The American Music Awards red carpet was filled with a variety of gorgeous gowns and inspiration for pageant competitions. With USA state and nationals underway, here are my picks for your upcoming red carpet moment.

Sexy Conservative

I call this look the sexy conservative. From the front, the gown appears to give full coverage. When approaching the judges, your captivating eyes, smile and a pair of glowing earring will draw the judges. Then when you turn to leave, BAM! You'll hit them with an unexpected finish. This gown is best for a small to medium busted, Miss contestant with a strong feminine back and well defined hips.

Plunging Neckline

My next AMA red carpet pick is the plunging neckline trend. Usually, a pageant contestant will choose exposure above or below. Doing both may seem a bit risqué and take away from your overall presentation but it's a risk some are willing to take. Though the middle example is more of a v-neck than a plunge, I would advise wearing double-stick tape (as discussed in my nip-slip post) for all three looks. This neckline also looks best on a small to medium busted Miss contestant. Wider straps are recommended for stronger/ broad shoulders. An A-line or flared bottom is a great look for women with smaller hips to create a balance with the top part of her body.

Crop Topping

Crop tops aren't going anywhere just yet. They've hit the red carpet, spring prom magazines are filled with them and you better believe you'll be seeing them on the pageant stage. I love how they (look 1 & 2) flatter most shapes and sizes. This look is great for Miss and Teen contestants as well as plus sized pageant competitors. Keep in mind that if you choose to wear look three, it's actually one piece with flesh toned material connecting the two. Overall, crop tops are winning!

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Beaded and Embroidered

Beaded and embroidered dresses are great for shining on stage. Look 2 is definitely a go-to gown. I'd remove the sleeves on look one and I love the skin-toned sheer panels on dress three. It's different but beautiful for the right body type. All three of these dresses are form fitting and show of the silhouette of the person wearing it. What may look good on one body type may look awful on another. The key is to try the dress on even if it doesn't look appealing on the hanger or looks amazing on the mannequin. You'll never know until you try it on.

High Leg Slit

High slit dresses are a staple in pageant competitions. No pageant is complete without leg-sposure. Gown one is beautiful as is however, one alternative would be to change the belt to a clear crystals so that the black belt doesn't look so severe, cutting you at the waist on stage. I might even get a custom bedazzling at the bust line down to avoid looking like a bridesmaid. The gold belt in look two should also be removed or replaced for a better flow. Though I'm not a fan of the geometrics going on in look three, this dress is definitely an inspiration. Needless to say, high leg slit gowns are amazing for women with great legs in Miss categories, particularly tall women.

Bold and Beautiful

These two beauties rocked some bold numbers very well. In pageant competitions, I've seen girls come out in the same dress but different color plenty of times, so sometimes it pays to take a bold risk. While the color blocking might be a bit much for pageantry, I'd encourage the mixing of materials, asymmetrical neckline and high slit (look 1). As for the bright yellow, I love the shape and would encourage women with a deeper skin tone (olive and deep browns) to wear them.