Double Victory for San Diego as it takes the Crown for Miss California USA 2013 and Miss California Teen USA 2013!!
Two native San Diego women took the title and the crown in both Miss California USA and Miss California Teen USA. Maybelynn Capeluj, 21 of San Diego, California won the title for Miss California and Cassidy Marie Wolf as Miss California Teen USA. The live two-night star studded event that began early Saturday, January 12th and ended Sunday night January 13th. The Miss California Pageant is the largest state pageant and already in it’s 9th year in a row of crowning achievement. Saturday began with the preliminary event where the 200 plus contestants got an opportunity to present themselves before the judges before being filtered down to 20 contestants for the finale Sunday night. The women proudly represented their native suburbs throughout the State of California. The live event took place at the Convention Center in Pasadena where over 220 ambitious contestants competed for the prestigious titles. This year the event also made beauty pageant history as Kylan Wenzel, was the first transgender woman was allowed to officially compete for the state title in the 63-year history of Donald Trump’s Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants.
San Diego winner Maybelynn Capeluj, 21 winner of Miss Calfornia USA 2013
Cassidy Marie Wolf, San Diego winner of California Teen USA 2013
Former Miss USA 2003, Susie Castillo, hosted the event. The event was judged on three categories: Interview, swimsuit and evening gown. They also were judged on character, poise, confidence and personality.
Among the judges this year are: Jaan Assaf from the UCLA Children Hospital Mattel Dream Team, Charisma Carpenter from ABC’s Family The Lying Game, Amanda Che who was Miss California USA pageant’s official swimsuit sponsor and Mark Harris of WOW! Creations Media just to name a few. The finale also took place at the Pasadena Convention Center where the contestants won awards for different categories. Mary-Kate Fitzpatrick, also miss “Palm Springs” won two awards that night. A Tony Bowls award for best evening gown and Miss Congeniality. She definitely deserved the awards because judging from her dress she took the cake. Fitzpatrick wore a stunning scarlet red colored floor length mermaid style custom-made gown by Christian Pelayo, from the Christian Collection. Pelayo, who custom designed this stunning gown for Fitzpatrick is also part owner of the Crown Diva Boutique in Santa Monica California. Mary-Kate competed for the title last year and made top 10 so she decided to try again this year. She is an aspiring model and actress and also a film major at Mt. Saint Mary University in Los Angeles. She loves being on stage and feels that being on stage will help give her that extra confidence that will later help her in her career.
Keylee Sanders (Left) and Keith Lewis (right)
(left) Keith Lewis (right) Mary Kate Fitzgerald
The Los Angeles Fashion Magazine got an opportunity to speak with the two producers who are also veterans in the entertainment industry.
Keith Lewis, who is the director of Miss California USA and Miss California Teen USA since 2003. He also has worked for VH1 and founded a full service-modeling agency, The Morgan Agency, in Hollywood, Calfornia. Mr. Lewis spoke to our magazine on the contestants and the pageant “Our competition isn’t really about just a beauty pageant. They get a local title, they are expectant to work in their community, and they are expectant to work in philanthropic causes that are important to them and to raise awareness on issues that are relevant.”
What advice can Mr. Lewis offer to girls out there wanting to try out for Miss California? -
“Go to our website and apply which is the first step. Our contestants need to be disciplined and conscious of nutrition and exercise, their appearance and to always strive to be the very best that you can”. We also got the opportunity to speak with another producer of the show who was also once a former beauty pageant contestant herself, Keylee Sanders.
Sanders is a style expert, television personality and founder of Style Studio LLC. She has been seen on TV such as E! Network, The Style Network, TV Guide and is a celebrity stylist. Sanders explains to us “a lot of mental preparation goes into being a contestant”. “It’s a lot of mental preparation and a lot of hard work.” When asked who creates the ideal winner of the title holder she explained “ the girl who really has that self confidence, has the IT factor, something different and unusual about her. She got to want it, and want it really bad, those are the girls we want as title holders and that do really well”. The night closed with the two San Diego winners being crowned and an after party to continue the celebration.
Needless to say the night was filled with excitement, glamour, beauty, fashion and fun!
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