Will Wearing A One-Piece Swimsuit Hurt Your Pageant Score?

This is a gorgeous and well structured one-piece swimsuit!

A couple years ago I had the pleasure of competing at Miss United States 2013. Thanks to the alphabet I was constantly next to Lauren Hickey, Miss Hawaii 2013. She was the first person I saw ROCK a one piece swimsuit at a national competition and forever changed my opinion of them. Her strapless teal one-piece suit with side cut outs was perfect on her body and got her into the top 10 that year.

Can You Wear A One Piece?

So will a one piece swimsuit help or hurt you in your next pageant? Both! Neither! It depends on the girl. During the swimsuit competition judges are looking at the whole package so it all comes down to your confidence and showing the judges your personality. If you are more comfortable in a one piece suit due to body issues or moral concerns you will look much more confident and happy on stage. Although a two piece bikini is the norm, it doesn't mean it's your only option.

What the Experts Say

I had the chance to ask Laura Clark, Miss United States State Director, her opinion on the issue. "There are many reasons contestants might choose a one piece such as religion, and I think judges need to be respectful of that. One of my favorite swimwear choices in recent years was 2013 Miss Hawaii United States Lauren Hickey - she chose a teal strapless suit with cutouts on the side. It was adorable and very memorable, and it worked for her. She was Top 10 Miss United States. I do advise contestants to always choose the two piece if they look great in it and have no other concerns." I could not agree with Laura more. Miss United States state titleholder, Gilda Esperanza, Miss Guam United States 2014, stated “Pageants are a wonderful avenue for self-expression and one piece swimsuits are an upcoming trend that is here to stay.”

There is definitely a change in swimsuits across all competitions. We are starting to see more interesting designs like bikinis with abdomen straps and small amounts of bling. Girls are finding more new ways to stand out in front of the judges and express their personalities. When comparing three major pageant systems it appears that Miss USA and Miss United States are leading the charge towards fun and interesting swimsuits. However, Miss America seems to be staying close to tradition. That is not to say that you can't do well in MAO with a one-piece suit, but they are less common.

Based On Age Divisions

If we break this down by age division we can see similar disparities. The best divisions to wear a one piece suit in and still score high are Teen and Ms. Judges definitely respect a girl's decision to be conservative with her suit when she is in the teen division. I personally think a lot of parents appreciate this also. I have also seen many Ms. contestants choose a one-piece suit and do quite well. There are many mature one piece suits that enable older contestants to look classy and distinguished without looking like they are trying to be 21 forever (pun intended).

Finally, the Miss division appears to have the least number of contestants wearing one piece suits. In order to pull off a one piece in the Miss division the contestant must bring great personality and stage presence to the package. The suit must be interesting and stand out. Cut outs, stapless, blinged out, bright colors and other unique qualities are a great options. If you look like you are hiding your belly the judges will notice. You must still present a firm body with clear effort being made in health department.

At the end of the day the only thing that matters is how you look and feel on stage! The judges just want to see you shine and stand out amongst the rest of the girls on stage.