Pageant Gown vs. Prom Dress

Hey nice girls!

I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am that today is Friday! It’s been a busy week for me on campus and with my arena football cheerleading team. I’m definitely ready to settle in and relax this weekend. I hope this blog helps you do the same thing. Now sit back, put your feet up and start dreaming about your next pageant.

I have been looking forward to writing this blog, because I think this is an important topic for all of you pageant girls out there. A question many pageant girls have is can I wear my prom dress to my pageant?

Before I get into the answer of this question I want to tell you what I consider to be the difference between a pageant gown and a prom dress.

A prom dress is a party dress that allows a nice girl to show off her personality. This season prom dresses are bright and colorful with fun and flirty patterns. Prom dresses are designed for showing off and dancing the night away.

Alternatively, a pageant gown is a dress that still shows the personality of the nice girl who wears it but, even more importantly, allows a lady to demonstrate her poise and grace on stage. You can’t do that in a hot pink, backless dress that is covered in sparkles and trimmed in metallic pleather. There is nothing elegant and graceful about that look. It may be great for a dance, but it doesn’t convey the message winning pageant contestants are going for.

When choosing a prom dress, go all out. Get the latest style from today’s trendiest designers. Have fun with your look. But when putting together a winning pageant wardrobe, choose a gown that flatters your figure. Select a gown that compliments your skin tone and moves with you as you glide across the stage.

I’ve included a few tips at the end of this post for selecting the perfect pageant gown. But getting back to the question of can you wear your prom dress to a pageant…I guess that depends. If your budget allows, I suggest separate dresses for each occasion. However, if you can only buy one dress, I suggest buying a gown for your pageant and then wearing it to prom or other formal event the following year. (I would never wear a gown to prom first because a lot can happen in that one night. Someone could step on the hem and rip it or you could spill something on it. Pageant first, prom second is my motto.)

Tips for finding the perfect pageant gown:

• Select a gown that flatters your figure. Try on a lot of different styles and study your silhouette in each so you know what looks good on you.
• Nice girls with pear shaped frames may find that gowns with empire waistlines are very flattering.
• If you don’t have a defined waistline, look for a dress that creates curves for you. Cinched waists often give you what Mother Nature did not. Look for strategically placed appliqués that fool the eye into seeing what really isn’t there.
• Cinching, ruching and pleating is also great for camouflaging problem areas.
• Nice girls with very small frames can sometimes benefit from gowns that create a curvy silhouette. Think stick figure. Not a winning look.
• If you are petite, a ball gown is probably not the look for you. While very graceful and elegant, ball gowns do nothing to make us short nice girls look taller. Instead choose a style that makes you look long and lean. (It’s ok to take some help from a great pair of 5 inch heels!)
• Yellow is a hard color to pull off. Be sure your yellow gown compliments your skin tone and allows your radiance glow on stage. Most fair-haired girls cannot wear light yellow.
• Love your pageant gown! You’ll know the right gown when you put it on. If you have to wonder if it is the right gown, it probably isn’t. I have a closet full of winning pageant gowns and I knew each one was the one the moment I saw it. Feeling great in your gown will help your confidence shine on stage.
• Know your pageant and the styles they expect. Study pictures of past winners and learn from what they wore.

I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Look for my next blog to go up in a few days where I will share my favorite March products with you.

Please feel free to comment and let me know what you think about re-wearing a dress from prom to a pageant.

And remember, nice girls always finish first!

BrittneeNoel

Prom Tips

Hey Nice girls!
I really wanted this blog to go up yesterday, but I have been so busy the past couple of days trying to get class work done. I’m so glad I finally found time to tell you all of my prom tips. Remember these are just my personal tips, and things I have learned. I had the opportunity to go to 5 different proms while I was in high school. Prom will be the best time of your senior/ junior year if you are prepared.

Tip number one- Make your dinner reservations NOW! You want to make sure the restaurant you and your friends want to go to will have a spot available for you when prom rolls around. Also, call and confirm your reservations the week of prom. You want to make sure the restaurant is still expecting your party. From experience, check the menu before you make your reservations! I am the pickiest eater you will ever meet, and I always have to check the menu before I can agree to go to a restaurant for dinner.

Tip number two- Girls, get those dresses to a seamstress ASAP. If you still don’t have your dress picked out, remember you need to give the seamstress at least two weeks to work on your dress to get it just right.

Tip number three- A lot of you nice girls out there will go to a salon for hair, makeup and manicures. There’s really no need to spend extra money on salon services. My mom did my hair, makeup and nails for every dance I went to in school. And believe it or not, girls would always ask me where I got my hair done. I would just smile and say my mom did it. The secret to great hair, makeup and nails is to plan ahead. Think about the type of hairstyle that will go with your dress. Is your dress elegant and formal? If so, think past the traditional up-do and consider a slicked back style with a wrapped ponytail. This is always a classic look. Is your dress more fun and flirty? Go for long, loose curls or a messy up-do. Don’t have long hair? How about a clip in hairpiece? Everyone at the dance is going to have the same up-do. Be creative and stand out with a great unique style. I suggest doing some trial runs with your style once you have decided exactly what you want and have purchased all of your hair accessories. I discovered a super brand of glue on nails at Target. Do-it-yourself nail kits have come along away in recent years. I found a kit with a natural looking French manicure that I used for every special occasion. No one ever knew I did them myself. If you are planning to go to a professional to get your hair, makeup and nails done, make your appointment NOW! The salons fill up so fast for prom. Also, leave more than enough time to wait at the salon because you can’t count on them being on time. You want to make sure you and your stylist have plenty of time to get your style on!

Tip number four- Pick out your flowers and get them ordered. The biggest problem with flowers is people forget to pick them up (trust me – I helped out at a friend’s flower shop on prom day and couldn’t believe how many people forgot their flowers).So please don’t forget. Set am alarm on your phone or write it really big on your calendar so you don’t forget. Girls get creative with your flowers! Try and think outside of the box! Don something different besides the typical corsage that everyone else will have. I have experimented with different ideas. I have done traditional bouquets, I once carried a flower bomb, and I also had a wire bead bouquet. The flower bomb was basically a styrofoam ball covered with roses, check out my photos under tip number nine to see picture of the flower bomb. It was so cute and different. It matched the big dots on my dress perfectly. I can say no one else had flowers like I did at that dance. Below I have inserted a picture of the wire bead bouquet. This was a big hit, and I loved it! Again, it matched overall feel of the look I was going for. I think that’s the thing with flowers. They should compliment your look, not just match the colors you are wearing.

Tip number five- I promise you nice girls that no matter how nice your Jimmy Choos are, you will not wear them all night. Be prepared and take a pair of cute flats or flip flops. This way you will not be leaving the dance with dirty feet. I have learned the hard way. This is a prom must!

Tip number six- Stash extra bobby pins in your purse for a quick hair fix. Your style may loosen up once you start dancing so be prepared with extra pins.

Tip number seven- If you are going to tan start NOW! You do not want to go to prom burnt. Give yourself enough time to get color. If you tan fast I would start a month early. If you take forever to tan like I do, you really should start now. Please know that in no way am I telling you to tan. If you are a tanner this advice is for you. If you want color but don’t want to tan, consider professional spray tan. Most tanning salons offer spray tanning at a reasonable price. There are also a ton of great self tanners on the market. But if you decide to use a self tanner, play around with different products early enough to find the perfect color for your skin tone.

Tip numbers eight- Limo’s are so fun for prom! Although I never took one, I think everyone should have the opportunity to go to prom in style. I always wanted to go to a dance in a pink limo. (Maybe at my wedding someday I can have that pink limo!) Keep in mind there will likely be several proms or other events on the same day. Get that limo reserved now! Limo company’s fill up fast because everyone wants to be a celebrity on prom night. I can say I may not have gone to my senior prom in a limo, but I did go in my dad’s bright blue Toyota Tundra and I definitely stood out! This nice girl always likes to make an impression.

Tip number nine- Don’t be afraid to have fun with your pictures! Try new things; don’t just take the same old picture of you and your date standing in front of the fireplace. I’m sure you have a million of pictures like this. It’s prom, make it special! Below are a few pictures from my sophomore homecoming of my date and I having fun before the dance. These are some of my favorite pictures.

Tip number ten- I expect you to be dancing all night long at prom! Yes, that’s right I am telling you to dance all night long! No need to worry about your strapless dress falling down because I have the best solution for that! DRESS TAPE! Now I have never actually used tape meant for dresses. I go a different route. My secret is toupee tape. Yes, I mean toupee as in men’s hairpieces. It works like magic ladies and it is much cheaper than tape marketed specifically for clothing! Place the tape in the areas you think you will be pulling up all night and viola! Now you can really dance all night long!

Tip number eleven- The worst thing that can happen at prom is for you and another girl to have the same dress on. This was always my worst nightmare! Here’s my nice girl advice. Take a picture with her and laugh about it. There is no reason to get upset and have your evening ruined. Just make the situation positive.

Tip number twelve- Discuss your plans with your parents. Your parents are going to want to know where you are going before and after the dance. As a thank you to them for putting time, effort and money into making your day the best, let them know your plans. Try to tell them before they ask. I promise your parents will be so proud and will respect you more for telling them your plans for the evening before they have to drag it out of you.

Tip number thirteen- If your school has a grand march or a prom parade get there super early. I arrived to my grand march 20 minutes early and I was still close to the end of the line. Plan out your time for the evening so you get to everything on time. You don’t want to miss a second of this special night.

Tip number fourteen- This is the most important tip I can give you. BE SAFE! My school was great about having an after prom. If your school offers activities for your class after prom, take advantage of them. At the very least there is always free food. Remember teens you are ALL under 21 and you should not be drinking! I promise you can still have a fun time without alcohol. If a friend gets into trouble or needs your help, make sure you are there to help them. I know all you nice girls will make me proud and will grab a water or, in my case, a diet coke instead of alcohol.

Again these are just my personal opinions and experiences. Please feel free to leave comments and questions. I will gladly respond to your questions and comments as soon as possible. Have a great time at prom and make me proud!

And remember, nice girls always finish first!

BrittneeNoel

Spring Fashions

Hey Nice girls!

Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the sunshine, warm weather, and seeing all the flowers in bloom. As a nice girl with style on my mind, I have to admit that my favorite thing about spring is spring fashions!!! My fashion tips are my own nice girl opinions and are not set in stone. Feel free to leave a comment or two about your spring fashion tips. It will be great to learn about the rules you dress by in the spring!

My biggest spring pet peeve is when girls bring out the bright spring-colored purses before Easter. Try and wait until after Easter to show off your new cute purse. Also, white pants, white shoes, and white dresses should be saved until after Easter. I know this is a very old rule and many fashionistas would disagree with me. But I think it is important to dress for the season and Easter is the guideline I use. I know how we all love to wear bright spring colors such as blue, green and of course my favorite color, pink! Easter is in 16 days and I know you can fight the temptation and hold off on those bright colors and whites until then.

Watch the weather forecast! Check out weather.com or download a weather app to your Blackberry. If it is supposed to be cold out, don’t wear socks with your flips flops (never a good look). If you need socks on your feet to keep warm, I’m sorry but it is still too early to wear flip flops or sandals. Instead, try a cute pair of tennis shoes. There are tons of cute Mary Jane styles out there. Wearing tennis shoes is a great swap for flip flops this time of year. You will look fashionable and will have warm toes too!

My favorite spring outfit is a jean skirt with Uggs. This nice girl loves her Uggs and I hold onto them as long as I can. This is a cute way to enjoy the warm weather later in the day but also keep your feet warm on those chilly mornings and look stylish all at the same time. Additionally, make sure your skirt is an appropriate length. If you have to walk up the stairs with your hands squeezed tight by your sides to keep your skirt down, it is too short. I promise you can find a cute, fashionable skirt at a practical length. Denim skirts never go out of style so once you find the perfect one, you can wear it season after season. Oh! I almost forgot. I complete my look by adding a cute white T and a great belt.

Short shorts are out nice girls! I love to wear longer shorts because they fit better, are easier to wear and look flattering on all body types. With the micro length shorts you have to keep pulling them down because they ride up and there’s no good way to do that in public. There just isn’t. I know the search for shorts can be exhausting but take on the challenge! It’s another shopping trip, right? That’s never a bad thing. Find a pair that fits your body type. I know you will find a nice pair. Try Express and H&M. These stores have nice selections of various lengths. One will work for you. It just takes a little effort to find the pair for you.

Tanning is a popular thing to be doing right now. Prom is right around the corner and everyone wants to look amazing in their dress. Don’t become a tanorexic! Yes ladies, there is a thing called over tanning. If you tan, start now so you have time to build a nice glow instead of an orange tan. Also, don’t over bronze. I am new to using a daily bronzer. I had to play around with the product for a few days to get the right amount of bronzer on my face. Remember, too much bronzer will make you look orange and you do not want that. Work within your skin type and find a bronzer that works with your complexion and skin tone. For those who don’t take chances with their skin, there are some great faux tanners on the market. I use one myself and will include information about it in a future blog about my favorite products.

Another fashion tip for spring is to wear a cami with low-cut and thin shirts. Camis serve two purposes. First they fill in low-cut necklines and look cute under shorter shirts to keep your midriff covered. Camis also smooth your silhouette and help outer layers glide smoothly over your body. Camis are a nice girl’s best friend! I wear them on a day to day basis. Give them a try. Look for a variety of strap styles and necklines to ensure they go with everything you have.

Here’s a rule of thumb for you to consider when putting outfits together. Fitted or closely fitting tops go best with looser bottoms like boyfriend jeans. Skinny jeans and tighter fitting pants look best with loose/flowy tops. Don’t pair a loose top with loose pants. Your frame will be overwhelmed with all the fabric. Instead try boyfriend jeans with a great tank and belt. To balance your frame, throw on a mid-thigh denim skirt with a flowy peasant top. The idea is to balance your frame. Try on several options and stand in front of a full-length mirror to see the difference I am talking about.

My number one spring tip is to wear SUNSCREEN! Keep your face protected at all times. It’s never too early to fight the aging process. Sunscreen will protect your face from damaging UV rays. It is never ok to not wear sunscreen. If you don’t want to put sunscreen on along with your other products, find a daily moisturizer with an SPF in it. Some foundations even have SPF protection built in. Even if you don’t see the sun outside there are still UV rays out there so you always want to be protected. Want extra protection from the sun? Wear a hat. There are lots of stylish options. Try a fedora. I love mine and wear it all the time.

Please remember these tips are my personal opinion. Do not feel obligated to follow these rules. I follow them because they work for me. I can’t wait to hear what works for you. Have a wonderful weekend nice girls and remember, nice girls always finish first!

BrittneeNoel

What is in and what is out with me, BrittneeNoel

I’m certainly no expert, but nice girls let me share with you what’s in and what’s out according to me, BrittneeNoel. This list includes a little of everything from beauty products to electronics to fashion. I invite you to take a close look at the products you use and your daily routines to see if there is any room for change for the better. I bet there is! Great products hit the market place every day and nice girls everywhere want to stay on trend. I would love for you to comment below about some of your favorite swaps. Please stay tuned to my blog for future products reviews and the 411 on all my favorite things.


What is out?......................................................What is in?

Big heavy purses………………………………………… Wristlet purse
Fitness gyms……………………………………………… Workout videos
Foundation………………………………………………… Tinted moisturizer and bronzer
Ordinary cell phone.……………………………………… Blackberry
Pulling all-nighters……………………………………… Getting 8-9 hours of sleep
Dry, rough feet…………………………………………… Sandal-ready tootsies
MySpace…………………………………………………… Facebook
Back packs………………………………………………… Stylish tote bags
Planners…………………………………………………… Google Calendar
Plain pony tail ………………………… Pony tail with Bumpits
Wasting the summer away……………………………… Volunteering
Basketball………………………………………………… Professional arena football (check it out!)
Bangs hanging in eyes…………………………………… Hair pulled back with single bobby pin (very chic)
Drama……………………………………………………… Sisterhood
Cosmopolitan……………………………………………… Glamour

Don't forget to share some of your favorite swaps! On Saturday March 20,2010 look for my Spring Fashion blog!

And remember, nice girls always finish first!

BrittneeNoel

The 411 on BrittneeNoel

Hey Nice Girls!

I decided a random facts blog about this nice girl would be a fun way for you to get to know me. Who wants to read blogs by someone they don’t even know. Right? I hope this helps you get to know me a little so that you can enjoy my blogs in the future. Okay, let’s get to it!

(1) I am the 2008 National American Miss Ohio Teen. I am so proud of my title and what it stands for. With my title was I able to make a difference within my community. I raised money for Make-A-Wish, I walked on behalf of OROC (Outrun Ovarian Cancer) and raised money for my charity Hugs for the Holidays. I also helped raise $27,000 for a cheerleading event that benefitted Outrun Ovarian Cancer. National American Miss is a great pageant system for the All-American girl. NAM has helped me improve my public speaking and interviewing skills. National American Miss gives every contestant a chance to shine and is a great way to meet new girls from all over the country. I am proud to be a pageant girl!

(2) I am a professional cheerleader for an arena football team in Northeast Ohio. I must say I was a little hesitant trying out because I have never partner stunted in my life. I started cheering in 4^th grade and have a ton of all-star and high school cheerleading experience but I had never partner stunted before. I put on my best Miss Ohio smile, captured the hearts of judges and won a spot on the professional team! I wanted the opportunity to expand my cheerleading career and this is a great way to do so! So far the experience has been incredible! I can’t wait for the season to get started.

(3) I am double majoring in Accounting and Business Management in college. I took classes through the Post Secondary Program during my senior year in high school which enabled me to enter college as a sophomore. I am a member of the Delta Zeta sorority. Although I am a new member, I am excited to have the experience of a sorority girl but I will always keep my nice girl convictions at heart. I cheered on my college football and basketball teams this year. I had so much fun as a flyer because I was always a base when I was an all-star cheerleader. So far I love college. I’ve met new people and made memories that will last a lifetime.

(4) Friends and family keep me going. I consider myself a great friend. I am always there when a friend is in need. I love listening and helping others. Since I am an only child, my cousins are like my sisters. My mom is my best friend! We do everything together! We love to shop for makeup and jewelry together. My dad and I are really close too. My relationship with my dad is very special to me. We are able to do things my mom is not interested in such as going to the drag races (yes, I am a car girl), washing and waxing the cars, and going to car shows. I really do not know what I would do without my family or friends. Something I have learned over the past few years is to NEVER put anything before your family and friends. They are the ones that will be there when you need them the most.

(5) Volunteering is really important to me. I believe everyone should volunteer. Not only are you giving back to your community but you are also growing as an individual. I have volunteered numerous times. One of my favorite events was being the emcee for the First Night Idol competition during Akron Ohio’s New Years Eve celebration. I was so excited to be able to announce the winner. That was the highlight of my evening. I challenge you to get involved! Volunteer! I know you will enjoy it as much as I do!

Well that’s all of my randomness for now. I hope you enjoyed getting to know me. Check back in a few days for my blog about what is in and what is out with me.

Remember nice girls always finish first!

BrittneeNoel

Nice Girl 101

It’s here. A place for girls of all ages – tweens, teens, moms, daughters, friends, aunts, sisters, grandmothers. If you are a girl, this is the place for you.

I am BrittneeNoel, the original Nice Girl. I was inspired to start this blog to share my thoughts and experiences when someone recently condemned me for being yes, you guessed it, a nice girl. When did being a nice girl become a bad thing? I’m here to say it’s not a bad thing, it’s a great thing! I am proud to be a nice girl and I hope I will motivate you to be one too.

I hope you will enjoy my thoughts on random topics like my favorite products, pageants, cheerleading, friendship and peer pressure, family, college life, work, entertainment and current events. This is an open dialog for all nice girls so please join in the conversation. My only rules are to be respectful and courteous and to be a nice girl at all times. Please also respect my privacy and the privacy of those who follow the Nice Girl blog. If you know anyone on a personal level, please don’t reveal our identity for security reasons.

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BrittneeNoel