Miss America's Outstanding Teen contestants from fifty states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico were pretty in Tony Bowls pink for the first night of preliminary competition Tuesday. Although only one teen will take away the crown Saturday night, and just three contestants were awarded preliminary scholarship awards Tuesday evening, each young lady proved that this week, it's their "time to shine."

MAO contestants and titleholders walk the walk and talk the talk, but walking the walk can be difficult if the shoe doesn’t fit. Take advice from these pageant shoe outfitters and choose a shoe that will leave your toes singing for joy from daytime appearances to on stage.

Have you ever had trouble fastening your crown? Ronda Howdyshell, CrownClips owner and inventor, talks about her innovative, painless way to easily affix your crown to your head.

In the game of pageant life, the fashion emergency card is one every girl will pass on. When you’re dealing with the stress and panic of a fashion emergency it takes some deep breaths, a backup plan, and, if nothing else, the support of your sisterhood to turn things around.

If you want to avoid a fashion crisis you need to be your own advocate. In other words, preparation might be the best lipstick: When worries are far away, smiles are natural and come easier. Taking a few minutes to pack a traveling tool kit is not only smart, but also beautiful in that no emergency will take away your shine.  

Make room in your kit for blotting paper for oil and to keep your face fresh, hairspray, static spray, a sewing kit, extra earring backs, and a lint brush. Even items such as clear nail polish, eyelash glue, deodorant, safety pins, hook and eye clasps, and bobby pins could be lifesavers. Pack Band-Aids to ward off blisters from shoes, napkins for coffees spills, and a stain-removing pen for accidents. 

You’d be surprised at the multiple uses of baby powder for your beauty needs. Baby powder could help set makeup (so numerous touch-ups are no longer needed) and may be used in a pinch as a substitute for dry shampoo, if you notice greasy hair or product build-up. Dusting baby powder on lashes has been known to give a more full and fluffy look. Another product that does double duty is Visine. If you have red eyes, Visine could be used—and it helps reduce the redness of blemishes, as well. 

Double-sided tape may be the invention of the century. It could stop clothing gaps and keep a swimsuit from riding up. It could shorten tourser or skirt hems for interviews, or could tidy up loose or too-long hems. “Sticky boobs” and “sticky butt” products could help with keeping things in place, with a smoothing effect.  

Think about bringing duplicates, so any catastrophe has a built-in backup ensemble. An extra set of shoes, another gown and swimsuit, and jewelry that could be mixed and matched could mean the difference between making do and making things right. There are solutions to every mishap, but you must have tools at the ready. Being resourceful is all part of the bigger picture. Try a pencil eraser when you need an extra earring back. Wearing black and notice deodorant stains? Rubbing nylons over the spot has been known to alleviate the problem. And if you think you’re packing too much, Baylee Bernstein, a loyal Facebook friend, would probably disagree. “If you don’t use your backups for a recent pageant, don’t worry, because they will always come in handy for your next one!”

Dress disasters top the list of fashion crises. Stories of dresses that won’t zip up are as many as sequins on a gown. Dresses have been duct taped, pinned, and maybe even stapled together. When it comes down to it, preparation and planning pave the way for a stress-free state of mind. The most important thing? Rremain calm.

Written by: Missy Black