Even though 2020 is over and we are well into May, the Miss Universe 2020 competition is underway. Normally I would be talking about the evening gowns, as that is my favorite part. However, I want to switch it up and cover the national costumes instead. I don’t think I’ll be able to watch the main competition live, but I managed to see the national costumes and thought that was an interesting segment. While I’m here, I would like to cover this year’s best national costumes (or what I consider this year’s best anyway)! In alphabetical order by nation, here they are.
Shauntae Miller- Bahamas
Jet setter! Go getter! Okay, maybe quoting Ne-Yo here is a little corny, but that is what her costume screams. I loved the pilot style and the aquatic theme! I found it weird that two pigs were there, but then I learned that swimming pigs are real. I’m not kidding. Search it up on Google right now and then return to this list
Anyways, all the elements were beautifully utilized, the glam makes it pop out, and this is an all-around memorable national costume! It tributes Bahamasair, Bahamas’ national airline, and shows off what makes the Bahamas iconic: its beaches.
Lenka Nermer- Bolivia
Throughout its history, Indigenous people have been prominent in Bolivia, so it is not surprising that her costume incorporated Indigenous elements. It gave a nod to Indigenous Bolivians of all tribes, and she performed the Waka Waka dance on stage, which is popular over there. I loved the colors and the liveliness of her costume! It was also a good opportunity to show off the Waka Waka dance, as I didn’t know that was the dance she was doing. I thought that the movements were funny, but I knew that those movements were intentional and not random.
All in all, it was a nice national costume! Great presentation and very cute, cool, and colorful!
Kossinda Angele- Cameroon
Behold the newest nation in the Miss Universe pageant—Cameroon! Seriously, she was a whole Lion Queen in this costume! The lion is considered Cameroon’s national animal, and with the torches in her hand, the red, yellow, and green ribbons came out, which are the colors of the Cameroonian flag. She looked sensational and definitely made an impression on me!
Laura Olascuaga- Colombia
Like Bolivia’s costume, Colombia’s costume also incorporates Indigenous elements. Though this one is dedicated to the Wayúu women of Colombia. I like the exterior color scheme of orange, green, red, and yellow and how the interior shows a sequined blue and purple pattern. Then the back of her costume showed a woman, and the whole thing just looked really interesting! Colombia’s delegate did not come to play and don’t be surprised if she places high come coronation night.
Ivonne Cerdas- Costa Rica
At first glance, the white and purple color scheme stands out. This national costume is inspired by la Guaria Morada, or the purple country girl, which is Costa Rica’s national flower. Weird translation from Spanish to English, right?
Though what’s not weird is how eye-catching this costume is. The dress is a traditional Costa Rican dress with its big skirt and off shoulder top. Along with that is the lining of purple flowers on the top half and the artistic version of purple flowers taking up the bottom half. Maybe she has a whole lot of luck, as that’s what la Guaria Morada represents. Really cute dress on the whole and has the ability to catch anybody’s eye!
Amanda Petri- Denmark
Those who know a bit of literature history may know that Danish author Hans Christian Andersen wrote “The Little Mermaid” (before it was ever a movie). And as no surprise, that is what inspired this national costume. Though what is surprising is how this type of costume was Denmark’s submission this year. That type of costume is normally seen from the Latin American countries, but I like that Denmark mixed it up, and that’s what makes it memorable!
I like the mix of colors and the pink feathers. It’s not a typical pattern, but it stands out. This costume is one I liked seeing on screen and interested me from the start!
Miqueal-Symone Williams- Jamaica
This costume tributes Jamaica’s national flower, the Lignum Vitae. I thought the purple flowers surrounding her body were cute. They enamored me at first sight. I also like how the body suit was a simple yellow and green color scheme. Those colors popped out without being an overkill and while complimenting the purple flowers. Overall, a nicely-executed costume!
Carmen Jaramillo- Panama
Can we take a moment to admire the details of Panama’s costume? The shells, the net, the color—it’s a really pretty costume! It was named after the ships of Christopher Columbus, which were La Niña, La Pinta, y La Santa María. That part is not so pretty, though let’s not get ourselves started on our opinions about him. That aside, it’s a well-designed costume, which is why it has a place on this list.
Amanda Obdam- Thailand
When I first saw Thailand’s costume, I immediately admired its intricacy and how it glimmered. When you see it up close in photos, it’s like, “Oh my God!” The colors represent the Thai flag, which is red, white, and blue. Along with that, this costume is dedicated to Thailand’s national aquatic animal, the Siamese Fighting Fish. Fun fact: Thailand was called Siam until 1939.
As I admire the close-ups and realize how great it looks, l fall in love with it more and more. And honestly, it might just be this year’s best national costume! If the Met Gala ever has its theme be Thailand, whoever wears this costume would easily be the best-dressed in my book. Thailand’s costume deserves to become iconic!
Nguyễn Trần Khánh Vân- Vietnam
Okay, I want to pinpoint this costume, because it carries sheer elegance from top to bottom. The white color is perfect, and I have always thought that áo dàis were beautiful dresses. Then when she comes out on stage from her cocoon, it’s a beautiful sight to see!
Her costume is dedicated to the silk weaving craft, which has existed in Vietnam for millennia. It takes a lot of steps to create Vietnamese silk, and this national costume gives a nod to the perseverance of the craftsmen who make it. It’s a beautiful national costume and one that can frankly be considered art.
Honorable Mention: Leyla Espinoza Calvache- Ecuador
The first thing I noticed was the colored balls on the head piece and how they look like the type of colored balls I’ve seen at Michael’s, but everything came together beautifully here! This costume tributes a traditional Incan festival called Inti Raymi, which celebrates the Incan sun god, Inti. The festival is celebrated in June during what would be the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.
I chose to put Ecuador’s costume in Honorable Mention, because I couldn’t close this list without mentioning it. Especially with the history that the costume tributes, it is definitely worth spotlighting.
And that’s all the national costumes I wanted to highlight for now, folks! You can really learn new things from hearing about what the costumes honor. I know I learned some facts that I didn’t know, and I hope that people take the time to broaden their horizons by externally researching some of the costumes’ inspirations!
Featured Image credit: Benjamin Askinas (The Miss Universe Organization)
