BEAUTY, for some, is skin deep. But for two queens chosen to represent Trinidad and Tobago in the Miss Plus World, beauty is down to their big bones.
Cara Samlalsingh and Mekelia Miller who will represent TT in Texas in March, told WMN they are hoping to add to the country's regalia at beauty competitions.
Samlalsingh, who boasts of being a jack of many trades and the master of four, is a chef, cosmetologist, caterer and an administrative assistant, when she is not modelling professionally. She said she started taking pageantry seriously after entering and placing third in Talented Moms in 2016. Her first crown was at Miss Fabulous Plus, also in 2016. The following year she won Miss Plus Universe.
The 38-year-old mother of two will represent TT as the delegate for Miss World Intercontinental under the Miss Plus World banner. She, like Miller, can also be crowned Miss Plus World Intercontinental Humanitarian Ambassador based on the number of points they receive for their humanitarian efforts.
Miller, 26, will vie for the Miss Plus World title.
The two women were placed in separate categories because of their age differences. Miss Plus World is for women 19 to 34, while women 35 and over compete for Miss World Intercontinental. Both categories have the additional humanitarian title to fight for.
A full figure is not unhealthy
[caption id="attachment_930325" align="alignnone" width="683"] Cara Samlalsingh, Ms Plus Intercontinental TT, says being a full-figured woman is not about an unhealthy lifestyle. - Photo by Angelo Marcelle[/caption]
Samlalsingh said over the years she was pushed to enter pageants and be a mouthpiece for full-figured women.
“Now I'm being able to talk to young women and help them learn to love and appreciate themselves. My platform is women empowerment. Accept yourself for who you are and in turn share that love with others. Encourage other women to accept themselves because self acceptance is important. And that is what being a full-figured woman is. It is not about obesity or being unhealthy.”
Both women said they were always plus-sized and struggled with accepting not just their inner beauty but their outer beauty as well.
“I always wondered where people like me fitted in terms of beauty and the way beauty is portrayed. That is what encouraged me to start pageantry at 16. I was in love with beauty pageants and what it did for young women,” Miller told WMN.
She said at one point in her life she never thought pageantry was for someone of her size and thought she needed to change her figure. Her first pageant was Miss Full Figured Teen, which she entered ten years ago and she was the first runner up. Two years late she competed in Miss Fabulous Plus and was the first runner up.
Miller, also a cosmetologist, said it was being around women with her body shape that changed her, for the better.
“I will always credit them for changing my life because prior to these competitions I was very shy. I would never take risks. I did not believe in my capabilities. If I didn’t com
