Young women hoping to become the next Miss Oxford were given the opportunity to meet the current titleholder ahead of this year’s competition.
Reigning Miss Oxford Kirsty Beer and former Miss England 2008 Laura Coleman met beauty queen hopefuls at The Living Room on Friday night. Organisers of the event were on a scouting mission to find ladies looking to sign up for the annual beauty parade.
Kirsty Beer, 21, a dance teacher from Cumnor, said: “The competition has been really good for me. I have had so many opportunities I wouldn’t have got without being Miss Oxford. I applied because I was interested in TV presenting, it’s more my kind of work but a lot of girls apply because they want to get into modeling.
“You have so much to gain from entering the competition, you really have nothing to lose. You gain confidence, meet loads of people and get loads of experience within different industries, such as media and modelling. You meet loads of people, the other girls were so friendly that you forget it’s a competition.”
Laura Coleman, 25, won the Miss England 2008 title and now manages Front Models, and spent Friday scouring the streets of Oxford in the quest to find future beauty queens.
She said: “There’s been a really high standard of girls in Oxford, especially in Bicester. We are looking for someone who has natural beauty but is also well rounded, someone who’s got beauty, brains and personality. They have to be good at talking to people because the competition involves interview rounds.”
Laura denied accusations that the competition objectifies women, saying: “The competition is not a sexual thing at all. It’s not sexualized, compared to the modelling industry and pop videos and pop stars. What they are producing is very sexualized.
“The competition has changed a lot in the last 40 years, there used to be a bikini round but now there’s a sportswear round. It’s not about encouraging sexiness but more about encouraging fitness and motivating girls.”
Applicant, Jenny Andrew, 19, from Kidlington, who works at Aurora Fashion, said: “I entered because I’m interested in modeling but It’s a confidence thing really more than anything and getting to be a role model for young girls. I’ve had some experience of modeling but it would be good to have more experience of catwalks and photo shoots.”
To enter the Miss Oxfordshire competition, visit www.frontuk.co.uk/models/pageants.php or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it before Friday, January 27.
