Just recently the candidates to the Miss Philippines-Earth
2012 competed in the long gown competition where it was held at the A and A
Hotel at Puerto Princesa, Palawan. The girls paraded in long gowns. Unlike in
the National Costume Competition where I talked of diversity and creativity,
the girls donned on gowns which seemed to be uninspired. It was then expected
that the winners won over the rest as they seem to be the ones that really
showed mattered over the others. I think the selection of the second runner-up
in the person of Miss Puerto Princesa is a token as it happened in Puerto
Princesa soil. Let me therefore divide this review into the following:
THE WELL-DRESSED:
Miss
Indang is another beautiful girl who wore read. Her dress
is a spaghetti strap gown with elongated cords in the bodice which on close-up
is see-through. It is accentuated with silvery rosettes and ornately designed.
It is straight cut gown in the skirt area but with a tail to boot to make it
more feminine in appearance and movement. On the other hand, eventual winner of
the long gown competition Miss Quezon
City also wore a red deep V-shaped plunging gown. The bodice was pleated
and to accentuate the gown there is a brooch at the midline. The skirt area was
draped and pleated also to add effect. She moved with style and grace. However,
I did not like the styling and make-up of Miss Quezon City. Her hair should
have done much better. Her make-up should have been much better contoured and
the very bright red lipstick is a turn-off.
I grouped Miss Batuan
and Pasay City as one group because they were the ones with no common color
together. Miss Batuan was in an
off-white color , something mocha to me. And it was modified sweetheart sleeve
on one side. It was a flowing gown with no embellishment whatsoever except the
design. The gown was intended for a girl who will wear it and not the gown
wearing the girl. My verdict? Miss
Batuan wore the gown. Now let us look at Miss
Pasay City’s gown rendition. It was green in motif and a straight A-cut
gown. The hightlight is at the right bosom area where an intricate beadwork of
varying shades of green started from the right bust area to the midline.
There were two girls in
blazing canary yellow color gowns. Miss
Cabugao was in a two-piece gown connected by an 8-shaped material that is
adorned with blue beads. The gown seemed appropriate for her as she glided and
mesmerized the viewers. On the other hand, Miss
San Francisco was also resplendent in bustier gown with a brooch to
highlight the waist area. It is a cocktail dress so to speak but it became a
gown when layers of chiffon were draped to form the skirt area. The chiffon
layering made it softer and dainty to look and thus movement is flowing in her
case.
Three girls paraded in
gowns with shades of blue. Miss Calbayog
City paraded in a Grecian gown and glided onstage with ease. The gown is a
simple draping type with a long-sleeve on the right side. She was simply
awesome. Miss Ibaan was also in a
Venus cut-blue ensemble with the skirt having a slit on the right side that
allows fluidity of movements. The bodice was adorned with beads for added
effect. She was also resplendent in that gown. On the other hand, Miss Pagadian City was in another hue
of blue. It was a gown with a seemingly fish tail cut. It was adorned with
silvery powdered beads. She won first runner-up honors during the competition
and I could say nothing less.
THEY SHOULD HAVE USED
OTHER GOWNS:
In this heading, I
found a copy of the gown used by Zuleyka Rivera in 2006 where she won Miss
Universe in Miss Calaca’s gown. The
gown however was a poor copy and poor craftsmanship. I have no quarrel of
others doing copies of other gowns. But the resulting gown should have shown
more creativity and of better craftsmanship so that when compared with the
original, the copy would not be thrown into oblivion. On the other hand, Miss
Manaoag’s gown is ill-fitting in the bodice and I find her not shining through
with the gown. I believe what is wrong is her styling. She is a fashion forward
lady and channeling it through a 1980’s look is not fit for this girl. The
white color is a no-no for her.
Negros
Oriental made a lot of fans when they heard her speak during
a TV program at Channel ANC. But to use an ill-fitting gown that had poor
design and craftsmanship plus the poor styling on her, I am quite aghast with
her prospects to win the contest. Miss
San Juan City is another formidable candidate that made me wonder why she
chose the gown for the competition. This girl had been in a lot of pageants and
she should know what makes her stand out. But nay, she did not and I am
frustrated with this stance. The gown is so simple and her styling can never be
called styling at all. I even did not recognize her.
The design cut of Miss Marilao’s gown was beautiful
including the make. But what are those black things there that accentuate the
bodice. They are bulbous and they are not beautiful at all. It distracts the
personification the candidate is trying to impart. On the other hand, Miss Tabuk
City’s gown was also over-adorned. It is too cluttered and I am
really wondering why these two candidates, San Juan City and Tabuk City put their guards down when the pageant is
already going into the homestretch. Do they think Quezon City’s representative
is no competition at all when she had already taken the lead at the score
board?
THE
WORST DRESSED:
It is a choice between Miss Ifugao and Miss Libmaman. Their handlers were not even creative enough to
search for better gowns to use. The gowns were simply outdated. For Miss
Libmaman, there is an attempt to be fashion forward but what with the color?
Both girls were also styled 80’s and therefore archaic to my taste. I just hope
that when handlers send their candidates for participation in these pageants,
they should have conceptualized their best presentations so as to create more
interest among pageant fans and reviewers like me.
Photo Credits: Miss Philippines-Earth.com
