Cinderella's Big Day
Some of my pageant family refers to me as a “Pageant Almanac” - I am both proud and a little embarrassed to admit my real level of pageant enthusiasm. I grew up in a neighborhood with very few children my age and none of my schoolmates within walking distance. Because of this, lots of summer days were spent trying to find ways to keep myself occupied. When I started to fall in love with pageants around the late 90s, I made it my mission to become an “expert”. I had taped countless pageant telecasts and would actually analyze the winners, the runners-up, the finalists and what they had done to stand out. As my pageant interest continued to grow, this “research” stemmed out to looking up wardrobe designers, gown collections, photographers (ahem, CLAY SPANN) that I could only dream I would someday work with.
I am a packrat – especially since I am still the same size I was in junior high (that’s not an exaggeration). My pageant wardrobe has stood the test of time and I have without a doubt squeezed every dollar out of each purchase made over the years. I have a red mermaid dress I bought on the sale rack in 2003 for $15… yes, one-five… that I wore for talent two separate years, a walk-on gown, my junior prom, borrowed by two separate people, and worn again recently for an appearance. Would I have loved to buy a new dress for every occasion? ABSOLUTELY. However, it just isn’t always possible.
For Miss International I increased my typical budget because I knew it would be my last “go round” and I was in a place financially to handle that responsibility. That said, my budget was still incredibly modest and I did stick to it (thanks to the New York International sponsors and some thorough bargain shopping). For the most part I refuse to even try on anything I know I can’t leave with…
Fast Forward… I am landing in Dothan, Alabama to work with Clay Spann -the very photographer and make-up artist I had dreamt of shooting with over a decade ago - and shop at The Competitive Image where, thanks to their incredibly generous sponsorship, I get to live that Cinderella experience of really being able to dress like that princess I always wanted to – without limiting myself or feeling like I was settling (Thank you, Joey Rutherford!).
Each day I am so humbled that this really is my life and that I truly do have a “team” of people that want me to have all of the tools I could possibly need to look and feel my absolute best. It is a testament that dreams come true with a clear focus, hard work, and living by your own rules. The experience was everything I could have imagined it would be and so much more.
Clay, Joey, and Ms. Terri made me feel like an absolute bombshell! Looking around the studio walls, nerdy me was beyond starstruck to see all the faces of former queens and contestants that I had admired for so long – am I really a Clay Spann girl like all of them?! The looks that Joey and Clay picked and accessorized for me were beyond my wildest imagination. They are the gold standard!
Jesse Ladoue
I am a packrat – especially since I am still the same size I was in junior high (that’s not an exaggeration). My pageant wardrobe has stood the test of time and I have without a doubt squeezed every dollar out of each purchase made over the years. I have a red mermaid dress I bought on the sale rack in 2003 for $15… yes, one-five… that I wore for talent two separate years, a walk-on gown, my junior prom, borrowed by two separate people, and worn again recently for an appearance. Would I have loved to buy a new dress for every occasion? ABSOLUTELY. However, it just isn’t always possible.
For Miss International I increased my typical budget because I knew it would be my last “go round” and I was in a place financially to handle that responsibility. That said, my budget was still incredibly modest and I did stick to it (thanks to the New York International sponsors and some thorough bargain shopping). For the most part I refuse to even try on anything I know I can’t leave with…
Fast Forward… I am landing in Dothan, Alabama to work with Clay Spann -the very photographer and make-up artist I had dreamt of shooting with over a decade ago - and shop at The Competitive Image where, thanks to their incredibly generous sponsorship, I get to live that Cinderella experience of really being able to dress like that princess I always wanted to – without limiting myself or feeling like I was settling (Thank you, Joey Rutherford!).
Each day I am so humbled that this really is my life and that I truly do have a “team” of people that want me to have all of the tools I could possibly need to look and feel my absolute best. It is a testament that dreams come true with a clear focus, hard work, and living by your own rules. The experience was everything I could have imagined it would be and so much more.
Clay, Joey, and Ms. Terri made me feel like an absolute bombshell! Looking around the studio walls, nerdy me was beyond starstruck to see all the faces of former queens and contestants that I had admired for so long – am I really a Clay Spann girl like all of them?! The looks that Joey and Clay picked and accessorized for me were beyond my wildest imagination. They are the gold standard!
Jesse Ladoue
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