Pageant Dresses For Children

A casual dress worn in a beauty pageant may look like something appropriate for play.

Most beauty pageants consist of four main score areas: poise, talent, interview and formal wear. In order to score the maximum amount of points, you must give your child a dress that is beautiful and flattering. When dealing with youngsters, it is especially important to provide modest dresses to avoid turning children into sexualized beings.

Pageant Guidelines

Most beauty pageants create guidelines for their contestants. These guidelines often include rules about the appearance of the dress and the cost. In some cases, pageants put a maximum cost on the dress. They may state that a formal wear dress can only cost up to $400 or that a parent must show her receipt for all items used in the pageant. Before looking into dresses, carefully read the guidelines for all of the pageants. If you do not follow guidelines, you may be disqualified.

Formal Dresses

Most children's beauty pageants contain the same formal wear section found in pageants for adults and teens. Typically, the formal wear section accounts for 10 to 40 percent of the score. In most cases, you want to select a dress that is floor length and modest. Seeing children in revealing clothing strikes many people as uncomfortable or even perverse. Dresses should have straps and a moderate to high bust line, but do not require sleeves. Formal dresses look like something appropriate for a prom or wedding. They are often made of satin, lace, silk, chiffon or a combination of the materials. Younger children may wear dresses with a short poofy skirt similar to a ballerina's tutu.

Casual Dresses

Some beauty pageants offer an introductory walk in which participants wear a casual dress instead of a formal one. You may elect to wear a casual dress during the talent competition or during interview, if there are interviews. Casual dresses should follow the same rules of modesty but tend to include more patterns and may be made of cotton or polyester. A casual dress should look like something your child would wear to school or to a family dinner.

Where to Buy Dresses

You can find dresses at department stores or high-end children's clothing stores. If your child is older or exceptionally tall, she may be able to wear a juniors prom or bridesmaid dress. Department store dresses tend to cost less than specialty pageant dresses, but they also tend more towards simplicity and may be common. If you want a fancy, exception dress, find one on an online pageant dress store. These stores sell dresses in children's styles and may be a part of a larger children's dress store. These stores tend to have a larger selection and a greater variety of prices and quality.

Tags: beauty pageants, casual dress, formal wear, like something, look like, look like something, your child