Things you probably shouldn't ask a pageant director...

I recently posted on Facebook asking for blog ideas.. I have two great ones so I will start with this one!

Pageant directors have a very important and sometimes difficult job. They organize the pageant, deal with hotels, recruit contestants, find judges, and run around like crazy all pageant weekend! This blog is dedicated to them. Sometimes contestants and their parents ask questions that they really shouldn't. This puts the director in an awkward position. Listed below are questions that have actually been asked that probably shouldn't have been..... 

1. Who is competing against me? -This is not the directors place to answer this.. Instead of worrying who your competition is, you should be worrying about yourself.  Some directors (NOT ALL) do not like being put in this position.. 

2. Who is judging? -NO.. just NO! The judges should never be known to anyone besides the director until the start of the competition. I have seen contestants reach out to potential judges on social media ect.. Just a COI (conflict of interest)

3. I can't make your pageant.. can you change the date? -this one actually takes a lot of guts. What people do not realize is that it takes a lot of work and energy to organize a pageant and select dates with a hotel. What makes you think a director would change the date of a pageant for just one contestant?

4. Does my daughter stand a good shot at winning a title or should I not waste my money? -Not even kidding with this one.. Every girl absolutely stands a shot.. It is up to the judges and what they are looking for.. 

5. Are there any heavy hitters? 

6. I sent in my paperwork and deposit a while back and never read it.. I didn't realize my daughter would need XYZ, Can I have my money back? - Deposits for the most part are non-refundable. Some are transferable to another pageant the director runs but each system is different. Make sure you know the directors policies.. And please, please, please, please read the paperwork!!! 

7. Can you change this rule? -The director makes rules for a reason.. Each pageant is different and has a different set of rules.. Make sure you read them carefully before you enter. 

8. I don't use this vendor anymore.. Is this going to hurt me at your pageant? -Why would a vendor make a difference in your daughters placement?

9. My daughter doesn't have ______ (item) is that going to hurt her score? 

There are a ton of questions that are perfectly appropriate for a director.. Some of which include...

1. What attire is appropriate for this particular competition?

2. What is the judging criteria? (please look in paperwork first!)

3. What kind of questions are asked in interview? .. more of a general question..

4. Are there any additional services, like vendors offering services like spray tanning, or make up?

5. Is there a Facebook group just for delegates?

6. Does your system offer workshops, or events for delegates?

Most directors are open and willing to answer your questions. They are there to aid you in any way they can! I have had the pleasure of working with several directors that have been nothing but wonderful! I will say this... The questions above in the "What NOT to ask section" either come from not reading paperwork/rules/requirements.. or are contestants who worry about their competition. When you compete you should focus on yourself! 

This was just meant for fun and ALL of the above questions were sent to me by pageant directors they are not made up :)

<3 Krisann 

Just a few tips on pageant etiquette...

Jaime Robotin was the inspiration for this post. She asked and I am responding! She wanted me to write about pageant etiquette for girls and parents. Here goes nothing.....

Pageant Etiquette is different and a little bit the same for Interview and Circuit pageants. For time reasons I will cover interview in more depth. From the moment you register for the pageant, you are making an impression on the director. Your email correspondence, phone conversations, and social media posts all show off your character. What I mean by this, If you get snippy or constantly nag a director you have then formed yourself a negative reputation with them. It is always important to be kind and LISTEN when the director is speaking. I can not tell you how many times I have sat through a pageant orientation and heard a group of people ask the same question about something that was clearly stated during the orientation. It happens ALL the time. 

For any pageant, you should always be dressed well. This shows you are put together and serious about the title you are applying for. This is essentially what a pageant it, a job interview. You willingly compete knowing that you are there to land the job! A title is an important job and responsibility! If you were to show up to a job interview dressed a mess, chances are you wouldn't land that job. You should treat a pageant no differently. My advice to my girls is even if you are at a "casual" rehearsal, you should still be dressed as if you are already a national queen. Have you ever noticed how National Queens are usually dressed to the nines with full hair and makeup at every event? It is because they are the face of a system and they are the image it portrays. If you want that job you need to show you are serious about it. 

Enough on dress... Time for personality. You should ALWAYS be friendly and kind. NO system wants a nasty queen. At the end of the day, if you are lucky enough to have the crown placed on your head... would you rather everyone come and congratulate you or have no one congratulate you.. When a girl wins and no one steps forward to congratulate her, it speaks VOLUMES! Be friendly and approachable during rehearsals and free time. Make friends!!! Pageants aren't about the titles you win or your placements, they are ultimately about the connections you make and the relationships you form. People lose sight of the fact that pageantry is a hobby, a hobby that is supposed to be FUN. Once someone loses sight of that it is worth reevaluating their participation in pageantry. 

Moms.. my BIGGEST pet peeve of all time is when I see you walking with your daughters and you are constantly telling them to smile.. It makes both you and her look bad! We can hear you.. no matter how discreet you try to be. Never argue with each other in public areas.. Save any and all issues for the hotel room. I tell my girls to avoid drama like the plague! I also tell my pageant moms to dress appropriately as well! 


I could go on about this topic for HOURS.. but I will save some for part two!!! :)

<3 Krisann

My job description...

This will be my only post of the day as I am swamped with three large assignments for school. However, this needed to be posted..

My job description is as follows:
-To INDIVIDUALLY coach and mentor each girl during her time with me
-To sharpen interview/modeling skills
-To write resumes, speeches, introductions, platform statements, elevator speeches, emcee cards
-To aid you in wardrobe selection, gown selection, interview attire
-To teach how to walk in heels
-To help each girl gain self confidence
-To help girls create their own brand
-To help you select pageants that are well suited for each girl

By now I am sure you are getting the idea. A lot more goes into what I do as it is truly a FULL time job, that I adore.

Unfortunately, as in all hobbies or sports, we are not all going to get along. It is a sad truth, but a truth nonetheless. If I am present, and witness a situation first hand, I can attempt to rectify it right then and there. If I am not, it is the job of the pageant directors and staff to handle any problems or drama. I can not be held responsible for the actions of others. I may find them wrong or disturbing but my job is coach/hair and makeup. I always instruct people, when they have an issue at a pageant, to contact the director.

I do coach a lot of girls, and ALL are important to me. I give each of them their time in lessons. With that being said, I kindly ask that all drama and negativity be handled with the appropriate people. My primary goal is to help these girls, I don't want to take any time out of doing this to deal with any kind of negativity.

One more note.. I can not attend every pageant.. I really wish I could, but I am only one person. I go where my time is booked. If there are two pageants in one weekend I am going to go to the one where I have the most girls, and the most girls booked for lessons or hair and makeup. After Coed Nationals, which was financially difficult for me, I could only attend one pageant this weekend. I am using that as an example.

And if any directors want to contact me as to why I wasn't at their pageants, I will be happy to clear up the fact that I go where I am booked.. I am always open to friendly phone calls!!



OKKK my conscience is clear :) Happy Wednesday All!!!
Krisann <3

All it takes is a point of light, a ray of hope in the darkest night...

Tricia Stiekes introduced me to a fabulous song after she reached out to help with our Toys for Toys drive. The song is entitled "Point Of Light" and I highly suggest you all listen to the words. This message is truly how I try and live my life every day. I have decided to break down the lyrics and make a blog post... Especially during the holiday season, when some families need an extra bit of holiday cheer... 

There's a point when you cannot walk away 
There's a darkness that everyone must face
There are heroes whose names we never hear

We all have either faced, are facing, or will face tough and troubling times. And sometimes we rely on the kindness of strangers to lend us that helping hand to lift us up. There is absolutely no shame in that. It is our duty as world citizens to offer that helping hand when we are able to... We need to pay it forward.

When you have to stand up straight and tall and mean the words you say
It wants to take what's good and fair and lay it all to waste
A dedicated army of quiet volunteers

Imagine the impact we can have on the world, if we would all give back. There are so many people in need, and the smallest token means the world to people who are struggling. It is up to us to be that army of volunteers. No matter what the charity is... It is important for us all to make a difference. Often times I hear that one person can not make a difference. This can not be further from the truth! One gift, one donation, one kind word can make someone's day! 

There's a point you must decide just to do it 'cause it's right
And that darkness covers everything in sight
Reaching out to feed the hungry reaching out to save the land

We can remove darkness from people's lives. We can offer light and help to those in need! This is our country, it is up to US to make it a better place. We need to feed our citizens, cloth our people, and raise money for the sick. Every little bit counts. You have never truly lived until you have lost yourself in the service of others. 

That's when you become a point of light
Until it meets a single point of light
Reaching out to their fellow men.

By choosing to be a point of light, if you will, we are that bit of light, and beacon of hope. The more points of light, the more darkness we are able to eliminate. Remember, even the darkest night must end, and the sun will appear. Consider making yourselves a point of light for a family or person in need. Open a door, offer a compliment, buy someone a coffee.. It takes baby steps. Positivity is contagious and so is offering a helping hand. 

All it takes is a point of light a ray of hope in the darkest night.
If you see what's wrong and you try to make it right you will be a point of light.

Stand up for a person being bullied, take a shift at your local food kitchen, ANYTHING! Now is the time to spread holiday cheer... Fight darkness with light! 

There are dreamers who are making dreams come true
Taking time to teach the children there's nothing they can't do.
Giving shelter to the homeless giving hope to those without.
Isn't that what this land's all about.
One by one form the mountains to the sea points of light
Are calling out to you and me

There are already so many people making a difference. So many dedicated caring volunteers, who work tirelessly trying to make a difference. I admire these people. THESE PEOPLE are the role models of the world. IT starts with us! Spread this message to your children, your family, and your friends. America is the land of opportunity and a safe haven to so many. This country's citizens are what makes this country so great. One by one we CAN and WILL make a difference. I am challenging you now! Spread this message! 

All it takes is a point of light a ray of hope in the darkest night.
If you see what's wrong and you try to make it right
You will be a point of light.

All it takes is one person to make a difference. No matter how small, or old, or rich or poor. Goodness and good deeds come from the heart. Be a point of light for others, we never know when we may need a point of light for ourselves. I live my life everyday for others, trying to make things better for other people.. 

I am often asked what my greatest and worst quality is and I always say the same thing...

That I always put others before myself, and while that can sometimes be a bad thing, I would not change this aspect of myself for anything! 

This is the Holiday Season and should be a time of happiness and love. Spread some cheer, whether it be a smile, or holding a door, or even donating a present.. Consider taking on your own "Santa" role ;)

<3 Krisann 

Point of Light- Randy Travis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC_u90gDxuQ

You can't live a positive life with a negative mind...

This post has been a long time coming.. It is about letting drama consume your life.

I have learned a long time ago that the only way for drama to affect you, if for you to let it. This is true of sports, pageants, clubs, you name it! I have seen a ton of negativity on Facebook lately, some of which I completely understand. No one should talk about a child, there is no excuse for that..

Recently, at a big national pageant, a very well known pageant mom was caught talking about a contestant. The kicker was, the brother of the contestant was the one to hear everything that came out of this woman's mouth. AFTER the pageant was over, the mother of the girl being talked about went up to the woman and told her she was caught and asked to never mention her child again.. Case CLOSED.. the drama ended there.. There was no big Facebook war or any big drama to follow.

Here is my advice. Think twice before you talk about anyone.. I am a true believer in Karma... What you put out most certainly comes back to you. In the end, this is a HOBBY and something that is supposed to be a positive experience for children. Do not give yourself the reputation of a basher. It is one that will stay with you!!!

We can not let competition get to us.. NO title or placement is worth the negativity. The things that have been said about me throughout the years have been horrendous, however, I don't let it affect me. If I wasn't doing something right or wasn't doing well, no one would talk about me. Someone once told me, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." I disagree with this advice 100 percent.... By doing this you are allowing the unnecessary drama into your life! Surround yourselves with people who are only going to pull you higher, not drag you down.


AND food for thought... those who are constantly talking about others to you, are probably doing the same with others about you!!! When you find a true friend, CHERISH them.. They are hard to come by.

I cherish those who are loyal, kind, and who have proven their TRUE friendship.. I have completely stopped worrying about what others say about me. I am proud to say that I have come to the place in my life where I truly DO NOT CARE about negativity.. It feels amazing and I would recommend it to anyone!!!!



Sending out big love to anyone dealing with negativity now.. Just remember, it is up to you to eliminate it from your lives. Remove the stress and negativity and you will see just how beautiful life can be :) It is ok to cut people out if it means bringing peace to your life.. It may be a tough decision but you will see, maybe not right away, it is the right one!

Krisann <3

Even though this is a history blog... It is relevant in many ways..

The following is a blog I had to post as an assignment for grad school. This was supposed to be in a relaxed writing style and discussing our experiences in grad school thus far. Even though it talks about my program this blog is relevant in so many ways...

WHY CANT WE ALL JUST GET ALONG

The initial reason for my application to a Masters program was my genuine and immense love of history. The program I am currently in is absolutely incredible, however I must say, my undergraduate program did nothing to prepare me for what was to be expected. I only had to write one paper in Chicago format and that was my Senior Seminar paper. With all that aside, I had to pretty much navigate through this new program the best I could. A very wise professor once told my class, "We are all colleagues and in this together." He spread his message of being there to support each other, offering sources and even help when necessary. However, after completing my first couple of semesters I realized the amount of rivalry. Not with all people, as I have made some fantastic connections, but with a few. Particularly in classes with a hybrid of Anthropology and History students together. 

There have been several instances of snidey remarks, rolling of eyes, and even heated debates going around the room. Don't get me wrong, I love a good debate, but when presented in a respectful manner. The most recent instance was last week. We were discussing a comment made by a prominent Anthropologist who stated that he did not need history to help him with his anthropological work. Now of course this statement can, and should be argued from both sides. The historians in the room ALL argued that the mix of history and anthropology was important when examining any historic event or archeological site. Of course, I needed to chime in after a fellow classmate and anthropology major stated that there was extreme bias to historical documents. This woman actually had anger in her voice when she was speaking. I didn't realize one tiny statement could touch so many nerves. 

The point of the matter is this, while SOME, not ALL, historical documents may have a touch of bias, they are important in understanding the overall picture. My professor of this particular class was even telling us a story about an important anthropologist who found a metal piece in one of his digs and went on and on about the significance of this piece. It turns out it fell off one of the brooms that was brought onto the site. No one piece of evidence can give a person a complete understanding of a time period or event. This is why it is important for archeologists and historians to work together to put pieces of the puzzle together. If I have a map, a deed, and the archeological evidence from a foundation of a house, I can learn a lot more. Think of it like a court case. You can not be charged with murder if the only evidence you have is a witness claimed someone of your height was seen leaving the scene of the crime, you need fingerprints, DNA evidence, and motive. 

Moral of this post is this, I am not saying one field is more important than another. I am saying we need to work together as Historians and Anthropologists. We need to cut the pettiness and actually get some work done. We are colleagues and the connections we make now in graduate school will stay with us forever. Never burn bridges, you never know when you will need to cross them in the future. And my last and most important comment, it is okay to disagree with each other but please do so in a respectful manner. Nothing is more unattractive than cattiness, especially by scholarly individuals.

In all areas of life it is important to be respectful of others. 

Krisann <3

All your dreams can come true, IF you have the courage to pursue them....

I wanted to dedicate a blog to setting realistic goals and how to achieve them.

Although my examples will have to do with pageantry, these tips are relevant to all aspects of life. Often we either overwhelm or underwhelm ourselves with unrealistic expectations. These expectations could be with achieving a certain pageant title or even applying for schools and jobs. This is the way I look at things and feel free to disagree or offer your own techniques.

When setting a goal I start with a list. At the top of that lift I write the goal in BIG BOLD LETTERS! Underneath I make three columns. They are labeled: What is expected of me, things I possess, and things I need to work on. All of these columns put the goal into perspective for me.

When applying for Graduate school I made one of these lists. When I wrote out everything I had accomplished and what was expected of me, I was able to conceptualize what I needed to do. Now only three things remain on that list, and that is the only things separating me from earning that degree.

The only limits we have, are the ones we put on ourselves. The perfect example of this is worrying about your competition during a pageant week/weekend. So-and-so is here and she won this lately. She is good. Blah blah blah. I hear this ALLLLLLL the time. By giving your attention to this other competitor and not focusing on yourself, you are allowing this other girl to beat you and accomplish YOUR dream! The only way you can compete to the best of your ability is to worry about yourself, not who has the better gown or competition wardrobe.

Also do your research. When you apply for a job you should always research the company. It is important to find out what ideals the company finds important. What do they expect of an employee...? Think about it, pageantry is essentially the same thing. You are applying for a job, whether you realize it or not. You should act accordingly. Know the pageant mission statement, know what they expect of their queens, and know how to present yourself to the best of your ability.

One thing I will tell you, is at first you don't succeed, TRY TRY TRY again. If a goal can not be reached, remember that through the process you have improved while on your journey.


This will not be the last blog post on this topic, but I think it will work for a first :)

Always remember there are other ways you can stay up to date on information I post and things I share:

Facebook: Krisann Evelyn  and  "like" Krisann LaVogue

Instagram: thekrisann_evelyn

Twitter @lavoguecoach

YouTube: Krisann Binetti

Website: www.krisannbinetti.com

Email: kbpageantcoach@yahoo.com

Photography email: krisannevelynphotography@gmail.com

Life is beautiful when you realize you are limitless..

Krisann xoxo

First Official Blog Post

Hi everyone!

My name is Krisann Binetti. I am a pageant coach under La Vogue Pageant Coaching. You may be wondering what the Limitless Pageant Studio is, and I will get to that! First, I wanted to explain why I decided to post blogs to begin with. I know there are so many questions going around the pageant world, and I want to do my best in answering them. My Blogs will cover different perspectives on issues, interviews, live coverage of events, and inspirational words of advice.

Some blogs will be short and sweet, while others may be a bit lengthy. I am finishing a Masters program and can go a little overboard with the length of my writing :) Each week I will ask what questions the public wants answered... These questions will be the inspiration for each of my blog topics/posts.

I already have a few topics in mind! I will also have guest bloggers along the way as well. So keep an eye out! Hopefully I will answer some of your questions!! I will post my blog on Facebook and on my website www.krisannbinetti.com.

Other ways you can stay up to date on information I post and things I share:
Facebook: Krisann Evelyn  and  "like" Krisann LaVogue
Instagram: thekrisann_evelyn
Twitter @lavoguecoach
YouTube: Krisann Binetti
Website: www.krisannbinetti.com
Email: kbpageantcoach@yahoo.com
Photography email: krisannevelynphotography@gmail.com

Limitless studios simply is all I do for pageantry wrapped up into one! Coaching, photography, wardrobe consultations, resume writing and EVERYTHING else.


I also ask for feedback. You can absolutely disagree with a point of view, but I ask you keep it respectful!!! All NEGATIVITY will be DELETED and you will be blocked from all Social Media.

Thank you for all the support,
Krisann <3