Miss Alabama on her astronaut costume: 'It's pretty crazy, but I love it'

Gallery: Miss Alabama 2018, Callie Walker, models her wardrobe for Miss America competition

By Mary Colurso mcolurso@al.com

Callie Walker is reaching for the stars this week, and we have the photos to prove it.

An astronaut outfit -- a playful yet sincere homage to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville -- is part of her wardrobe for the Miss America 2019 competition in Atlantic City, N.J.

"It's pretty crazy, but I love it," says Walker, who's competing as Miss Alabama 2018. "I was so excited when I first put it on. It was exactly what I imagined, but better. It made me feel really proud of my state and what it's done."

The Birmingham native, 20, isn't studying rocket science -- she's a musical theater major at the University of Alabama -- but astronomy is a subject that's near and dear to her heart.

"You know how a lot of kids get a car for their 16th birthday? I was not one of those kids," Walker says. "I got a telescope. My secret dream is to be an astronaut."

Small wonder, then, that Walker selected a space-age theme for the costume she'll wear during the Show Us Your Shoes parade, set for Saturday on the Atlantic City boardwalk. The parade, a colorful and longstanding tradition, is part of the festivities leading up to the televised Miss America competition on Sunday. (The winner will be crowned at Boardwalk Hall during a ceremony that airs 8 p.m.-10 p.m. CT on ABC.)

All 51 women competing for the title will be featured at Saturday's parade, wearing flamboyant outfits that celebrate key aspects of their home states. Previous Miss Alabamas have opted for costumes that point to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia, Mardi Gras in Mobile, the Alabama Theatre in Birmingham, Crimson Tide football and more.

For Walker, the choice was cosmic -- and almost as easy as spotting constellations in the night sky -- but she wasn't sure if the Miss Alabama organization would approve. Soon after she won the state pageant in June, Walker excitedly broached the subject with the Miss Alabama team.

"I said, 'Can I say something really quick? I would really love to be an astronaut at the Show Us Your Shoes parade'," Walker recalls. "If you could see their faces ... it was, like, no way."

Walker's enthusiasm for the idea was infectious, however, and she convinced the team that her take on astronaut gear could be pretty, powerful and an attention-grabber from head to toe. (Fans who watch the parade yell, "Show us your shoes!" to the Miss America candidates as they glide past, perched atop convertibles and ready to strike kicky poses.)

"It's a little bit of Evel Knievel, combined with a 1940s headpiece kind of vibe and a silver catsuit," Walker says. "It's a lot, but it's a lot of fun. I think the boots are the most rockin' part of the outfit, considering that they have rockets on them."

Much of her astronaut costume was created by Ann Northington of North Oaks in Vernon, a longtime Miss Alabama sponsor and designer who specializes in couture pageant wear. (Walker says she ordered a silver catsuit on the internet; Northington embellished it and added an eye-catching cape.)

"I was mind-blown when I saw it," Walker says. "It's really comfortable and easy to wear. It's a little hot, but it's worth getting a little sweaty."

Her boots and headpiece were designed by Robert Logan of Backstage Florists and Gifts in Birmingham. Logan also decorated her helmet, Walker says.

Her astronaut gear passed its first test during a fashion show on Aug. 18 at the Vestavia Country Club, organized by the Miss Alabama pageant. Walker admits to a few pre-flight jitters that day, but says all systems were go once she hit the runway.

"The boots, headpiece and helmet literally arrived 15 minutes before the fashion show," Walker says. "I was a little nervous. But it was really fun to see everyone's reactions. It confirmed that this outfit was going to be a hit."

Now she's ready to undertake her next mission, representing Alabama in the Show Us Your Shoes parade on Saturday. Miss America 2018 Cara Mund will lead the procession, starting at 4 p.m. CT. The parade also features floats, marching bands, twirling groups and dance troupes.

"I've always thought the parade was one of the coolest events," Walker says. "I'm really looking forward to it."

So what does the U.S. Space & Rocket Center think about all this? Here's the official statement from Deborah Barnhart, the center's executive director and CEO:

"We're pleased Callie has chosen to represent Alabama's critical role in space exploration to the Miss America audience. We love her nod to the Mercury astronauts, those early space pioneers, and we're proud she'll be sporting the U.S. Space & Rocket Center logo on this national stage. Good luck, Callie. We hope you soar!"

https://www.al.com/living/index.ssf/2018/09/miss_alabama_on_her_astronaut_1.html