The woman setting a new record for taking part in beauty pageant 32 years after she first competed

WALES
Monday 28 June 2021, 11:56am

Laura White competed in several competitions in the 80s

A Miss Great Britain contestant will set a new world record by entering the competition 32 years after she last competed.

Laura White first competed in Miss GB in January 1989 at the NEC in Birmingham. In September, she will be back on the pageant scene showing that beauty is timeless when she joins other competitors at the Athena Theatre in Leicester.

After a succession of titles including Miss Penarth, Miss Pontypridd, Miss Llanelli, Miss Brains Laura has decided to return to compete.

Laura represented Miss Wales in the Miss Great Britain 1989 finals.

Back in the 80's when Laura last competed, pageants only allowed entry into the competition if the women were unmarried and no older than 24.

However, the pageant has launched a new category to increase their inclusivity called Ms Great Britain Classic 2021 which is open to women over the age of 40.
Laura said, "I am competing again after 32 years. I am going to start where I left off by entering Miss Great Britain. It's only taken me 32 years to try to win it again.

"That's got to be a record. It's come full circle for me. My daughter also entered beauty pageants so she followed in my footsteps, but now I am following in hers.

"I didn't place in 1989 but it was a fantastic experience that I want to repeat.... for me the prize is getting back on stage in a swimsuit aged 53, that is the challenge and when I do that I will feel like a winner and that's all that matters.

"I am also really excited and delighted because some of the girls who competed in 1989 and coming along to cheer me and that will give me extra motivation to put on a good show."

Laura has decided to take part in a pageant again 32 years later. Credit: Charlotte Clemie

Laura's mother first entered her into a modelling competition hosted by the South Wales Echo at the age of 15 where Laura described herself as "tall, skinny and goofy".
"I kind of thought, oh, actually, maybe I'm not so ugly after all," she said. She continued her reign across Wales winning pageants and competitions, and represented Miss Wales in the Miss Great Britain 1989 finals.
After Laura married at the age of 23 she could no longer enter the competitions and enrolled into university as a mature student. When she became a mother, she secretly enrolled her daughter Erin in a competition.

Women could only compete in beauty pageants up until the age of 24 and if they were unmarried
She explained, "I just thought that it will be great for her, especially now growing up gaining all those interpersonal skills that you use when you're doing pageants, meeting all these people, interview skills, just meeting different people. It's just so confidence building."
Then the opportunity came for Laura to revisit her competition days.
Laura said, "Back then, it literally was a beauty competition. It did exactly what it said on the tin. You were judged on the day, on the stage, purely on your looks, personality a little bit, and that was it."
Laura said it was just about being glamorous in the 80s, whereas now there's a larger focus on personality and charitable works.
However the shift in perception of beauty standards and ages have opened up new categories such as Miss Voluptuous, and this year, Ms Great Britain Classics.
"I think it's great to celebrate women at all ages and shapes as well. Not sort of all you've got married or you've got a certain age, you can just feel beautiful."

https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-06-28/the-woman-setting-a-new-record-for-taking-part-in-beauty-pageant-32-years-after-she-first-competed