SASHES AND TIARAS.....Miss USA 2019 Finals: EVENING GOWNS TOP TEN!

Best In Gown?--Miss USA 2019 Top Ten Finalists in Evening Gown (L to R) Miss District of Columbia USA Cordelia Cranshaw, Miss North Carolina USA Cheslie Kryst, Miss New Mexico USA Alejandra Gonzalez, Miss Ohio USA Alice Magoto--Miss USA 2019 Finals. Reno Nevada

This past week was the 68th Miss USA pageant, held in Reno Nevada. Fifty-one contestants vied for the top coveted crown in U.S. beauty pageants, with the winner being 28 year-old Cheslie Kryst Miss North Carolina USA 2019. Kryst hails from Charlotte North Carolina and besides being in beauty pageants, she is a practicing attorney.

Waving Beauty--Miss USA 2019--Cheslie Kryst Miss North Carolina USA 2019--waves at the audience after winning the Miss USA 2019 crown--Miss USA 2019 Finals, Reno Nevada

Miss North Carolina USA Cheslie Kryst, in her Introduction Look and Swimsuit--Miss USA 2019 Finals--Miss USA 2019 Finals, Reno Nevada

She is the 3rd "Miss North Carolina" to win the Miss USA crown. 2019 is the first year in history to have THREE African American women win the top U.S. beauty pageants--Miss America, Miss Teen USA and now, Miss USA.

Top Two--(L to R) Miss North Carolina USA Cheslie Kryst and Miss New Mexico USA Alejandra Gonzalez--Miss USA 2019 Finals, Reno Nevada

Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst "Miss North Carolina USA"--Miss USA 2019 Finals, Reno Nevada

And now...THE GOWNS!!! 

Naturally, in my "Sashes & Tiaras" BLOG,  I love to discuss the Beauty Pageant Evening Gowns. This year, every contestant in the Top Ten Evening Gown Competition wore designs from the pageant's sponsor, Sherri Hill. So it's time to go through my TOP 10...of the TOP TEN Miss USA 2019 Finalists' Gowns...beginning with my TOP No. 1 Choice:

1. Miss Ohio USA Alice Magoto--If I had to pick a favorite gown of the Top Ten, this one worn by Alice Magoto, Miss Ohio USA, would be it. Magoto's shimmering ivory gown featured a sequined covered column dress with a plunging v-neckline, sequined lace applique top section and chiffon "Elizabethan" sleeves. It was a definite gown statement and looked impressive, elegant and quite regal on stage. She looked like the Princess or Queen of a country--or First Lady at a State Dinner Gala. I also loved her swept-back hair and the drop earrings...as well as the fact that I could NOT see the shoes (she hid those awful nude platform pumps from me! Thank You).
Score: 9.45

2. Miss Maryland USA Mariela Pepin--Mariela wore my second choice for "Best in Gown" in this canary yellow column dress. The design featured sheer-like panels of netting and silver criss-cross sequined trim. The dress fit well and was tasteful (long sleeves and not-too-plunging neckline) and elegant but yet had that just-right stage impact (with the color). The shoes were a BIG MISS but I just pretended as if they weren't there (except when I am forced to see them in the photo above).
Score: 9.25

3. Miss Oklahoma USA Triana Browne--The "Nude Gown" is still running strong in pageants Ladies and Gentlemen! Here we have a nice example of that popular "Nude Gown" in this shimmering design worn by Miss Oklahoma USA. The dress featured beautiful beading detail throughout in slightly swirl-like vertical shapes which elongated her figure. The entire look was very "Cher"/Bob Mackie-like which I loved. I also appreciated the perfect length. If there was any critique, she needed more "support" up there to hold up the "sistahs".
Score: 9.20

4. Miss Kansas USA Alyssa Kilnzing--The only black gown in the Top Ten made a nice impact with me and in my list here. Alyssa wore a column-shaped black velvet halter-style dress featuring beaded trim at the neck, midriff and edges of the slit. Naturally--since IT IS A PAGEANT GOWN--there was a super high slit which has now become so cliche and frankly boring and predictable...but on a good note, it showed off those great shoes that matched the gown perfectly!
Score: 9.10

5. Miss North Carolina Cheslie Kryst--The eventual winner of the pageant--Miss North Carolina USA--wore this white one shoulder gown for the Miss USA 2019 Finals Evening Gown Competition which made it into MY Top Five. The design featured a simple/classic Princess Seam column shape and nicely draped crystal trim hanging off her arm. Oh and yes, it also had a super-high side front slit. Cheslie displayed the gown well onstage and made it impacting. I also BOW DOWN to her for styling it well with those silver strappy heels--and not those tacky nude platform pumps. Bravo.
Score: 9.00

6. Miss New Mexico USA Alejandra Gonzalez--Alejandra caused a big sensation during the Miss USA 2019 Finals for her beauty and stage-impact, especially when she wore this super bright highlighter yellow silk-and-sequins gown. The dress featured a crystal covered bodice with a bejeweled cross-body accent, and a full satin taffeta gown skirt. The skirt was side draped in a way to expose her leg on the side as shown in above photo. While I appreciated the color, the overall style/shape and look was a bit too "Barbie/Pageant Betty" for me (the crystals...THE TAFFETA!); it just didn't look High Fashion enough...it was more "Sweet Sixteen", less Fabulous Miss USA.
Score: 8.85

7. Miss District of Columbia USA Cordelia Cranshaw--Cordelia was one of the prettiest constants in the pageant and she walked really well. She wore this scarlet red colored gown featuring sequined lace and draped satin. The gown fit beautifully and the color was great for her and I liked the DRAMA of it. I just had a problem with the actual style; it was a little too 90's and Pageant Typical. It didn't take me to a "New Gown Place". And those shoes: Insert sad emoji!
Score: 8.60

8. Miss Florida USA Nicolette Jennings--Nicolette oozes sexiness and is sooooo gorgeous. It almost seemed redundant for her to be wearing such a super sexy gown on top of it all. But oh well, why not?! I gave her points for presentation (which I think is all that counts officially within the "Evening Gown Competition" rules for the judges) and I liked the bead work and "Grecian Goddess"-like chiffon fullness, but overall the dress itself was too Vegas Showgirl. I know that Sherri Hill has been doing these dresses for a while and many a pageant queen has worn it, but...I just think it's two minutes away from Tackylicious: It's a gown...nope, it's a sequined bodysuit...nope...it's a Gown WITH a sequined bodysuit. Somehow when Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad did it many, many, many Haute Couture seasons ago, it was a novelty. Now, not so mucheey.
Score: 8.50

9. Miss Arkansas USA Savannah Skidmore--In my 9th spot is this red gown worn by Miss Arkansas USA. The dress had a sweetheart neckline and was covered in sequined applique. Overall it is a nice gown. But that's it. Nothing extraordinary, no real design detail...just Pageant Basic. At least she nailed the "Safe" checkbox, but seriously, any pageant queen could have worn this in 1990. And that's not a good thing. At least in my eyes.

Score: 8.35

Finally...

10. Miss Nevada USA Tianna Tuamoheloa--Oh, here we go again: Another "It's a Gown...Nope, it's a Bodysuit". I almost just wanted her to remove the big clunky taffeta ball-skirt and just walk out in the one shoulder sequined leotard! While it did show off her perfectly toned figured (Wow!), it just lacked taste. And the clunky nude platform heels reminded me of late-night dancers at a Reno Nevada Casino.
Score: 8.00

CONGRATULATIONS Cheslie Kryst for winning Miss USA 2019!!! And Good Luck at Miss Universe later this year!