Beauty Pageant at Jamestown Mall
Crown Me Supreme Pageantry & Productions, LLC presented the “Beaus & Beauties Springtime Cuties Pageant on April 19 at Jamestown Mall in Florissant, MO.
Yes, Jamestown Mall. Yes, this shopping mall is still open. All the big anchor stores like JC Penny’s, Sears and Dillards department stores are gone. The last one to vacate was Macy’s, which closed earlier this year. Most of the smaller stores have long been closed, and less than a handful remains – although you’d be hard-pressed to find them amongst all the empty stores. This, however, works to the pageant’s advantage – ample free parking and 1.25 million square feet of open space to hold this event sunny spring Saturday afternoon event.
This beauty contest was advertised on a popular pageant website called pageant center -- Open to all states. Spring Time Cuties! Compete in Beauty for only one small fee! Lots of optional titles. Lots of crowns and prizes. Ages: baby, toddler, children, preteen, teen, boys. Type: Natural.
At first glance it’s hard to imagine anything is going on in this ghost town shopping mall. The parking lot is empty. Stores have removed there signs from their former storefronts. Not a soul in sight. This behemoth shopping mall is a shell of its former self.
Toward the back entrance, a dozen minivans and a dozen or so old, tired sedans sit in the parking lot clustered near Food Court entrance. A big white Budget rental moving truck is parked by the front door with its back gate open. It’s empty. The sign above the doors reads Food Court at Jamestown.
The Food Court is empty. Just rows of white tables with oak borders, with their matching commercial white metal chairs with a dusty pink vinyl cushioned seat tucked neatly in place. One restaurant still has a sign called Goss Up Pasta’s over its counter. Most of the pink and purple neon lightsoutlining the wall still illuminate the otherwise unlit entryway. The white marble tile floor looks expensive and is quite beautiful. A single, skinny palm tree reaches up toward the 2nd story sunny skylight. At the end of the hallway is a directory board. There are no stores listed. Rather, a financial advisory from the Ad Council asking “Would you rather have $46,000 or a whoooooole lotta takeout?” Probably posted after the food court closed, one hopes. Advancing down this hallway, the catchy tune “Call me Maybe” is booming over the speakers somewhere off in the distance -- Hey, I just met you, And this is crazy, But here's my number, So call me, maybe!
Heading toward the music, two little girls in fancy white and blue dresses, with little white patent leather shoes with little white ruffled ankle socks are chasing each other down the hallway with their long curled hair bouncing with each step. The music is getting louder, It’s hard to look right at you baby, But here's my number, So call me, maybe! Such a catchy tune.
Following the music one will pass no less than 25 empty stores with their security gates pulled down and locked in place and the faded outlines of their former store signs. Gorgeous live palm trees, elephant ears and ivy line separate the empty kiosks down the hallway. The beauty of the sunlight warming this indoor area is hard to ignore. Hard to imagine not absolutely loving this space.
At the end of the hallway is where all the action is. The Beaus & Beauties Springtime Cuties Beauty Pageant is in full swing. Rows of mismatched chairs are lined in front of the stage. Looks like the stage has been put together with black portable risers. As a stage backdrop, three white wooden trellises are decorated with swags of pink, blue, and green tulle draped across the back wall. Silk flowers have been tucked in the trellis to celebrate the easter motif, along with a few easter bunnies and easter baskets placed throughout the venue. Fold up tables are lined up with the cheap plastic disposable up with pastel blue, yellow and pink tulle draped across the back wall.
Prominently displayed is the crown table. A disposable dark purple table cover has been placed over the folding table. Crowns, trophys, sashes are lined up and ready to go.
Tamica Brooks, Director of Crown Me Supreme, runs a Christian natural pageant system. She is also the First Lady and Co-Pastor of Bashoa Christian Worship Center with her husband Bishop Rodney Brooks, Senior Pastor. Pastor Brooks also helps with holding the pageants.
This pageant is in no way are we a “glitz” pageant, but we do allow minimal, light fresh faced, ago appropriate make-up and hair extensions. No fake stuff. Falsies, flippers, heavy spray tans, or false nails. We also allow a little “bling” if you wish, according to the pageant director’s website.
Let’s keep it straight. There are natural pageants. There are glitz pageants.
Natural pageants celebrate a child’s natural beauty. For the most orthodox natural pageants, children under 13 are forbidden to wear makeup. Generally, however, some makeup is allowed, but it must be light and age-appropriate – such as light mascara, a touch of lip gloss and clear nail polish. Absolutely no fake stuff. Natural pageants strive to hold wholesome, family-friendly events where the contestants are expected to look age-appropriate and be themselves. Swimsuit competitions are generally frowned upon in natural pageants.
Glitz pageants, on the other hand, are the razzle dazzle contests where babies and children are made to look older. Full makeup, full hair, and full-out costumes are expected. Full make up means heavy stage makeup, false eye lashed glued to the eyelids, colored eye contacts, acrylic nails held in place by glue, and usually very bright pink or red lipstick, as well as fake teeth for children with missing or crooked teeth. Full hair generally means texas-teased hair with bunches of curls, augmented by fake hair pieces to add fullness. The bouffant is also a celebrated hairstyle on pageants because it gives the perfect resting place for a crown. Full out costumes are fancy, schmancy. Toddlers often wear a cupcake dress – a formal knee length dress, which the skirt is made of huge layers of ruffles, not unlike a ballerina’s tutu. Depending upon the contest, older girls will often wear high heels and ball gowns. Glitz pageants also contain high energy routines involving cartwheels, flips, tap dancing and stage props.
The crowd is mostly women and children. There are less than a handful of men – two of which are cheering one little girl in particular, Matteson Watson from Warrenton, MO.
One of the men is wearing a long sleeved button down burgundy shirt, denim blue overalls, and a black felt western hat that looks like it has been worn every day for years. He’s a tall, husky fellow with a pot belly. He has white hair and a scruffy white beard. He resembles a cross between Santa Claus and old Uncle Jesse from the Dukes of Hazard television series from the 70’s. He stands near the stage watching his daughter Julie Lorraine Watson, 30 hold his 17 month old granddaughter Matteson Watson on stage. He is affectionally known as Paw Paw.
This is Matteson’s first pageant.
The other man is her father, Leonard Watson, 30. He’s a slim fellow, wearing jeans and a blue plaid flannel shirt. He’s wearing a blue and white ballcap with his sunglasses resting on the bill. He is sitting on the edge of one of the monster planters and looks bored as hell. He’s a professional carpenter and he is missing a fishing tournament to be here to support his daughter.
This beauty pageant is definitely a family affair, said Julie Lorraine Watson. Matteson’s hair was done by her aunt who is a professionally trained hair stylist. Her mother put mascara on her 17th month old baby by holding the mascara wand close to her eye and telling her to blink. Her 9-year old cousin, Jeff Dorage was her pageant coach. He practiced with Matteson at home. He would place X’s on the floor so she would know where to stand. He would demonstrate how to sway her hips. He’s such a redneck, but he loved it said Matteson’s mother. Today, during the competition Cousin Jeff stood behind the judges blowing kisses to her and giving her reminders.
So this is the moment. There are three contestants in the Baby Beauty Supreme contest. Also competing for this title are two other little girls. All three little girls were on stage with their mother. The winner is: Makayla. Matteson, however was First Runner Up. But there are more awards to be given out…
Matteson wore a beautiful ivory dress with little embroidered roses with tiny clear rhinestones with a black sash that her mother said she found on ebay for $1.97. Her baby fine blond hair lay perfectly in place with a bit of hairspray. Her extra hairpiece was shaped like a bun with little tendrils and was a near perfect match to her natural color hair. She wore tiny gold hoop earrings. And her chubby little legs bounced around as her mother held her after being on stage.
Her mother said it was fun. Matteson is so excited, but it’s stressful. It drags on into naptime, admitted her mother as Matteson squirmed to get cozy in her mother’s arms.
Matteson did, however, win a number of other titles. She won Prettiest Eyes and Most Beautiful. She will take home a light-up trophy, two white sashes, one purple sash and one big easter bunny crown and two little plastic tiara’s they plan to showcase in her bedroom. Her mother said, her daddy will build her a bookcase to put all of this in. Even though he is a professional carpenter, he said, I don’t know how to make a bookshelf and everyone laughed.
Julie Lorraine Watson said this was Matteson’s first pageant and it definitely won’t be her last. We are so proud of her.
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