(L-R): Mexico, China and Honduras
(L-R): Thailand, Japan and Indonesia
(L-R): Ecuador, Philippines and Peru
(L-R): Spain, Korea and Argentina
When it comes to National Costumes, I always get torned between the cultural and the theatrical. If I lean on one that solely evokes the spirit of the country being worn, the choice leaves me wanting for more. On the other hand, a stage-grabbing getup that uses inspirations from the country has the tendency to veer away from the true essence of a traditional attire.
So from the 89 National Costumes worn in last night’s show, I selected a dozen that I simply like for the various emotions that they trigger in me. I am not choosing one winner from the twelve picks. Instead, I am taking the liberty of sharing my five (5) best and they are, in alphabetical order:
1) China – very tasteful albeit delicately fragile
2) Ecuador – theatrical without resorting to skimpiness of the outfit
3) Japan – avant-garde but still remaining true to cultural roots
4) Korea – a very good balance of culture and theatrics
5) Mexico – flamboyant-looking while inciting a certain sense of national pride inherent in the country represented
Actually, all twelve stood out in my opinion. My five personal choices, though, are good cuts above the rest. By the way, I have to make special mention of Honduras. Hers grabbed my attention because it was way too daring. While it won’t win Best in NC, I included it in my shortlist for its sheer eye-popping impact.
How about you, dear readers? Which costumes did you like? 😉
Note: All photos above are courtesy of Jory Rivera/OPMB Worldwide.
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