Ideas for Pageant Sportswear for Teenagers

**Help your daughter put together a winning sportswear outfit for an upcoming pageant.

** The sportswear category in teen pageants doesn’t refer to workout clothes or sports-themed costumes. Instead, the sportswear category refers to everyday casual wear. Some pageants have specific requirements, while other pageants allow your teen to express her creativity.

Glitz

When your teen is competing in a glitz pageant, her outfit will need to sparkle 1. In glitz competitions, the sportswear outfits are decorated with rhinestones, glitter, ruffles and sequins. A jumpsuit or pants with a crop top are popular choices for this category. Choose a color that complements your teen’s complexion. Use accessories to improve your teen’s modeling in this category, such as a tear-away skirt, a jacket she can take off and throw over her shoulder or a hat.

Off the Rack

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If your pageant requires off-the-rack sportswear, you can purchase the outfit directly from the store without any added embellishments. Choose an outfit that fits your teen’s body type and represents her personal style. This outfit should show off something your teen wears out with her friends or to school. If your teen has an upbeat and fun personality, choose a brightly-colored outfit or something with an attention-grabbing pattern.

If your teen has a preppy style, choose a nautical-themed outfit or khaki bottoms with a blazer. Pair a stylish dress with a coordinating jacket. A pair of skinny jeans -- colored or denim -- with a pair of knee-high boots and a flattering top is also a winning outfit choice.

If you are wearing a skirt, dress shorts or capri pants, wear high heel shoes to elongate your legs. Stay away from outfits with logos, which can be distracting.

Hair and Jewelry

When choosing jewelry for the sportswear category, keep it simple. Bold jewelry can overwhelm an outfit and may get in the way of your teen’s modeling routine. You don’t want bracelets to fall off or dangly earrings to get caught in her hair while your teen is on stage.

**Choose a pair of small stud earrings and a simple necklace that coordinate with the outfit.

** Select a flattering hairstyle for your teen. There are a variety of stylish hairstyles that look great on stage, such as a side braid or a sleek ponytail with curls added for extra body.

Allow your teen to wear her hair down to show off her natural beauty and fabulous hair color. Avoid updos, which are more appropriate for the evening gown category.

Accentuate Best Features

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In glitz or off-the-rack sportswear competitions, judges will be looking for a girl who is confident in her routine and the outfit she chooses. **Help your teen choose an outfit that accentuates her best features while allowing her to perform her modeling routine comfortably.

** To emphasize toned legs, choose a dress or skirt of appropriate length that highlights leg muscles.

If arms and shoulders are your teen’s best feature, find a spaghetti-strap or strapless top or dress so she can show off her upper body.

Choose a pair of form-fitting pants, which look great on a fit teen with toned buttocks muscles. Show off a flat stomach and toned abs with a crop top or a form-fitting outfit.

Always choose a sportswear outfit that is tasteful to prevent point deductions. Avoid skirts that are too short or outfits that reveal too much cleavage, which can be distracting.