Beauty queens belong onstage and not at a construction site.
But, don't tell Miss Alabama 2013 Chandler Champion that. She showed off her competition wardrobe ahead of leaving for the Sept. 15 Miss America competition in Birmingham's Lyric Theatre.
The theatre, built in 1914, is currently under renovation for reopening. A lot of construction didn’t stop Champion from walking around the historic site in high heels and glamorous gowns.
The Lyric provided the backdrop for Champion to display what she describes as her fun but unique personal style.
On trend colors and styles are evident throughout the clothing that she took with her this week to Atlantic City for the many appearances she’s scheduled to make.
Her outfit choices include a color block Yoana Baraschi dress in bright orange, hot pink and taupe; a cap sleeve, red Judith and Charles dress; a pink Amanda Uprichard tunic with two-toned Yoana Barashi pants and a bronze and black Parker sheath dress with both leather and mesh. Miss Alabama's entire wardrobe is provided by Gus Mayer, The Clothes Tree and Ann Northington.
Even her school pride shines through with her University of Alabama gown that Northington custom-made for the "Show Us Your Shoes" parade on Saturday, Sept. 14 on the Atlantic City Boardwalk.
The Ann Northington-designed outfit is a is a black jumpsuit with a fitted bodice, complete with a houndstooth float that spells out “Roll Tide” on the front and has the Alabama National Championship emblem on the back.
The dress was a natural choice for the event, according to Miss Alabama director Nan Teninbaum.
“With Chandler being a University of Alabama student and the university being the national champs for three years, we chose to do national champs,” she said.
For the competition itself, Champion will don three other Northington originals. The first is a red, silk crepe gown with a sweetheart neckline that is embellished with Roth lace.
The second, is a black, cap sleeved gown with a trumpet skirt that is decorated with hematite beads.
She will also be wearing turquoise, velvet pants with a matching bodice and an attached float.
The same adventurous spirit she displayed at the Lyric is the same attitude that she took when preparing for the Miss America pageant in less time than her predecessors have received in recent history. The competition was held in January in Las Vegas for the last nine years, but moved back to September and back to Atlantic City for 2014.
Champion only had two-and-a-half months to prepare.
But, Champion said the truncated time gives her an advantage.
She said she looking forward to the experience of competing for the national title and representing the state, something that has been a life-long dream for her.