By Alice Li, Miss Toronto 2017
Miss World Canada 2017 came to its climactic conclusion on Saturday July 22, 2017 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, where fifty seven contestants from across the country graced the stage, and Cynthia Menard won the crown. We followed the girls throughout the week and right up until the night of the competition. We joined them as they explored the city, and wrote about what it’s like inside the 2017 Search for Miss World Canada on Sharing Toronto magazine.
Fashion Designers Judge the Evening Gowns
The Evening Gown segment of the annual competition is one of the most anticipated portions of any beauty pageant. It’s an opportunity for each contestant to show her personality, elegance, and sense of style. For Miss World Canada 2017, the evening gown score was worth 20% of the contestants’ total and as such, it’s the highest-weighted category. Other segments include swimsuit, runway, interviews, charity fundraising, and social media.
We have put together a list of the top 10 evening gowns that caught our attention this year. The selections were picked regardless of the girls’ actual placement in the competition, giving everyone another chance to shine. We interviewed all 10 girls to find out more about each designer and the story behind the dress.
Making it to the national competition is an achievement in itself – congratulations to all the beautiful contestants of Miss World Canada 2017!
In no particular order:
Name: Lia Fallah
Title: Miss Vancouver World 2017
Gown: From Jonathan’s in New Westminister
This beauty has great posture on stage, and this dress really captured her natural elegance. The colour of this dress really suits Lia and her sweet personality! At first glance, this gown looks like a classic trumpet silhouette, but this is one of those gowns that makes you look twice! It is actually full of flower details, from the waistline all the way down to the skirt ruffles. We think that the details are perfectly balanced without being too distracting. That’s the key to showing off your personality in an evening gown without losing focus!
Lia found this gown on a mannequin while walking by a store called Jonathan’s, but the store was closed at the time. She actually waited around an hour until the store opened so that she could try it on! Although she originally had a bolder colour in mind, such as red, she immediately fell in love with this dress. Plus, it reminded her of the traditional Persian Toranj style, which finalized her decision! Looks like it was well worth the hour-long wait for the store to open!
Name: Joana Szeen
Title: Miss Southwestern Ontario World 2017
Gown: Designed by Joana Szeen, made by Edith Lichtherte
You could not miss this stunning shade of red gracing the stage! Joana looked red-carpet ready in this unique design. You can never go wrong designing your own dress because it is the most intimate way to express your personality. We love how she chose to put her hair up, as it kept a clean and elegant look from head to toe. There is one word that best describes the gown: romance. And that is also how Joana summarized it herself!
Joana picked out every detail on this dress, including the fabric! Edith Lichtherte, a designer from Windsor, Ontario, added some finishing touches, including some roses on the back. This surely turned out to be the romantic and elegant ball gown Joana envisioned and we love how Joana turned an idea into life! Great work, Joana!
Name: Avigail Aaron
Title: Miss Thornhill World 2017
Look at this shade of gorgeous purple popping onstage! Purple is not a popular colour for pageant gowns, but when Avigail wears it, the colour really speaks for itself! At first glance, the style reminded us of the Latin ballroom jazz and flare. That’s probably why this dress caught our attention – it’s all about showmanship! This gown features a nude mesh covered in just the right amount of embellishments. We could not take our eyes off of this beauty! Avigail also matched her shade of lipstick to her gown – we didn’t miss the small details!
Avigail also agreed that the unique design of this gown is what caught her attention. Fun fact: Avigail only had one week to prepare for Miss World Canada and borrowed this dress from another pageant girl through family friends! Finding a dress within a week can be very stressful! Although she was tight on time, it certainly didn’t hinder her performance onstage!
Name: Glare Balaoing
Title: Miss Montreal District World 2017
Gown Designer: Sherri Hill
This gown is one-of-a-kind! Featuring a black bodypiece, a side slit, and just the right touch of flowers, Glare totally pulled off this gown! We could not have envisioned anything else on Glare – it matches her dark hair and complements her features so well! We love how the flowers really pop up against the black body piece to show a bit of personality without distracting away from her smile.
Glare is a big fan of Sherri Hill designs and she says that this gown really showed her true personality. For her, the flowers signify that she is blooming as a woman with a beautiful heart. We love that Glare put so much thought and meaning into the symbolism of her gown. It suits her so well – it looks like the dress was made for her!
Name: Sheneice White
Title: Miss Peel Region World 2017
Gown Designer: Terani from Anna Lina Sposa Boutique in Vaughn, Ontario
This bedazzling gown is something we can imagine seeing on a Miss USA or Miss Universe stage! This girl is already one step ahead of the game looking ready for internationals! We are obsessed with all the details head-to-toe. It is sophisticated in its beading, yet simple at the same time with its silhouette. And the leg slit is just the perfect touch to finish this modern and classy look!
Shen went pageant dress shopping with an idea of what she wanted, which was “form fitting and glamorous.” This was actually the fourth dress that she tried on because it was just so tough to find that “perfect” dress. When she was indecisive between her first three choices, she decided go back and search for something that could top all three. Anna Lina Sposa Boutique from “Say Yes to the Dress Canada” turned out to carry the winning choice. Shen says that she felt so relieved after purchasing this dress because she knew this was the right choice. Sometimes, you’ve just got to follow your heart and make the decisions you need to!
Name: Terin Rothernel
Title: Miss Perth County World 2017
Gown Designer: Tony Bowls Paris, sponsored by Jacalyn Flood from Arbonne
This red speaks confidence from every angle! Simple yet sophisticated. This strapless mermaid gown is made from double jersey and features side peplum accents. Wow, it really pops out against Terin’s complexion and features! The elegance of the shape and train sets this gown apart from other red mermaids. What a classy selection!
Did you know that Terin picked out this gown at the very first shop she visited? Terin knows exactly what works best for her, which is red and anything from scarlet to maroon. She got some advice from her agent and agreed on a “long slinky red gown” vision. This dress had the perfect amount of “unique character” with a “classic style.” Terin skipped the glitzy glamour of rhinestones and sequins, and chose what was best for her. This final look is a red carpet dream come true and we think it definitely achieved the “old Hollywood starlet” that Terin was going for. We hope to see her wear it again when the occasion comes!
Name: Maleeka Singh
Title: Miss Southcentral Ontario World 2017
Gown: Sponsored by Jasz Couture
Have you ever heard the saying when a dress makes you “feel like a million bucks?” This certainly did the magic for Maleeka because wow, she looks like she is walking across the stage about to receive her Oscar! What an unforgettable piece from head-to-toe!
Maleeka originally had another Jasz Couture gown in mind, but the store suggested Maleeka choose from the newer 2017 catalogue. When Maleeka saw this gown in the catalogue, she “instantly knew it was the one.” When the dress was being shipped to Canada, Maleeka was informed that it got turned away at the Canadian border. However, after some more phone calls, she realized the shipment was just undergoing a routine customs check. Phew! We are so glad how everything turned out because this final choice is a stunner! Maleeka is very grateful for all the help from Jasz Couture staff and the dress arrived fitting perfect!
Name: Olivera Paripovic
Title: Miss Quebec World 2017
Gown: Mackenzie Lace Gown by Marciano
Olivera keeps it simple and classy with this timeless design. She is a perfect example of “less is more.” No need for any fancy jewelry or accessories, this girl knows her style! We fell in love with this elegant lace design that gave Olivera a curvy mermaid silhouette.
When there was only two weeks left until the pageant, Olivera realized she still didn’t have a gown yet. She made an appointment at Loue1Robe in Montreal, which is a unique dress rental store. What a smart idea, because you won’t waste money to “buy an expensive dress which you’ll wear only once.” Olivera fell in love with this dress as soon as she tried it on and felt like she “could run the world.” She explains that this gown “represents me and my personality and I think that I made the right choice.” We are so glad that Olivera managed to find this stunner in-between her hectic July schedule! She also has a piece of advice to share: “Don’t shop for a dress a week before your big day!”
Name: Katie Seto
Title: Miss Durham Region World 2017
Gown: From Sharleez Bridal
Full ball gowns could be a risky choice for beauty pageants, especially in the “Miss” division, as opposed to younger categories. They can be a complete hit or miss but for Katie, this was a definite hit! This stunning ball gown caught everyone’s attention and she really pulled it off! Katie’s styled her hair to match and her smile finished the look perfectly. One thing that judges look for is how comfortable the contestant looks onstage and we can tell that Katie loves her dress just as much as we do! Finding a dress that gives you confidence is the winning recipe!
We did not know that this was actually Katie’s backup gown! Katie’s original customized navy blue gown was delayed by shipping issues and did not work out. We would say that this was unfortunate and fortunate at the same time because Katie’s backup gown blew us away! It took Katie a lot of searching and comparing but this ball gown truly made her feel like a princess. Just look at the tiered details on the skirt! We are also a fan of Katie’s preparedness with a backup gown because no matter what competition you are going to, you always need to have a plan #B!
Name: Jada Atkins
Title: Miss Essex County World 2017
Gown: From Moda Plaza
Look at this golden goddess walking across stage! We are obsessed with how this dress hugs Jada’s curves so perfectly and the golden colour works magic on her! Jada makes this dress look like it was custom made for her. However, believe it or not, she actually borrowed it from her friend, who originally bought it as a prom dress.
Jada explains that she chose this gown because “it reminds (her) of Beyonce…gold is one of my favourite colours so it worked out perfect.” With a statement piece like this, Jada didn’t need any jewelry or accessories – she’s already got the smile and the walk. What an unforgettable statement piece of the evening!
There you have it, our Top 10 Evening Gowns for Miss World Canada 2017!
Last but not least, for my own evening gown…
Name: Alice Li
Title: Miss Toronto World 2017
Gown: Mac Duggal Couture
The previous pageant gown that I wore for Miss Earth Canada was an A-line white chiffon and I was in love with the dress. I know that white is my best colour and suited my personality/style. Whether it is an evening gown, interview outfit, or swimwear, I always go with white. For Miss World Canada, I wanted the same look while avoiding wearing the same gown again. It was a challenge because how could I find another gown that was not too similar, but also the same style?
I came by this dress at Winners when I happened to be walking around. It was the most unexpected find ever! This gown was hanging on the racks, on clearance for around $100, and it was the only one left! I saw the white chiffon, the touch of blue rhinestone accents and my heart skipped a beat. I grabbed the tags up close to read it again in disbelief – it was also exactly my size! I bought it right away without hesitation and felt so happy with my lucky find. I could not have imagined anything more perfect and the gown fit me so well I didn’t even need any alterations! It doesn’t matter how much your gown cost or where it’s from – wear what makes you feel confident!
[…] author Lori Bosworth published an account by Alice Li of the Top 10 Evening Gowns at 2017 Miss World Canada. Below is an excerpt from that piece for Street […]
Very stylish gowns.
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