You...better...work

I have always seen myself as unconventional in the looks department. I was described as exotic at one point…and I’ve embraced that moniker now that I’m older and (a little) wiser.

A lot of my style and “attitude” inspiration comes from the stars of Old Hollywood and from the 60s-80s…the Glamazons as I like to call the women on my list. I see them as more exotic beauties, with eclectic/unconventional looks…but who still made men fall at their feet and women envy them. The women I admire are :

Bridget Bardot (I even named my first pony after the starlet),

Elizabeth Taylor,

Sophia Loren,

Josephine Baker,

Raquel Welch,

Dorothy Dandridge,

Lena Horne,

Pam Grier,

Jayne Kennedy,

Ava Gardner, and

Rita Hayworth to name a few.

Practically all of La Dolce Vita inspires me. There are so many spots of visual interest that grab my attention every time…it makes me a frustrated Italian every time I watch it.

I just fall in love with each of them even more every time I watch them in movies or look at their pictures.

Much of the style and poise that I want to achieve for Miss USA is inspired by all (and a few more) of the women that I listed. But more importantly what I hope to embody at Miss USA that they had was the sexiness that oozed out of their pores, but the approachability that they exuded. I would hope to carry on the spirit of their fabulous confidence when I had off to Vegas in the spring.

…but until then I’ll keep studying them and find those elements that I love most, that can help me be the woman I was meant to be.

XOXO,

MacKenzie

p.s. stay tuned for my list of favorite style movies, and current style icons ;-)