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A Universal Parade of Nations:







As you may know--if you read my last blog post--it's Miss Universe time! The Miss Universe 2012 Pageant is finally upon us and I'm beyond excited. Not just because I'm going to Las Vegas to see it LIVE (Thank goodness it's not in some far away place like Sao Paulo or Bali!) but because I LOVE me some beauty pageants--in general--and yes, because it's time to fill my NICKVERREOS.COM blog up with postings about Pageant Gowns, Pageant Slits, Pageant Stripper Platform Heels...and yes, the old favorite: the National Costumes! I've researched the net up and down and found these photos of some of the Miss Universe 2012 contestants--and what their national costumes are supposed to be...So, without further ado, shall we get started...




























The Guo Pei Haute Couture "Arabian 1002th Night" Spring/Summer 2010 Collection--I talked about how much I LOVED this collection HERE.























































































Or Liki-Liki "Fantasia" white suit (above left) or they go the "Fantasy Native Indian Princess" route (above right). So, it was quite a surprise to see Irene in a what looked like a Christmas Present or a Big Box of Chocolates, as her "National Costume". The ensemble was topped off by a HUGE bow and box headdress. Oh, and her golden dress looked as if it had chocolates sewn into it but once a switch was turned on...them chocolate-looking things...




Lit up like Christmas lights!!! Over the top, fabulous, fun, and how appropriate since we are after all, only weeks away from el Dia de Navidad.







I can't wait to see these on stage or at least in the "Official National Costume Pics" after all the girls have arrived, settled and gotten to their business of "Official Photo taking"...Soon, I'll give you my Top and "Oh Dear" Picks of the National Costumes of Miss Universe 2012. Stay tuned kiddies...

Las Vegas, Here We Go!!







The 61st annual Miss Universe pageant is taking place right NOW in "Sin City"--Las Vegas, Nevada USA. After much speculation of where the international beauty pageant would take place, last month, it was announced that Las Vegas was the place. Rumor has it that many other cities--Miami, Florida and the country of the Dominican Republic were included--but they "pulled out" citing not enough funds. At the last minute, Vegas came to the rescue.




The final telecast will take place at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on December 19, 2012. Just this weekend, 89 contestants from all over the world began to make their way to Las Vegas for the start of all the pre-pageant activities, which included fittings, official photo sessions, rehearsals, Vegas location photo-op's, preliminaries, and so on. Usually, the contestants are in the host city for two weeks if not more prior to the Finals. By the way, I'm very excited because I will be there!! Yes, I bought tickets to the final telecast of "Miss Universe 2012" and my David and I will be there! How could we miss this? It's only an hour away from us by plane!






Last year's Miss Universe, the gorgeous Leila Lopes of Angola was crowned last year in Sao Paulo Brazil (above photo with Miss Universe 2010 Mexico's Ximena Navarette) on September 2011. In case you're doing the math, that's OVER A YEAR ago. I think she has officially been "crowned" as the longest reigning Miss Universe in history. 



So finally...the ladies have been arriving in Vegas!...here are some pics:








































***Next Up: The Miss Universe 20-12 Contestants National Costumes Preview!!! 

 

Illusion or No Illusion?







Illusion vs. No Illusion. That is the Figure Skating Costume Question. First, let's get some "fabric schooling" out of the way for the folks that may not be on the "up-and-up" on fabrics and what illusion is. Illusion is a mesh/netting-like fabrication very popular in figure skating costumes (as well as with Wedding Gowns, Beauty Pageants, competitive Ballroom Dancing...). It can come in stretch (usually the most popular) and non-stretch. The content is usually nylon, elastene, Spandex,
polyester and/or maybe some silk in the finer, more expensive versions. It
is most often used in nude-or skin-like colors. It is great for mimicking
skin when you want coverage but the effect of being bare. Of course, it
also comes in other different colors (black being the next most popular
color).









The reason it's used--especially in the Figure Skating world is threefold: the fact that it can replicate the look of nude skin but still being "covered"; it can re-create certain style elements such as a "Strapless", One Shoulder or "backless" look and still make the wearer able to do strenuous sport activities; and because of certain "Costume Guide-rules" within the various elements of Figure Skating (Ice Dance, Ladies, Pairs) which require only a "certain amount of skin" to be showing.



Speaking of Rules, here they are:



Rule 500 Definition of Skate Blade and Clothing: At ISU
Championships, the Olympic Winter Games and International Competitions,
the clothing of the Competitors must be modest, dignified and
appropriate for athletic competition – not garish or theatrical in
design. Clothing may, however, reflect the character of the music
chosen.

a) The clothing must not give the effect of excessive
nudity for athletic sport. Men must wear trousers; no tights are
permitted. Accessories and props are not permitted. The decoration on
costumes must be non-detachable.

b) Clothing not meeting the
foregoing requirements must be penalized by a deduction of 1.0 point
(see Rule 353, paragraph 1.m) ii)).



Now, recently, especially while doing my "Costume Recaps" of this season's ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating series, I've noticed a lot of "backless" looks from the skaters (the female, of course) as well as lots of illusion.



Here are some Photo Examples:
















Too Dark Illusion--Caroline Zhang of the USA and her Short Program Costume to "The Rushing Wings of Dawn" by Tim Janis. Here's another example of a Ladies Skater and her 2012-2013 Grand Prix Series Costume and the use of illusion. Here I think the coloring was too dark for Caroline's skin tone. But, maybe because there are crystals on it, the effect was NOT to make it look as if she was actually strapless or backless and therefore the too-dark illusion was somewhat intentional. What do you guys think?



Now, one particular skater--a Pairs skater--might be bucking the "illusion" unspoken figure skating costume rule: Tatiana Volosozhar of Russia:




Above is Tatiana in her Short Program to "Love Theme From The Godfather" costume for this season--a halter front and plunging back fishtail-hemmed dress with pearl necklace detail. At first glance, I thought "Wait a minute! Is there no illusion back there?" And then, quickly, I thought, "how in the name of the Costume Gods, is she being held up?"



Let's take a closer look:






From these close-ups, it looks as if there's a very strong nude elastic strap holding the front in place. It does not seem as if there is any of that nude-colored stretch-mesh illusion. I thought this was very unusual. Since, most of these figure skaters use illusion.




In this photo above, you can see that elastic across-the-back strap and possibly...only possibly, a hint of maybe...a line of an illusion fabrication---but...I think it's probably just a tan strap line--a remnant from her last Holiday in Ibiza probably.



Another example of the No Illusion is...




Canada's Tessa Virtue of the Gold Medal-winning Ice Dance team of Virtue and Moir--For their "Carmen" by Rodion Shchedrin Free Dance, she wears a plunging front, open back black costume. The front does have illusion fabrication (and a very good one!), while the back...




...Is Bare! (Mon Dieu) If you look closely at the the upper back left side, there is a nude colored elastic strap (being covered by her ponytail) holding the back up, as it were. But the shocking thing is, that yes, there is NO ILLUSION back there. Could this be the Figure Skating Costume Trend?



Could Figure Skating Costumes go the route of Dancing With The Stars?





Emmy Award-winning Costume Designer Randall Christensen creates these fabulous KRAZEE and Ballroom Dancing Perfect costumes for the ABC hit show "Dancing With The Stars" where miraculously there is little illusion used and lots of open backs, open sides and just about open-everything else, held together by double-stick tape, some heavy elastic straps and a Costume Prayer (And I'm sure there is much more inside those costumes that make them stay where they should!)



So, I put these question up to you guys--the Figure Skating Costume Fans? Illusion or No Illusion? What do you think? Let me know!!