THINK OF BEAUTY QUEENS as white-toothed babes with shellacked hair and Cinderella-goes-to-Vegas evening gowns? That's so last millennium, says reigning
Miss America Lauren Nelson, who — for the record — has a lovely smile and quite windswept locks. She imparts her wisdom to this year's crop of contestants on TLC's new show "
Miss America Reality Check" (
Fri. at 10 p.m.), before passing her tiara along on Jan. 26.
» EXPRESS: Put a bunch of Miss America contestants in a house, as on your show, and what happens?
» NELSON: Honestly, you'd think there would be catfights, but that's not what happened at all. They had conversations about their lives and got to go through some pretty cool challenges.
» EXPRESS: Like what?
» NELSON: They go through academic challenges and then learn some things about how to be a modern "it" girl. These girls have done a lot of pageantry, so "Reality Check" was ultimately about shaking up their old ideas.
» EXPRESS: Which pageant ideas are dispelled?
» NELSON: If you think about pageant girls walking around in fully rhinestoned gowns, swimsuits and high heels, that's not true anymore. I think the Miss America Pageant wants them to be more like what you see in magazines — more Hollywood, red-carpet glamour.
» EXPRESS: So, what, no more bathing suits and mules?
» NELSON: They're keeping the shoes with the swimsuits. It's more about the mind-set of the contestants, who think they have to do their hair and makeup in a certain way.
» EXPRESS: How do you pick a pageant gown?
» NELSON: It's important to feel comfortable competing in it. By that, I mean that the girl should feel beautiful in the gown and pick a style and color that looks good on her.
» EXPRESS: What's the secret to being a low-key hottie?
» NELSON: Try to get away from the heavy, caked makeup and really "done" hair. You want a natural look, not so done-up, but still glamorous. It's a more everyday look.
» EXPRESS: Any go-to beauty products?
» NELSON: This year, I've just used whatever is available to me as Miss America. But I've started using Trish McEvoy, and I really her love her stuff.
» EXPRESS: You've logged thousands of airline miles since becoming Miss America. Any packing secrets?
» NELSON:I travel with two suitcases: one with all my clothes and shoes, the other with other stuff. I have to be ready at all times for casual or cocktail events in every kind of weather.
» EXPRESS: Wow — that must be hard.
» NELSON: I've gotten really good at ironing quickly! And hotel dry-cleaning is a lifesaver.
» EXPRESS: You were Miss Oklahoma. What do you do when you're back home?
» NELSON: I do nothing — it's nice to have downtime. I talk to my family and friends, and go out to eat Tex-Mex food when I'm there. It's my favorite food in the world. I love tacos and enchiladas.
» EXPRESS: What's the biggest misconception about beauty queens?
» NELSON: I think people forget that we're real, ordinary women.
» EXPRESS: Are there any hazards to wearing tiaras?
» NELSON: Sometimes, honestly, you get hat head since they're pinned to your hair.
source: http://www.readexpress.com/
