miss usa or prom queen?

miss usa 2009 aired on nbc sunday night and if i were a judge, i would have crowned "my name is earl's" nadine velazquez. yes i know, she wasn't part of the competition, but as the co-host of the event, she blew away the contestants in the evening gown portion! her pearly mauve-colored strapless gown was stunning, and with its silver and gold embellishments isolated at the waist made her stand out among a sea of tacky and over-glittered dresses - a few of which belonged at a 1995 high school prom.


now i know this should come as no surprise as beauty pagents have never been known for their innate fashion sense, but nadine's gorgeous gown (shown above left) seemed to make the others more unbearable than usual.

two dresses i didn't mind so much actually belonged to the crowned winner, miss north carolina kristin dalton, and first-runner up, miss california carrie frejean, both shown below, so i guess the judges agree with me.

miss north carolina's color choice went well with her complexion and bright blonde hair, and she chose a simple, yet flowing design rather than something super sparkly that could have clashed with the color. miss california wore a design that was glitzier with its sequins, but the mermaid-shaped bottom lined in feathers was a daring choice i commend. it flattered her shape (mainly two things up top i suppose!) and in white it did not come across as overdone...if it was hot pink or neon yellow like miss utah's, that would be another story.

though the crowned miss usa does win quite a few amazing prizes in addition to her title, she unfortunatley wins a custom evening wear wardrobe by carlos alberto haute couture, the official designer of the evening gown portion of the competition, and a shoe wardrobe by nina footwear. as arguably the hottest woman in the u.s., shouldn't she be entitled to a year's worth of reem acra and jimmy choo instead of prom-like wear and bridesmaid shoes?!