Award winning Beauty queens and this years Miss England semi finalists join the debate !
ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT LIGHTHOUSE FASHION STUDIOS
Following a post on the @missenglandofficial Instagram asking followers and current contestants to decide whether or not the swimwear round should be brought back in 2023 , some of the contestants have had their say!
Milly won the Beach Beauty round TWICE since 2018
Milly Everatt, a farmer and HGV driver from Lincolnshire has won the Beach Beauty swimwear round in Miss England TWICE in the last five years. Milly said “I’ve always been very aware the round is completely optional which is great for those who wouldn’t want to get involved with that round, but for myself I’ve always felt more body confident and would hate to see the round go. I think it’s fun and celebrates body positivity. This time around I genuinely feel I won down to the confidence I had shooting with photographer Michael, because he’s good at what he does and I felt comfortable working with him which was reflected in the photos from the beach beauty shoot. The beauty of this round is that it’s a choice, to participate or not, it’s also a fast track to the top 12 so contestants may feel they should do it but it’s just one of ten rounds so it would never be detrimental to their Miss England campaign anyway”
Miss England Sportswoman 2022 winner Leah Carter Welch
Leah Carter Welch a PE teacher & winner of the Miss England Sports round said ” I think it’s great to be empowering women to feel confident in their own skin! I’m a PE teacher and a big advocate for helping to build my student’s body confidence, so to be able to partake in something like this, when women think negatively about our bodies is good. It shows that we all come in different shapes and sizes which is a wonderful message “
Anjali Sinha – Scientist – Miss London 22
Anjali Sinha a scientist and reigning Miss London said ” I think the swimwear round is a wonderful platform for women to embrace their physical bodies. It empowers women to be confident in their own skin, especially as there is immense competition and comparisons on social media regarding body imagery. However, I understand that in pageantry it’s a lot more about our beauty from within. Hence some may think there isn’t a need for a swimwear round. In the evolving world of pageantry, it’s better to idolise women truly for what they stand for. Women stand for revolutionary change and we should focus more on what they want to achieve for the betterment of our world”
Emily Cossey, Miss England 22 2nd runner up “This round made me feel so empowered!”
Emily Cossey – Chemical Engineer
Hannah Jowle from Blackpool is not in favour of the Miss England Beach Beauty contest
Not all of the latest contestants agree. Current Miss England 2023 semi finalist Hannah Jowle from Blackpool commented against the decision on instagram saying that ” I believe deeply confident women wont feel the need to show off their bodies” with others saying they think its unnecessary !
Director of Miss England Angie Beasley said ” I understand both sides, for and against . This round has been debatable since I started to run Miss England in 2002 when I first replaced the swimwear for sportswear on stage. The contest is more focused on Beauty with a Purpose and promoting good causes these days. Our current winner Jessica Gagen is promoting women in STEM careers as her project. Jessica is very much in the middle with this debate and believes its up to the contestants to choose, even though she reached the shortlist of the 2022 Beach Beauty round.
Being a contestant myself in the 80s, I know how the girls feel in swimwear but it was a swimwear parade and there was no choice.
Miss England contestants have a choice to enter the Beach Beauty Round it’s held as a photoshoot. It offers one fast track place to the shortlist.
Some contestants work very hard to keep their figures fit and healthy and love competing in the swimwear round. But the winner hardly appears in swimwear these days unless she goes to a special destination. This year Miss England was invited to visit Cinnamon Velifushi in the Maldives!
The Miss World contest hasn’t had a swimwear round for many years now so that’s why we are debating if it’s needed in the Miss England contest at all these days. The focus really is on Beauty with a Purpose.”
The debate continues & organisers will decide whether to bring back the round to the Miss England final by the end of June. You can join the debate by commenting on the Miss England Instagram account
Results of the debate will be published early July on the @missenglandofficial Instagram account..
MEET THE 2023 MISS ENGLAND SEMI FINALIST SO FAR
HERE ARE SOME OF PRESS ARTICLES SO FAR COVERING THIS DEBATE
DAILY MAIL Miss England Bringing the swimwear back
METRO Bringing the swimwear parade back
