Maria Victoria Kjær Theilvig was crowned Miss Universe Saturday night, the first woman from Denmark to wear the title. But as usual, those of us who missed the pageant only care about the strangest part of the event, in which each contestant must impress the judges with a costume that tells something about their country. These national costumes range from traditional ethnic wear to classy gowns to outrageous Vegas showgirl-style constructions to fashions that makes you go "huh?" Continue reading to see some that stood out to me.
The towering constructions that were once limited to Central and South America and the Caribbean have spread to the rest of the world. Miss India Rhea Singha filled the room with her costume, a golden bird that appears to be around 12 feet wide. You can see more pictures of it here.
Not to be outdone, Miss Sri Lanka Melloney Dassanayake wears what appears to be a very heavy costume. It was inspired by an ancient rock fortress called Sigiriya.
Miss Czech Republic Marie Danci was adorned with hearts. This is a reference to the traditional decorated gingerbread her country is known for, but also each heart comes with a message from someone who is waiting for a suitable bone marrow donor. Read more at the Instagram page.
The eventual winner, Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark, wore a costume that is supposed to evoke a Viking goddess, but it looks suspiciously Incan, if you ask me.
My favorite of the collection is the costume worn by Miss Mongolia Nominzul Zandangiin. This warrior/hunter look is not only appropriate, but fierce.
Miss USA, Alma Cooper, went with the obvious for her patriotic costume, although the fireworks seem a bit much. One redditor said, "Looked like she just went down the 4th of July aisle at Walmart and called it a day." She should have just worn her military uniform. Still, you have to remember that after winning their national pageants, all these accomplished women were costumed by their Miss Universe pageant committee. See all the national costumes and decide for yourself which are the best and worst at Women's Wear Daily. Beware of the many typos in the titles. -via Everlasting Blort