There is so much beauty in counting your blessings!  As we say hello to 2026, nothing but much changed in most of our lives since yesterday. It is true that a day doesn't necessarily make much difference, but gratitude makes ALL the difference. Human nature seems to dictate that we always focus on finding ways in which our lives are not that complete instead of thinking about all the beauty in it.  I planned to write this in a great mood but a rough night's sleep (it was NYE after all, so a lot of commotion) made me feel my age when I woke up haha. I am not even THAT old. So writing this seemed like a (small) obstacle but isn't that exactly the point - that we should be even more grateful when things don't go our way.  So let me break it down into three parts:  THINGS I mean, come on, look at this. It's magical! Snowfall this heavy doesn't always happen where I am, so it makes it even more special. I am very thankful that I can see this and do you know what is...

 Oh I just love it when the women I met along the way keep persevering and keep shining. Another exceptional young human that I want to celebrate is Rachel Murgel, Miss International Canada 2025 and a top 10 finalist at Miss International 2025.  I always jokingly called Rachel 'Young Olivia' because I saw such resemblance to Olivia Culpo - and of course Rachel is even better. But she is a stunning beauty in her own right. When you ask me what I remember about Rachel, I would say 1) That she is extremely well-spoken 2) That she LOVES reading 3) That she is extremely kind and polite 4) That she is a hard worker 5) That is an absolute class act.  I was honestly quite annoyed and upset, actually, that Rachel did not place at the one I was, so when I found out that she was competing for the Miss Intenrational Canada, I knew immediately that she was going to win it. And so she did.  Fast forward to the final night of Miss International 2025 and I was so happy when she was ...

  It takes a very special kind woman, a very special kind of human to be Miss World and this year the crown when to the very worthy head of Opal Suchata from Thailand. She was crowned the 72nd Miss World on May 31 in Hyderabad on May 31.  With her victory came the honor of being the first woman from Thailand to win this title. Even when she was part of the other pageant and I saw and listened to her responses in the Q and A rounds, I thought she was way too classy for the leadership of that organization and thought she would be excellently suited for Miss World.  Destiny, fate, luck... call it what you want happened and we have out Miss World 2025.And what a true lady she has been. She has been the epitome of grace and glamour since she has won. But she looks equally comfortable when she carries out her duties as the face and voice of Beauty With A Purpose.  And as we reach the end of another pageant season, I want to say that Miss World is Miss World and it has prov...

  Finding Beauty in Freedom  "1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an 'Annus Horribilis'".   Queen Elizabeth II I would never have imagined it but 2025 turned out to be my Annus Horribilis. It was the year that would shock me the most, shake me the most, break me the most and leave me in the worst possible position and situation.  However, time has this way of teaching us. And if you really know me, you will know how much respect (and I guess fear) I have for time because time is the most precious gift we will never truly own.  You all know the story - or most of you know a version of the story, or your interpretation of the version of the story. It came with the territory.  A couple of days ago, I had an opportunity to do something I kind of feared but that was necessary. I got things of my chest. It was necessary because you can't move forw...

  In 2nd place for my Big 4 Queen of the Year, I have the lovely Miss International 2025, Catalina Duque from Colombia. I chose to put her in this place, and it was hard to choose between her and Miss Earth, was because I feel that there's still so much to learn about her and I feel a very gentile but strong presence that I admire.  Catalina won the most prestigious title in her country, Senorita Colombia, in 2024. That gave her a full year to prepare to compete for the Miss International title. Prepraration is more often than not the key to success and in her case it definitely was a factor because from my perspective she seemed at ease throughout the competition. It was like she had this inner calm that made her presence undeniable.  In her national pageant, she represented Antioquia and became the first winner from this department to win in 28 years. She is the fourth woman from Colombia to win the title. (Interesting fact: The very first winner in 1960 was also from C...

  She used to be my favourite Countess and now she is my favourite Duchess. Of all the Royals (and I do adore the Princess of Wales, too), Sophie is just someone that I feel would make anyone feel comfortable and at ease. She seems so relatable and down to earth. I love the bond she seems to have with the Princess of Wales as well. The Duchess seems to be the glue of the family and the one who is always there for everyone. I don't just admire her when I see her at glamorous events or royal functions - I truly respect the work that she does under the radar and will talk more about that in future articles. But for now I want to celebrate her formal looks of 2025.  3: French State Banquet 2025  For the French State Banquet, the Duchess of Edinburgh opted for a full length white evening gown. She looked royal and regal in a timeless creation that suited the grandeur of the occasion. As always, she wore her own tiara, the Aquamarine tiara, which I believe was commissioned and ...

  My 3rd place for Big 4 Queen of the Year, and this was incredibly hard because I almost put her in 2nd place, is the stunning young woman who gave the Czech Republic their 2nd Miss Earth crown, Natalie Puskinova.  There's absolutely nothing to question about her victory because it was totally her night. I watched the final and she just got stronger and stronger as the competition progressed. She was also the only woman in the top 4 who gave a sensible and structured answer.  Post pageant, it is also great to see that she is getting a lot of media exposure and giving the Miss Earth brand a much needed boost. I am looking forward to watching her reign unfold and I hope that she gets lots of opportunities to use the title in a meaningful way.  So cheers to a gorgeous Miss Earth who will capture the attention of Earthlings as far as she goes. I hope she will use her title wisely and productively, not only for herself but also for others. 

  One of the things I love the most is to see the women I have met along the way keep going, keep shining and keep evolving because when one door closes, there are 10 others waiting to be opened. I had the pleasure of spending almost three weeks with an incredible young woman named Luisa Victoria Malz .  What I observed was a young woman who has a beautiful spirit - a team player, a leader, a woman who is always ready to work and to help. She was always the first to act as translator . When the job interviews happened, minus the Panel of Experts, she probably spent the most time in the interview room.  Above all, I saw a young woman with such a bright light - a beautiful soul who has the drive, the ambition and the wisdom to serve, to lead and to inspire. I loved spending time with her and my personal opinion was that she should have gone further than the placement she got. (I had no voice.)  One of the worst parts of the job (because I REALLY care) was seeing her he...

  4th Place: Miss Universe - Fatima Bosch  It's really a pity that her title has been overshadowed by so much negativity. Fatima seems like a lovely young woman. She is beautiful, she is well-spoken, she is strong, she seems sweet, and she seems like a really gentle human being.  You can't look at the photo above and deny her beauty. And I have watched many interviews in which she seems to really be very clear about the fact that she wants to make a difference. And I hope she uses her title to lift as many people up as she can.  I don't think she deserves the hate. No one does. The main issue that many of us have is that we are used to a certain standard at Miss Universe. And after her altercation with Mr. Nawat, it seemed like she was not even trying. So on the night when she was crowned Miss Universe 2025, many of us were left in disbelief.  Regardless what anyone says, thinks, of feels, the fact remains: Miss Universe Mexico, Fatima Bosch is Miss Universe 202...

  There is something so touchingly beautiful when human beings get it right. For those of us who have been exposed to extreme trolling, we know the effects it can have on your well-being. And, in some cases, that can cause a ripple effect as it also affects our loved ones.  When Catherine, Princess of Wales, took a step back due to then undisclosed health reasons, the trolling was unthinkable and it showed the very worst of human behaviour. It got so bad that rumours were being circulated that she was kidnapped, that she was in a coma and even that she is no longer alive.  It's almost unreal how fast the tide turned when she made her cancer diagnosis public. I am not entirely sure how much remorse was felt by those who found so much 'joy' in being so cruel.  That's why there was so much beauty two years in a row in how she was welcomed to Wimbledon's Centre Court. And what made it even more special was that she appeared to be truly touched by the very simple outpour...

 As the year draw to a close, I would like to celebrate some of the women who brought great pride to their countries this year by winning their respective titles. I will mainly focus on the Big 4 but here are some special mentions:   Emma Tiglao, PHILIPPINES, Miss Grand International 2025  After years of hard work, the absolutely stunning Emma Tiglao from the Philippines made her country extremely proud when she achieved a back-to-back (by default but still) victory by being crowed Miss Grand International 2025. Emma has put in the work and she showed that she is ready to work and ready to put in all her energy into being the face of Miss Grand International 2025. I was very pleased with her victory and I thought it was very well deserved. May she have an unforgettable reign!  Yolina Lindquist, USA, Miss Cosmo 2025  Refreshing, exciting, relevant! Miss Cosmo is the pageant that is currently restoring my faith in pageantry. I love the fact that they are choo...

 Season 4 Episode 1 of Emily in Paris sees two of the main characters, Emily (played by Lily Collins) and Mindy (Ashley Park) attend the French Open at Roland Garros. Of course, both characters have their share of drama to deal with but let's take a look at their looks of the day.  Emily's red and white striped pantsuit is bold and tailored yet fun and playful at the same time - perfectly chic for Paris and striking to catch everyone's attention.  Mindy was the epitome of class and elegance - a somewhat unusual choice compared to her usual out of the box sense of style - in a paste pink mini dress. To her horror, she later finds out her boyfriend gave her the dress to avoid further judgement by his father about how she presents herself. Mindy later sells this outfit to fund her Eurovision dream. (Take note ladies!)  Are you a Mindy or an Emily?