The Miss Universe National Costume contest is a tradition as old as Miss Universe itself. It is meant to showcase the culture of a nation to the entire world. That is why when Miss USA Erin Brady stepped out of the stage like an Optimus Prime from the Transformers, she effectively pushed the envelope way too much. Sure, we can have outrageous costumes sometimes but never had we seen such an irrelevant costume that does not represent American core values and culture. If anything, it symbolizes the excesses of American consumerism and its addiction to videogames and technology. It is a travesty to the American sensibilities and to the Miss Universe tradition at its peak.
The Miss Universe organizing committee therefore should set rules and standards to ensure that the national costumes being presented are relevant and a true representative of a country’s culture and traditions. Sure, we can tolerate creativity but Miss USA has been a butt of a joke lately. And while we understand the concept of show and awe, this has gone way too far. For we are not awed but shocked.
A photo meme showing where the costume truly belongs
