A Look at Some Bizarre Beauty Contests from the Past

By | August 26, 2016

MISS BOBBED HAIR

In 1925, Coral Gables, Florida, held a contest for the most beautiful bobbed hair. Yes, that’s right. The contestants all had their hair cropped and nearly all had drop-waist dresses.

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NATIONAL SWEATER QUEEN

In 1949, these beauties gathered to compete for the title of National Sweater Queen at the Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey. We suspect that this contest was more about the bullet bras underneath those sweaters! Have a look at this cheeky film reel below.

MISS TARPON

In Florida where fishing is of prime import, publicity around fishing was common. This “catch” hanging from a large fish scale is wearing a swim suit made from tarpon fish scales for an unusual effect. This wacky photograph below is from the 1961 contest.

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MILLION DOLLAR LEGS CONTEST

These pretty girls in London in 1969 competed to have their legs insured for one million dollars and a modeling contract. Lady Cantrece, the stocking company, sponsored the event. Watch the fun video below!

MISS ARCHIVE

At a time when women were employed almost solely in offices to type and prepare coffee, the Miss Archives Contest tried to “include” the women of the archives by holding a beauty contest for them. This 1966 contest from one of the most scholarly institutions in America shows how women in the workplace were really thought of back then. It wouldn’t be until about ten years later that the women who worked at the Archives would be recognized with more appropriate conferences instead of contests.

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MISS STEEL PIER

Steel Pier hosted a variety of celebrities, stunt shows, and any other kind of legal entertainment. The Miss Steel Pier was a tradition spanning decades. Though the photographs below are undated, we know that the 1962 winner won two hundred dollars and the publicity. It seems very odd today to have a recurring beauty contest for what is essentially a glorified fun fair.

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MISS FLASHBULB, MISS ALOHA, AND MISS BICYLE, RESPECTIVELY

You could have a beauty contest for just about any thing back then it seems!

H/T British Pathé | DustyOldThing | British Movietone