The answers were all over the board, from "never wear white" to "you sound too smart."

Reading the responses made me think about the concept of advice. Whether you are a pageant contestant or not, people love to give advice. Statistics alone suggest that most of the advice we receive isn't really sound. Years ago, I had the pleasure of seeing Jennifer Berry speak at a press conference. She spoke very eloquently and openly about her experience as a contestant. She competed 5 times at the Miss Oklahoma crown before walking away with the crown. And she said that it wasn't until she listened to herself that she felt successful and authentic.

Now, that's not to say that everyone giving you advice is wrong. And certainly, if you've paid someone for their opinion, you can (hopefully) trust them. But remember that there is a lot to be said for knowing yourself and what's best for you – in all things, pageant and otherwise.

What is the best (or worst) advice you've been given?