Almost every year our National beauty is criticised for her choice of National costume in the Miss Universe contest.
And this year is no exception as 18-year-old, Gold Coast stunner, Jesinta Campbell, is causing controversy with her choice of outfit for the Miss Universe final this month in Las Vegas.
Campbell will wear an outfit that includes a one-piece swimsuit, a multi-layered skirt, a lambswool bolero, and high-heeled ugg boots by Sydney designer Natasha Dwyer.
Yes, all the sheepskin is very stereotypical and a bit cringe-worthy. And yes, I don’t blame critics for thinking the choice of high-heeled ugg boots with a swimsuit as a joke. But, what exactly is an Australian national costume?
There’s the rich indigenous culture, which if Campbell tried to emulate, she would also most probably be criticised for being tactless and culturally insensitive.
The other approach is going for a more personal choice of costume, which Kimberley Busteed tried in 2007 with a pair of bathers and a lifesaver’s cap, but she also got slammed.
Or you could go for the safe option that Jennifer Hawkins did in 2004, by wearing a grey strapless gown featuring maps of the Sydney CBD and harbour. But this simply states that controversy can be averted by resorting to the neutrality of geography.
