Hi queens! In this blog post we are going to be going over some unspoken rules of pageant etiquette, specifically for your crown and sash and the appropriate moments and events to wear them. This will be broken down into two segments for current titleholders and former titleholders. Although these etiquette rules are not set in stone and they are not the law, I wanted to create this to expand your perspective and create empathy for the titleholders that come after you, while also giving you ideas to still promote yourself as a former titleholder.
For current titleholders
When you are a current titleholder and you are attending another pageant where other girls will get crowned, for example you are attending another local or state pageant within or outside of the system that you compete in, in my opinion it is extremely rude for you to show up in your crown. I recommend that you only show up in your sash, because when another girl is getting crowned for the first time ever you want to give her the space to relish in that moment and be the only queen in the room. You can bring along your crown box and you can get photos in crown and sash afterwards, but leading up to and during the crowning moment you should let the winner have her moment.
When you are the current titleholder giving up your crown, I think the most appropriate time for you to be in crown and sash at the pageant is doing your farewell. I personally do not like to see crowning photos of the former titleholder in a crown, crowning the current girl. If you were an impactful titleholder and if you are assisting with production, then people will know who you are and you will be introduced as the current titleholder throughout the show. You do not need to be in crown and sash for the entire show, you’ve had a whole year to do it. This again goes back to respecting the moments of others, and knowing when it’s time to bow out gracefully. You do not want to make things difficult or awkward for your successor by appearing that you don’t know when to let go.
When you are the current titleholder making an appearance, wear your crown and sash girl! Now use your discernment, of course. If your appearance is a service-based one where you are getting down and dirty, the crown may be hindering or distracting. If the appearance is social, then the crown and sash are the perfect combination.
Former titleholders
I see the most etiquette mistakes being made with former titleholders, so let’s go over them. After you pass the crown on to your successor there is absolutely no reason at all for you to appear in public in crown and sash for a title that your year has ended on. Not only does it look like you don’t know when to bow out gracefully, but it is completely disrespectful to the current titleholder. Although we have our reigning year on our sash the general public does not pay attention to that. If you show up in crown and sash to an appearance, the public automatically thinks that you are the current title holder. You can bring your crown and sash to put on display, let’s say if you are giving a masterclass, a lecture, or are a guest speaker, but you should not be wearing it on appearances. Instead, when you are a current and former titleholder you should always submit a bio for the appearances that you make. As you give up titles you can include them in your bio and when you are introduced at various events people will know who you are, and you can still respect your successors.
I hope this blog post expanded your perspective on crown and sash etiquette and respecting the reign of other pageant girls! If you would like to watch the corresponding YouTube video to this blog post click the link below!
