National costumes in beauty pageants  

Every time contestants in beauty pageants display their national costumes, the glamour, the splendor, and the flamboyance strike our attention. The relationship between what they are wearing and the identity of the nation they are representing is not immediately apparent. For us to understand whether there is a relationship to our culture and heritage or whether the designer was simply having a wild concept, it would take some time.

Another aspect we anticipate are the issues that surround the competition, such as design copying and design expressing political or religious statements, that some spectators look forward to in addition to the glitz and glamour of the pageantry.

Without a question, beauty pageants provide as a platform for the presentation of ground-breaking ideas on both a national and worldwide scale. Designers that win local pageants get the chance to exhibit their works of art in front of a large audience. This appeals to a larger audience, strengthening the ties of the designers, as they outfit participants in a manner that best represents the culture of their home country for the Miss Universe national costume competition.

But what are the actual criteria for choosing a national costume? What components should the outfit have that we wish to see?

A designer can always consider a connection to what we already have that will serve as an inspiration for the design of the costume. A contestant representing a particular area or town may take into account local elements such as local plants, rivers, mountains, or even local customs, among others, and these elements may be reflected in or serve as inspiration during the planning stage.

For instance, take the country's costume that Beatrice Luigi Gomez, the nation's representative to the 70th Miss Universe pageant wore. She dazzled viewers with her national costume inspired by the Bakunawa, a serpent-like dragon in Philippine mythology that is thought to cause eclipses by swallowing the moon. The myth is also a part of rituals carried out by the babaylans or Filipino shamans.

The materials employed are a further crucial factor. Integrating local resources into the weaving of a lovely masterpiece is a great accomplishment. Any material that is readily available locally or anything else can be transformed into a polished version that also demonstrates the deft hand of craftsmanship and artistry. This is especially true when a designer uses native materials found in abundance, like the batik and tinalak from Mindanao or any local fiber. Being displayed and realized on stage, especially on an international level, is a source of such immense pride and honor.

Every time a competition is held in a certain nation, that nation gets the chance to showcase what makes them special. For instance, when the pageant was conducted in our country, it provided a chance to highlight our ethnic groups. But given the variety of cultures in the world, it would also be a chance for us to fully enjoy witnessing the clash of the ternos, the kimonos, kebayas, and ao dais.

The national costume ought to reflect the aspirations of the people as well as the regional culture and traditions. The entire world wants to see the artwork and should be aware of our great history. Even in the world of pageantry, generally appreciated but constantly being criticized negatively by some for its being superfluous and irrelevant, this can be an avenue to reflect on who we are as a race with our rich history of setbacks and triumphs in the fight for national identity.