Okay, so this was a big decision. Natural or Glitz? Glitz or Natural? It's a big debate, and I respect moms and pageant contestants on both sides of it. So, I think I will just kind of lay out the pros and cons as I see them to each side.
Of course we can't start a discussion on natural or glitz without first explaining the difference between the two. The biggest difference between most natural and glitz pageants is the use of prosthetics. Fake hair, fake teeth, fake eyelashes, even color contacts are allowed in glitz pageants and they are used by the majority of contestants. Most natural pageants will disqualify a contestant for use of these devices. There is, however, little difference in natural and glitz when it comes to the amount of make-up used. While most natural pageants do have rules pertaining to how much make-up contestants may wear - the rules are usually very vague such as ... Make up is allowed on contestants 3 and up, but please keep the child looking their age. Pretty broad, huh. Imagine our surprise at our first natural pageant when the Queen of the 3-6 age group was crowned wearing more make-up than I wear when headed out to a New Year's Eve party.
Another difference between glitz pageants and natural pageants are the prizes. The overall winner of a glitz pageant can easily take home $500 to $1000 in cash. She will probably also be crowned with a 12 inch high or higher crown (which may or may not fit on her head), and will recieve a trophy that is many times taller than she is. Glitz pageants will also double crown, which means that you could win several crowns and titles at the same pageant. They will usually hand out titles like Queen, Supreme, Overall Supreme, Overall Grand Supreme, Overall Grand Beauty,etc. all in the same competition.
All of this "glitz" is enough to attract any little girl, but you should remember that all of this comes at a price, known as the entry fee. In fact, when my second daughter began to express intrest in pageants, I recieved a mailer from a very well known national glitz pageant and decided to enter her. I turned in the $50 deposit and recieved the rest of the information in the mail about two weeks later. After filling out the paperwork and checking all the little boxes of competitions for her to enter (most photogenic, living doll, best hair, overall supreme, you get the point right) I was amazed to see her entry fee push the $1000 mark. Add to that dresses, makeup, fake hair, and hotel for the weekend and all of a sudden the chance that she could win $500 didn't seem like such a great thing anymore. Needless to say, we lost that $50 deposit.
On the flip side, Natural Pageants are usually referred to as scholarship pageants. The winner will usually recieve a savings bond at the end of her reign and the amount is usually based on the number of contestants that were originally entered in her division. This tends to keep the entry fee down. Now, don't get me wrong, you can easily rack up a sizeable entry fee by entering "side competitions" like best hair, best dress, etc., but those fees are usually less than a comparable glitz pageant and there are usually a lot less options. Dresses may also cost less because they don't have as many sequins and beads, and outfits outside of the evening gown/party dress competition will cost a lot less because they will not be allowed to have anything shiny on them.
Okay, so here is where the controversy begins, and I hope I don't offend anyone. While I don't agree with the myth that Glitz pageants turn little girls into objects - I do believe that glitz pageants don't necessarily value the fact that little girls can be beautiful as is. For instance, how many times have you seen that first grade picture of a little girl with missing front teeth and thought, "How adorable!" I know I think that every time I look back on my own daughters pictures. Missing teeth, skint, or bruised knees are the things that make kids... well... kids, and I love that about my girls and value pageants that praise them for being who they are. The pageant we are involved in now even has a special time called "Playtime with the judges" when the judges get crazy with the kids and just observe them being who they are. I haven't found a glitz pageant that does this yet.
So, while I respect moms that are willing to go to all of the time, expense, and trouble it takes to compete and succeed in the glitz pageant circuit, I must say that in our house natural won the great debate because I want our pageant days to be about having fun together as mother and daughter and sisters, meeting new people, learning to present ourselves with grace and poise, realizing that "beauty is as beauty does", and that (I know this will sound hokey) we are all special just the way we are.
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