When it comes to fashion, hair and make-up, Miss Bermuda, Alyssa Rose, has a variety of styles.
“My style is very two-sided. Sometimes I prefer the Minimalist style, which is sleek and simple. However, I also do love abstract colours and patterns and dramatic shapes. In terms of my hair, I recently cut it short in order to give it some texture, as my long hair did tend to cover my features and was limited in terms of styling. I tend to be a ‘less is more’ type of person when it comes to make-up. I stick to more natural earthy tones to blend in with my complexion and eyes. I love the cat-eye look, it is perfect for during the day and even for a night out.”
During her reign as Miss Bermuda, which she won last summer, Ms Rose said she has picked up tips from other beauty queens.
In December she travelled to China for the Miss World Pageant and said: “I learnt so many tips and tricks regarding make-up while I was away.”
Of going to the competition in China, she said: “I was surprised about how little people in Bermuda know about the Miss World Pageant and what is required of Miss Bermuda in order to compete. It is something that I am looking to alter in the remainder of my reign. Unless you sit and do the background research, many people think that I buy a dress, fly to another country, walk on a stage and that is all. It is so much more. The pageant consists of five fast track events, which require months of preparation and are ultimately based on shaping young women into well-rounded citizens. Beyond the sports and fitness, talent, modelling, media challenge and interviews, the competition encourages the contestants to get involved with humanitarian work in their countries. ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ is what Miss World stands for, and is their charity, which has raised millions of dollars for disadvantaged children around the world. This aspect of the competition is the focal point and highlights the challenges faced by communities around the world and the work these women have done to assist. It may still be called a ‘beauty pageant’ but Miss World has given the word ‘beauty’ an entirely new meaning.
It was an incredible feeling to hear the loud cheering and to see my family holding the Bermuda flags from the audience when I walked out for the first time.
“China was entirely different than I imagined it to be. In Sanya, it was very warm and humid, quite similar to Bermuda, which is why they call it China’s Hawaii. It was fast-paced and busy but ironically peaceful at the same time. We flew to three different cities located on the mainland, which was my favourite part, as I wanted to experience as much of China as possible. I do admit, it was challenging to have no access to social media or even search engines such as Google for the month. I really wanted to involve Bermuda in my experience by sharing information, photos and updating them on my journey and this was difficult to do given the limited access.”
Ms Rose says her family all travelled to China to support her which she appreciated.
“It was an incredible feeling to hear the loud cheering and to see my family holding the Bermuda flags from the audience when I walked out for the first time. It was honestly surreal. The support from people in Bermuda was also overwhelming. When I was able to access the Internet there was an abundance of messages, congratulating me, sharing photos of me from their TV screens, letting me know they have followed my journey and how proud they are of me. It really is an extraordinary feeling.”
While in China Ms Rose said she made lifelong friends with the other women representing their countries from around the world.
“We have a WhatsApp ‘chat’ group with all 114 women that competed. Everyone is able to share photos, stories and updates which is awesome. I have spoken to many of the contestants since and have been invited to their countries, offers which I hope to take advantage of in the future. I have also extended an invitation to them to visit Bermuda and stay with me so hopefully I get to see them again soon!”
Her reign as Miss Bermuda finishes this summer and she said: “It has been an extremely rewarding experience thus far. I have met and collaborated with talented locals, made new friends from 114 different countries at Miss World and have lived in China for a month. It has definitely been a year to remember! I look forward to continuing working with the Friends of Hope charity (helping children with special needs) and getting involved in community events as much as possible.”
Of her future she said: “Once my reign has come to an end, I plan on assisting Miss Bermuda to develop her ‘beauty with a purpose’. Now that I have graduated with a Master’s degree I am focusing on starting a career in Bermuda in Marketing and Brand Management.”
This article first appeared in RG Spring magazine in 2016
