Hi queens! In this blog post we are going to be discussing the pros and cons of appointed titles. When I first started competing in pageants, appointed titles were very taboo. As a pageant contestant you were viewed as more honorable, more hard-working, and more genuine if you competed for your titles on every level versus “buying your way in”, regardless if it led to you competing at the next level and proving yourself. Since 2020 however, appointed titles are becoming more popular and socially acceptable in the pageant world due to the convenience and time saving factors that they offer. So what is an appointed title? Appointed titles are interchangeable with at-large titles, so if you hear either just know that they are one in the same. Some pageant organizations offer appointed titles to contestants in areas that don’t have live pageants. The number of titles available may vary by area and are typically awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Because appointed titles are reserved for areas that don’t have live pageants, they typically come at a higher cost because there is no state prize package associated.
Let’s use the Miss Earth USA organization as an example (I love this system by the way). The Miss Earth USA organization has state pageants and they also offer appointed titles. Let’s say that you live in Mississippi, but there is not a state pageant for Mississippi. In order to compete at the national pageant for Miss Earth USA, you must have a state or regional title. How this would work is that you would pay the proper entry fees for the state title of Miss Mississippi Earth USA or a similar regional title, like Miss Mississippi Delta Earth USA, or Miss Southern States Earth USA, or Miss Southeast Earth USA, etc. From there you would receive your crown, sash, and official paperwork in the mail and be on your way to preparing for the national pageant. It is a pretty smooth transaction. This brings us to our rounds of pros and cons…
Experience & Confidence
If you are an experienced pageant girl, going for appointed titles can be a very beneficial pro in saving you time. Instead of climbing the ranks through local and state titles and the preparation that takes, you can just buy your state title and solely focus on preparing for Nationals and beyond. Now that I compete as a Mrs. with 15 years of pageant experience and have the confidence to reflect it, I don’t mind taking appointed titles because I know that I can manage it and not be overwhelmed. When I first started as a Miss I was very against appointed titles because that meant less hands-on experience for me to learn and grow. I enjoyed taking every opportunity on the local level to compete, observe, and apply feedback and assess my progress. This abundance of hands-on experience is not offered with appointed titles. Which brings us to the con…
If you are not an experienced pageant girl (I define experienced as 3+ years) I do not recommend going for appointed titles outright, no matter your age. What I do recommend is competing in as many local pageants as possible and going to watch as many pageants as possible before or while you hold your appointed title and prepare for nationals. The national pageant should not be your first time on a stage, so if you’re going to accept an appointed title, get as much realistic and live practice in as possible. I promise you that it will add to your experience, increase your confidence, and decrease the overwhelm.
Risk tolerance, Resources, & Independence
Another pro of at-large titles is that they give you the freedom to prepare how you want and with whom you want for the national pageant. No state pageant means no public crowning moment, no state board, no state sponsors, no state level obligations. If you want to seek out sponsors of your choice you can. If you already have your pageant village and you know the coaches and experts that you want to train with you can continue to work with them.
However, if you desire support on your journey to the national pageant that you don’t have to put in place yourself then this could be a con for you. Are you okay with just getting a crown and sash in the mail because you are working super hard for that national crowning moment or do you want a crowning moment on the state and national level? Do you have the financial ability to fundraise and seek out your own sponsors or come out of pocket, or are you dependent on the relationships between state pageants and businesses that make up prize packages? Your answers to these questions will help you determine if appointed titles are right for you.
As someone who has held both “won” and “appointed” titles, I think appointed titles are a good fit for pageant contestants who have the experience, confidence, and resources to manage the independence that comes with them. I do not think that they are a good fit for pageant contestants who are new to the pageant world or simply like for their support to be established from the beginning to the end of their journey, and value the security of state boards, prize packages, and sponsors. I hope this blog post helps you to make the best decision for you!
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