# The Miss Universe "national costumes" are awesome! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 10, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857 "2011-09-10T21:48:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/61 "2011-09-12T10:37:36Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Jenaroph: > > I assumed it was some sort of “robotic” theme, as the word robot was coined by a Czech playwright. Soviet era military costume, remember the border guards? Khaki uniforms, white leather sam brown belts? Cant find white sam brownes, here is[black](http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/xx254/piicalaicum/rtaofficersuniform.jpg) =) ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/62 "2011-09-12T12:01:33Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > mrAru and I thought Miss GB was wearing a traveler’s wedding dress …and we would not be surprised it if turned up at the cheezburger wedding site in a traveler wedding soon. That’s the best explanation for the dress. What is Switzerland? What does the feather symbolize in Romania? Is it to have at least one, just like half of the Caribbean/tropical countries? Is Slovenia the iron curtain? ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/63 "2011-09-12T12:22:11Z")
Well, the dress itself has Canadian West Coast Native designs on it, so it sort of works. I don’t get that she’s wearing a Sioux war bonnet, though. Not at all. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/64 "2011-09-12T12:44:10Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > What does the feather symbolize in Romania? It’s from prince [Vlad Tepes](http://www.spinerphotospot.com/Education/picture-of-vlad-tepes.html)’ coronet. Goes with the cape, the bat and the bloodstains on her nightie. Shout-out to the sex appeal of old-school non-sparkly vampires. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/65 "2011-09-12T14:15:44Z")
I didn’t realize that El Salvador was located on a plantation in Atlanta, Georgia in 1775. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/66 "2011-09-12T14:16:44Z")
The American South did not have a monopoly on plantations nor plantation life. It was a common feature of colonialism. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/67 "2011-09-12T14:46:01Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > The American South did not have a monopoly on plantations nor plantation life. It was a common feature of colonialism. And they all wore that exact same dress? My point was that the outfit was very much something you would get in a plastic bag at Party City labeled “southern belle” and did not seem to indicate anything about El Salvador in particular. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/68 "2011-09-12T14:55:10Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > And they all wore that exact same dress? The 19th century world was globalized, perhaps more than we are today. Wealthy plantation owners were a global market whose demands were met by global trade in goods and information about goods and fashion. In El Salvador perhaps that era of fashion has taken on a national meaning; whereas, it hasn’t over here. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/69 "2011-09-12T15:00:49Z")
> [@Lissla\_Lissar](#): > > Well, the dress itself has Canadian West Coast Native designs on it, so it sort of works. I don’t get that she’s wearing a Sioux war bonnet, though. Not at all. Yeah, that totally didn’t work. As a non-native, I am embarrassed. As a native. I would be appalled. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/70 "2011-09-12T15:20:06Z")
> [@pbbth](#): > > And they all wore that exact same dress? My point was that the outfit was very much something you would get in a plastic bag at Party City labeled “southern belle” and did not seem to indicate anything about El Salvador in particular. It’s a generic dress to harken back to Spanish colonial times, which is shared by most of Latin America. And yea, the dresses of the era are similar. The colors of the dress, though, are based on the Salvadorean flag. I gues that is what is particular about it. And hey, it’s at least calling to a point in their history, while I don’t remember Honduras being blessed with almost naked featherless birds, going by their model. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/71 "2011-09-12T16:02:08Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > mrAru and I thought Miss GB was wearing a traveler’s wedding dress …and we would not be surprised it if turned up at the cheezburger wedding site in a traveler wedding soon. Excellent point and one that I had not considered. The look of fear on Miss Great Britain’s face, though, isn’t one I remember seeing in the pictures of traveler weddings I’m come across. ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/72 "2011-09-12T18:49:31Z")
This page seems to be showing all the cosumtes on one page (but you have to click on each photo to see it “real size”) [http://www.zap2it.com/news/pictures/zap-miss-universe-2011-national-costumes-pictures,0,6596346,showall.photogallery](http://www.zap2it.com/news/pictures/zap-miss-universe-2011-national-costumes-pictures,0,6596346,showall.photogallery) ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/73 "2011-09-12T19:01:44Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > I still don’t get Canada. Are American Indians a big deal in Canada? I know I don’t think of them. If I’m thinking native, I’m thinking further north and colder climates. I think what you really mean are Native Americans, and yes there are many many in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/74 "2011-09-12T19:20:35Z")
Something just seems off about the Singapore outfit. Her position plays with the eyes. It looks like her head’s screwed on backwards or something. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/75 "2011-09-12T19:31:00Z")
For the most part there’s only one word I can think of, Va Va Voom! 😃😃 ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/76 "2011-09-12T19:53:05Z")
I watched a few beauty pageants with my mom when I was a kid. I know I watched at least one Miss Universe, because I remember wondering if it was okay to think Miss Germany (a redhead) was beautiful. I asked my mom once what happened to all the girls that _didn’t_ get picked, as they winnowed them down to semi-finalists, then finalists. She said, “They go backstage and they cry.” :eek: She may have been pulling my leg, or maybe she was absolutely sincere, but that kind of took away the fun for me. Suddenly it was sad: these gorgeous girls just aren’t gorgeous _enough_. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/77 "2011-09-12T20:02:15Z")
Well, yeah, but what’s even less fun is watching the Miss Universe Pagent on “everybody gets a trophy” day. Those awards ceremonies take forever! ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/78 "2011-09-13T00:33:37Z")
> [@Maiira](#): > > A lot of the former Soviet Union countries appear to be a bit lacking in this department (though Poland’s was quite pretty). The South Americans, on the other hand, are very, very good at this. Poland’s was a beautiful example of Polish embroidery although I guess that doesn’t pop out like a full on Quetzalcoatl outfit (I know you did praise Poland’s, just saying). Of course, Latin America has all the colorful deities. Who wants to see Miss [Slavic] dressed as Baba Yaga or Marzanna? ---
**Author:** ![Ostrya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/35a633/32.png) [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/79 "2011-09-13T00:41:16Z")
I am not usually into an fashion type of stuff, but Zsofia’s right, most of these are the awesome. Or at least interesting. Any that sucked, esp sprinkled in with the others, made me stop and say “what were they thinking?” or “wow, imagine being forced to wear that costume amongst the others, that woman will be dealing with the feelings of inadequacy for the rest of her life”. 🙂 True, some of the costumes were definitely gaudy; but many were either outright funny - or outright fun - festive, and party oriented. And what occasion could be more suitable for a little extra showy than a top beauty pageant? (and I esp liked the idea of the deeelicious Miss Colombia not wearing any underwear underneath her [flamboyant](http://www.zap2it.com/news/pictures/zap-miss-universe-2011-national-costumes-pictures,0,6642490.photogallery?index=16) costume. ;)) ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857/80 "2011-09-13T03:07:55Z")
> [@Lukeinva](#): > > I think what you really mean are Native Americans, and yes there are many many in Canada. Well, 3.8% of the population. But for some reason when it comes to displaying Canada’s national identity to the world, it is front and centre. I’m tired of it. It happened in the ceremonies to the Vancouver Olympics too. The dress was a wigwam, topped by a totem pole, capped by the test pattern Indian. Just awful. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-miss-universe-national-costumes-are-awesome/595857.md?page=5)