Miss Universe 2023: Contestants strut in over-the-top outfits you must see to believe

Miss Universe 2023: Contestants strut in over-the-top outfits you must see to believe

The Miss Universe 2023 competition is underway in in El Salvador, and Miss USA, Noelia Voigt, who has ties to Alabama, is strutting her stuff in the pageant.

More than 80 women are competing for the global title, according to the Miss Universe website. The winner will be crowned by the current Miss Universe, R’Bonney Gabriel, on Saturday, Nov. 18, in a ceremony televised on Telemundo and streaming on Roku.

Before that happens, however, contestants are participating in a variety of events this week, from preliminary competitions to an international costume contest.

The costume contest, a highly colorful affair, took place on Thursday, Nov. 16, as contestants took the stage in over-the-top outfits evoking their countries of origin. Traditionally, many of the costumes would look right at home on a Las Vegas showgirl, adorned with feathers, glitter and large-scale props.

You can see some of this year’s costumes, including the one worn by Voigt, in the gallery at the top of this post. The full costume competition can be seen in the YouTube video below, posted by the Miss Universe organization.

Voigt, who lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, won the Miss USA 2023 title in September, competing as Miss Utah USA. She attended the University of Alabama, Jefferson State Community College and the Aveda Institute Birmingham, according to her LinkedIn profile. Voigt also worked as an interior design consultant for RH Birmingham. Before becoming Miss Utah USA, Voigt competed for Miss Alabama USA and was first-runner up for that pageant in 2022 (as Miss Camelia) and 2023 (as Miss Greystone). She moved to Salt Lake City in April, according to a post on her Instagram page.

Voigt is less than two months into her yearlong reign as Miss USA. If she becomes the new Miss Universe, Voigt will cede the Miss USA title to Savannah Gankiewicz, the first runner-up.

Miss USA Noelia Voigt competes in the national costume competition at the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant in San Salvador, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.(AP Photo/Moises Castillo)