Cynthia Bailey Offers Advice to Pageant Queens

Cynthia Bailey knows about the pressures that pageant contestants face: the Real Housewives of Atlanta star is a model, actress and founder of The Bailey Agency School of Fashion, which seeks out up-and-coming models and helps build their careers.

So it's no surprise that Bailey sympathizes with Miss Utah, who had an embarassing slip-up on Sunday at the Miss USA pageant after judge NeNe Leakes asked for her thoughts on gender inequality in the workforce.

"It is very normal to be a little nervous or simply not know the answer to the question that you are asked," she tells the Dish. "Needless to say, I was impressed to see how quickly and smoothly such a big production ran. I assumed we would be there for hours!"

 In fact, Bailey has an important piece of advice for any budding Pageant Queens who may need time to formulate an answer to a question. "It's simple," she says. "Ask the judge to repeat the question! That way you have time to regroup and try to give the best answer you can."

With that key piece of advice in mind, Bailey has five other tips for how to make it to the top of any beauty pageant:

1. Confidence is beautiful. Try to remain confident at all times.
2. Be yourself. You can never go wrong being who you really are.
3. Have a positive attitude and be a team player.
4. Make hair and make-up choices that work for you. Just because it looks good on someone else does not mean it will look good on you.
5. When it comes to great personal style, I usually say "less is more." However, for a pageant, make style choices that make you stand out and not blend in.

Bailey's Miss Renaissance Pageant will return to Atlanta, Ga. from August 10-11. More information is available at MissRenaissancePageant.com