Pageant girl no more

Garterbelts and Gasoline’s pinup pageant this month was my last pageant.

Ever since I started talking about retiring, so many people have asked me if I’m entering this show or that, or if I might reconsider next year. “Are you being a bit rash?” one person asked me.

My first pageant was Cooly Rocks On in 2014. I entered for lots of reasons; mostly because I wanted to meet people, but also to prove to myself that I could get back on stage after walking away from performing back in my early twenties. It was a proper rush and before too long, I found myself entering lots of things, meeting more people and for the most part, having a blast.

My pageant debut. Picture by Chrome Plated Photography

When I got off the stage after Cooly, I told parents that the show had made me miss singing and something started brewing in the back of my mind.

Best part about Cooly was all the massive babe-faces I now call friends. These are just some of them.
Picture by Phill's Kustom Photography

I entered Miss Bombshell earlier this year, mostly because it was a show with a talent section. As soon as I received a place in the show, I started working on my routine.

Sadly, I think I put way more effort into my talent than my other two sections, so when didn’t make it through to the final round, I was crushed. All I wanted to do was sing, and prove to myself that I could still carry a tune.

I loved my vintage sleepwear and my routine for this section at Miss Bombshell
Picture by Phill's Kustom Photography

When I’d had sufficient time to lick my wounds, I decided it was time to stop using pageants as an excuse to get on stage. I wanted out of pageants and into performing.

Backstage at Bombshells in my Cinderella rag dress.
At some point, I'm going to revive this routine since no one got to see it!

I feel like it was fitting that at Garterbelts and Gasoline, I had the freedom to control my entire performance and finally got the chance to blast out a tune on stage. It was the end of my pageant life, but just the beginning of something else. Sure, I couldn’t reach my high notes because my throat had all but closed over and my microphone was so low I had to crouch to reach it, but I had the most amazing time.

Singing my little heart out at Garterbelts & Gasoline
Picture by Sharper Image Photography

My retirement isn’t about anything dramatic or upsetting, it’s mostly about shifting goals and being kind to myself. It's not a rash decision, it's one I thought about a lot (and probably would have been rash if I'd withdrawn from Garterbelts the way I'd planned). 

Picture by Sharper Image Photography

I simply don’t want to compete any more, I just want to perform (but I'm keeping the vintage style of course). I’m working with Anita from Make Loud Noise on my repertoire and we’re going to put some stuff up on SoundCloud early next year. I’m going to sew some costumes and work with Michelle from Sirene Dance on my movement and dancing, and hopefully, it won’t be too long until Miss Mickey is back on stage.  

Pageants are fun! Look at all the gorgeous friends you make. 

For those of you who are wondering about entering pageants, I say, go for it. But approach them with a good attitude; remember it's just a pageant, just a chance to have fun, and you'll have a great time.