HOUSTON — Critics of beauty pageants have been harsh when it comes to beauty pageants this year.
In the era of the “Me Too” movement some have questioned their relevancy. The Miss America organization decided to scrap the swimsuit competition this year.
But at the Miss Texas USA pageant held in Houston this weekend — contestants are proudly strutting down the runway showing what they’ve got.
The competition is fierce and takes months, sometimes years, of preparation.
The sequined dresses hanging on the clothing racks in a side room cost a small fortune each.
It is a pricey hobby and the women take it seriously.
“Things are a lot different,” said former Miss Texas USA 2007 Magen Cherry. “Donald Trump still owned Miss USA back then."
The Miss Texas crown can often mean the key to opportunity.
It gives the title holder the chance to represent the state of Texas, if only for a year.
It’s a dream that still rings true in 2018 for even the smallest future beauty queens.