Cha-cha Queen Meets Quinciniera. If the rather garish fuchsia-pink sequins weren't enough, somehow the designer decided that it needed more as in clown-like bias hemmed ruffles at the bottom plus nude netting and then let's just do silver diamantes to fill in the space....This would be fun if it was a Gay pride Float for Drag Queen Mermaids. But it isn't.

Score: 5.00

Miss Japan Ariana Miyamoto: Star Trek Meets a Trashy AVN Awards. I just don't know why such a pretty girl would do this to herself; or make such a lack of taste level judgement. I just do not get it, the real point of the Evening Gown Competition--besides having the judge see their "poise" and "elegance", it is also to see if they have a level of taste. After all, if you are the new Miss Universe, you'll be walking many Red Carpets, and you don't want to end up on the WORST List. Here, with this gold high side-slit pleather concoction with black and white printed chiffon back details, Miss Universe Japan failed. I am soooo confused.

Score: 6.00

Miss Bulgaria Radostina Todorova: Ah, as they say in the South: "Bless Her Heart". Which really translates to "GURL! You are a Mess!". This is sweet and cute, if she was 18 and it was a New Year's Eve Dance in Missouri. But it ain't, it's THE MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT! The dress looks off-the-rack, cheap, it's too short...well, I'll just stop there. I, at least, give her points for wearing strappy heels and not those clunky platform heels.

Score: 6.00

Miss Montenegro Maja Cukic: I'll give Miss Universe Montenegro the benefit of the doubt and say that she was going for a more "Artsy" look--or at least the designer was. Here's a suggestion: DON'T. The top looks as if a nasty cat got to it while she was away and the skirt is "meh" and then she wore RED SHOES with this? Oh Dear!

Score: 6.00

Miss Albania Megi Luka: Megi looks very pretty. She's got an angelic, gorgeous face so part of me understands her choosing such a "sweet" gown but at the same time, I would have loved to have seen her in something more red carpet sexy fab. This velvet dress is more appropriate as a costume for Rome & Juliet.

Score: 6.25

Miss Hungary Nikoletta Nagy: I love canary yellow but the combination of the bright satin, with the gold lace and then gold sequins and the (yeah, there's more!), crystal straps in the front torso...it's all a bit cheap-looking and Tacky-licious. It's also very Quincieniera "Ayyy Mija!".

Score: 6.00

Miss Norway Martine Rodseth: This silver sequined and red crepe halter gown is not bad, it's just dated and not exciting. This is a gown one could find at an "After Five" section of a local department store and perfect for a Mother-of-the-Bride, or guest at the wedding. But not Fashion Fab or Couture enough for the Miss Universe pageant.

Score: 6.00

Miss Slovak Republic Denisa Vysnovska: Interestingly enough, this blue strapless ball gown was also her "national costume" (photo above from the Miss Universe 2015 National Costume Presentation); she just added some extra trim and a flowered headdress. This gown looks sweet but sweet is not enough. It also looks very polyester-y and that lace trim is better for grandma's tablecloth.

Score: 6.25

Miss Serbia Dasa Radosavljevic: This gold sequin dress is fine if you are a background dancer at a Cruise Ship's Dinner Theater show, but it looks cheap and tacky for Miss Universe. I could find this fabric for $2.99/yard in Downtown LA. That's not a good thing.

Score: 5.00

Miss Bolivia Romina Rocamonje: On a good note, this red satin with sequin side applique looks expensive and well made. But it's just Too-Mucheey for Romina. The back pouf overskirt was distracting as she walked onstage and frankly unnecessary in terms of design.. And then, there are those UBER platform pumps!!! Those SCARE me and bring memories of Naomi Campbell falling down on the Vivienne Westwood runway show back in 1993.

Score: 6.75

Could Have Been Better Gowns---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've selected the following two ladies--and their gowns--because these two--Miss Italy and Miss Venezuela--are two favorites for the Miss Universe 2015 crown (according to beauty pageant followers/fans) and I was just a bit surprised that their choice of gowns weren't impacting or couture-strong enough. I just expected more "Wow!".

Miss Italy Giada Pezzaioli: This wasn't a bad gown, it was just a bit too busy and confusing and instead of highlighting Giada and how stunning and model-like she is, she got lost in the gown and it almost aged her as well. I also just didn't understand the back olive-and-black "capes" and how that went with the black and nude sequin applique gown; it didn't make sense and also looked like an afterthought and an addition that shouldn't have been added.

Miss Venezuela Mariana Jimenez: I loved the color of this gown and the gorgeous ombre-like sequined degrade. The gown also fit well and was the perfect length. But...I just expected more "Wow!". This gown just didn't get my "Couture Heart" beating as some of the usual Miss Venezuela gowns do. I also wasn't a fan of her styling--the hair looked a little too "Pageant Pretty" and slightly late 90's dated.



Special Gown Mention for Originality-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miss Sweden Paulina Brodd: Now, I know what you may be thinking: "Has Nick lost his gown mind??" No, I haven't. I kinda like this gown, I admit, mainly for the fact that the sequin applique/print/colors were very striking and it was one of the most original gown styles from the Miss Universe 2015 Evening Gown Preliminary Competition. I get that this could be considered a tad Cray-Cray but it's Good Cray-cray, at least in my eyes!

SASHES AND TIARAS.....Miss Universe 2015 Evening Gown Portraits Part Two: The Pageant Betty's, Oh Dear Too Mucheey & "Go-On Girl" Award

SASHES AND TIARAS.....Miss Universe 2015 Evening Gown Portraits Part Two: The Pageant Betty's, Oh Dear Too Mucheey & "Go-On Girl" Award

Too Mucheey Hoochie & Chonchee and Too Mucheey Everything: Miss Universe 2015 Evening Gown Portraits

Photos courtesy of MissUniverse.com

In my last post HERE, I discussed my FAVORITES from the Miss Universe 2015 "Official Website Evening Gown Portraits" (as well as which designs disappointed me), so naturally, now it's time to talk about the Pageant Betty's and "Ayyy Mija!" designs--and one last special "Go-On Girl" Gown recognition...

Let's get to it--Let's begin with "Pageant Betty's"-----------------------------------------------------------

Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach: I know, I know, I am sure everyone from here to the Philippines will hate me but I just thought that gorgeous Pia looked too old-school Pageant Betty in this design. Pia could look like a fabulous fashion model DIVA and instead, in this gown she looked like it was 1998 and she was a candidate in that year's Miss Philippines pageant. The gown is very "been there/done that". Not to mention those earrings...GIRL! And for some reason, all I could look at is how BIG her "sistahs" look; there too much focus on her big ol' breasts--with this strapless dress. On a good note: her face and hair style are flawless.

Miss Guatemala Jeimmy Aburto: Pink stretch lace--and silver crystals--plus the mermaid "lite" shape...well, they all add up to "Pageant Betty". She is very pretty and that pose is indeed, impacting. But, the gown, oh the gown: it's Too-Mucheey  and Tacky.

Miss Haiti Lisa Drouillard: Oh Lisa, that is A LOT of Gown. I do appreciate the dynamic bubblegum pink color and silver sequin detail but...it's Too Mucheey, and it does give me "Pageant Betty" for it's heavy-handed style. At least she didn't do an up-do bouffant. I give her a couple of points for that.

Miss Panama Gladys Brandao Amaya: According to the Miss Universe website, Gladys is only 24 years old. But here she looks 34. I do like the unusual sequin and striped detail in the gown--as well as the color--but my main problem deals with the too-much peek-a-boo keyhole (Hola! That is my cleavage!) and the semi pouffed-up hair is a bit early 2000's Pageant. It's time for an update mija.

Miss South Africa Refilwe Mthiwunye: First off, I was a bit taken aback that she allowed the Miss Universe.com peeps to put in her bio that she won the "Miss Gangster" award during the Miss South Africa pageant. Not sure if I would of put that as a PLUS in my bio. But oh well. In terms of her choice of gown, it was very Pageant Betty. Now, don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful gown and it fits her nicely, but...this is not what you would see a Miss Universe wear to win, and definitely not what you would see on a top actress on a red carpet at a top awards show like Cannes or the Oscars.

Miss Denmark Cecilie Wellemberg: Cecilie is quite beautiful. I don't have that much of a problem with this gown--I do like the royal blue color and scroll-like sequin applique. But...the combination of all of that + the mermaid shape + her pouffy hair and big ol' earrings scream "Pageant Betty".

Miss Mexico Wendy Esparza: Did someone say 1997? What is with all the polyester charmeuse? And that matching lace? Ayyy mija! Oh, and of course, there's a side-front slit. And SILVER covered pumps? Someone please help her! At least she looks absolutely bella from the neck up--the hair and makeup are perfect!

Oh Dear!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Miss British Virgin Islands Adorya Baly: Let me begin on a good note--I love the canary yellow color. And I do like the flower-like sequin appliques. Where it all goes a bit tacky is the sheer netting, the center front plunging neckline showing her too-mucheey cleavage. I also think she could have added more makeup (what a novel idea for a pageant gal!?); she looks like she got up, just had her first coffee and well, had to do a photoshoot.

Miss Hungary Nikoletta Nagy: Nikoletta is quite pretty but she isn't going to be on anyone's Top Faves List with this dress. I like the emerald color but the side cowl draped detail looks more like curtains than Grecian Goddess. I'll be blunt: the dress looks polyester-cheap. And speaking of cheap: I DON'T WANT TO SEE THOSE STRIPPER PUMPS! And trust me: Neither do the judges. How many times do I have to say this?! If you need to wear them, by all means do. But hide them. Showing them makes you look cheap...and only highlights that you're short and therefore you need to wear these. 

Miss Ghana Hilda Frimpong: Oh Hilda, it looks like you are leaving the pageant world and walking straight on to the set of the next Real Housewife of (fill in the blank). I usually discuss the "Slit Happy" Pageant Gals but seriously, Miss Universe Ghana and this dress took the Slit thang to another level; there are two slits and depending on how she walks, you could probably almost see her CHA-CHA. There's nothing cute about this. It's very "Oh Dear!" Chonchee.

Miss Malaysia Vanessa Kumares: Oh Vanessa, I give her points for looking all "Heyyyy Girl!" fab in this photo! She looks like a fun girl I want to have Dirty Martinis with. But then, there's that gown. It's a Pageant Oh Dear Too Mucheey Mess. She looks like the wife of a Millionaire Malaysian businessman at a New Year's Eve Party, as opposed to the next Miss Universe. It's also very 2004 dated in it's style; been there/done that huney.

Miss Australia Monika Radulovic: Monika is very popular with the Missosologists (i.e., Pageant Fans), she's one of the top faves for the Miss Universe 2015 crown. But then she wears this lace and chiffon gown. It's very off-the-rack and dated. We've seen this style and it was several years ago at past "Miss Universe" and "Miss USA" pageants. I expect something like this on an Eastern European pageant contestant in the Miss World Contest...But not at Miss Universe?? On a good note: her nude strappy heels are PERFECT, and so is her hair and makeup. Now, go change into a better gown darling.

Finally, I have to give a Special "Go-On Girl!" Evening Gown Portraits Award to Miss Universe Tanzania...

Miss Tanzania Lorraine Marriot: I was a bit on the fence on where to include this fabulous woman--Miss Universe Tanzania. I loved this photo. But...should be it be "Oh Dear!" or "Fab!". In terms of the "Miss Universe 2015 Evening Gown Portraits" on the website, there was no other like it--for good or not-so-good. For me, it was more good: She gave you DIVA! I liked this gown and the draped gold and emerald sequin beading on the torso which reminded me of Swahili-like East African jewelry. The entire look said "Fierce". Now, I am wondering how she could even walk in this gown--which looks like it's way too long for her. But for this photo, it deserved my "Go ON Girl!" Evening Gown Portrait "Nick Award".