Colored costumes, frills, sequins, and strass crowns. It is not a princess costume, but a description of the outfits the little participants of the popular american beauty contests have to put up with. Just like real beauty queens, those babies who aspire to be awarded the sash for being the most beautiful , undergo hours of preparation, with as much as manicures, full make-overs, and curly soft lock hair do’s- resulting in something to say the least grotesque.
It is well demonstrated in “High Glitz”, Susan Anderson’s photodocumentary, that portrays the little starlets trying to obtain those 15 minutes of fame, by catwalking and putting on a show competing against colleagues of age.
To better understand how these beauty contests unroll one should simply watch successful film “Little Miss Sunshine”, a film where a mother finds herself obliged to accompany her daughter to the beauty contest final in California. The whole family is involved in tragicomic undertakings and the hoping little miss soon realizes the differences that exist between a normal little girl and the barbie babies surrounding her.
We are lead to ask ourselves what will happen to these little ones forced with cosmetics once they become adolescents. At 3, to have gleaming pink cheeks and perfect skin , laughing, jumping, and playing is suggested.
To learn more: Susan Anderson
