The History of Miss World: The 1950s
Problems were already on the horizon as the competition entered its second year. Countries
with strong Catholic traditions such as Ireland and Spain threatened to withdraw their
delegates if they had to parade in bikinis. The drama was quickly resolved: bikinis were
outlawed from the pageant. The first Miss World, Sweden's Kiki Haakanson, was the first
and last winner to be crowned in a two-piece swimsuit. A year later, the 1953 contest
ran into another controversy. Nothing to do with swimwear -- this time round it was the
acid tongue of Marina Papaelia, who was Miss Egypt. Marina demonstrated an extreme case of
sour grapes when she failed to grasp victory.
As the judges proclaimed Denise Perrier of France as the winner of the Miss World
crown, Marina let fly with a temper tantrum. Huffing and puffing across the stage, she
screamed in heavily accented English, "I think she steenk!"
There's just no pleasing some people.
Marina had already run into hot water before her mini-strop. At an earlier media
luncheon, 14 of the 15 contestants showed up conservatively dressed. Marina however,
arrived in a revealing low-cut gown. As she rose to leave after the meal, it slipped of
her shoulders, much to the photographers' delight.
By the end of the decade, the outfits of contestants continued to raise eyebrows. In
1959, Loretta Powell of the United States arrived at the UK's House of Commons clad in a
Stetson, frilled shirt and tight trousers. Unfortunately she got in bother when two
stern-faced policemen asked her to hand over her two imitation guns. No firearms, even
copies, are allowed in the UK's government building.
Despite these minor hiccups, by 1960 the contest was a firm favourite in the
international calendar.
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