On March 9, 2024, the Miss World 2023 pageant was held to choose a beauty queen once again. The crown went to Krystyna Pyszková of the Czech Republic. To honor this event, we decided to take a look at the history of the contest and find out how the jury’s approach to assessing women’s beauty has changed over the decades.
1950s: it all started with a scandal.
Kiki Håkansson (Sweden), Miss World 1951
In 1951, as part of the Festival of Britain, the Festival Bikini Contest was held, which journalists later named Miss World. This event became a scandal because in those days a bikini was considered indecent.
Swedish beauty Kikki Håkansson became the winner of this first pageant. And to this day, she remains the only winner to have received her crown while wearing a bikini. Later, the finalists would wear a one-piece swimsuit or evening gown to the awards ceremony.
Denise Perrier (France), Miss World 1953, and Marita Lindahl (Finland), Miss World 1957
Despite the 1951 bikini scandal, the contest founder Eric Morley was pleased with the public attention and decided to hold the pageant annually. His requirements for potential participants were as follows: single women without children aged 17 to 27.
Corine Rottschäfer (Netherlands), Miss World 1959
In 1959, a major British television channel agreed to broadcast the pageant, thus making it even more popular. Corine Rottschäfer found herself in a delicate situation before the awarding ceremony when she discovered that her evening gown had holes in it. Another contestant lent Corine the dress and eventually finished third, while Corine became the winner.
1960s: Miss World is gaining momentum.
Katharina Lodders (Netherlands), Miss World 1962
In the 1960s, the Miss World pageant became one of the most watched television shows. The cash prize for the winner was increased from £500 to £2,500. In 1961, the requirements for contestants were also changed: the upper age limit was now 25 years old.
Katharina Lodders, who was crowned in 1962, addressed these criteria in her own way. On collecting the award, she said out loud, «I don’t think I’m the most beautiful girl in the world — I am the most beautiful girl here.»
Ann Sidney (Great Britain), Miss World 1964
In 1964, the winner was Ann Sidney, who later made a career in the movie industry. By the way, Morley introduced a new rule that same year: he forbade the mothers of contestants to accompany their daughters. The reason why was because the mother of one of the girls caused a lot of inconvenience to the organizers, getting involved in their work.
Reita Faria (India), Miss World 1966
In the late 1960s, the contest became even bigger. In 1966, Morley sent invitations to more than 70 countries, 66 of which were happy to respond. And in 1968, for the first time in the history of the event, a married girl was allowed to participate. In the 1970s, however, a strict criterion for the marital status of contestants was reintroduced: single only, period.
1970s: feminists change the essence of the pageant.
Jennifer Hosten (Grenada), Miss World 1970
The beginning of the decade was marked by a new scandal. In 1970, a week before the pageant, British feminists claimed that Miss World objectified women and threatened to interrupt the show. And they did it. When the event was in full swing, some female guests rose from their seats and began to blow whistles, jingle rattles and shout slogans. Later, the movie Misbehaviour starring Keira Knightley was based on these events.
In 1970, Jennifer Hosten won the crown. She became the first black woman to win it.
Marie Stävin (Sweden), Miss World 1977, and Silvana Suárez (Argentina), Miss World 1978
The conflict with feminists forced the organizers to think about the message the pageant was sending to the world. And in 1972, Eric Morley and his wife announced that the event would now be held under the slogan «Beauty With a Purpose.» The contestants were also required to present their charity projects to the jury.
1980s: «Beauty With a Purpose»
Mariasela Álvarez (Dominican Republic), Miss World 1982
In the 1980s, the slogan «Beauty With a Purpose» got another meaning: new tests of intelligence and personality were added to the contest program. In the eyes of the judges, the contestants’ personal qualities became as important as their looks.
Giselle Laronde (Trinidad and Tobago), Miss World 1986
In the second half of the decade, the contest became criticized again. The public in different countries didn’t like the fact that girls were judged only by representatives of Western countries. And in 1986, Morley decided to hold the preliminaries of the contest in Macau and give the Eastern judges the opportunity to select the contestants. The winner that year was Giselle Laronde from Trinidad and Tobago. This was the first time a representative of this country won the crown.
Ulla Weigerstorfer (Austria), Miss World 1987
And in 1987, the organizers ignored their own rule that allowed to participate girls aged only 17 to 25 and let a 26-year-old beauty to compete for the crown. Later, the upper age limit would be made 27 again.
1990s: crisis
Aishwarya Rai (India), Miss World 1994
In the early 1990s, the popularity of the contest began to decline, and major TV channels stopped broadcasting it. But Morley wasn’t going to give up and managed to find ways to organize the contest at a lower cost.
Yukta Mookhey (India), Miss World 1999
In the second half of the decade, the organizers decided to gather a jury of representatives of different professions from all over the world in order to increase the interest of the audience. So, now beauties were judged by actors and actresses, athletes, magazine editors, and top models from different countries.
2000s: a woman takes the reins.
Agbani Darego (Nigeria), Miss World 2001
In 2000, Eric Morley passed away, so his wife Julia took on her husband’s work and decided to make some adjustments. For example, she called the pageant «stupid and horrible» and promised to make it «more positive» for women. She condemned the part of the show where girls had to first parade around in swimsuits and then give interviews about their life ambitions. «Not because I thought there was something wrong, horrible, and unnatural about swimsuits, but I thought you generally don’t feel comfortable if someone is interviewing you in a tux, and you are in a bathing suit,» Julia said.
Rosanna Davison (Ireland), Miss World 2003, and Kaiane Aldorino (Gibraltar), Miss World 2009
In 2004, Julia Morley surpassed her spouse by managing to gather a then record number of participating countries — 107 girls took part in the competition.
2010s: no swimsuits
Megan Young (Philippines), Miss World 2013
In 2013, the contestants traveled to Bali. It was the first time the event was held in Southeast Asia. Also, for the first time in the history of the contest, a girl from the Philippines, Megan Young, won the crown.
Manushi Chhillar (India), Miss World 2017
Julia Morley, who had previously voiced her discontent with overly revealing costumes of contestants,
decided to remove the swimsuit competition from the pageant in 2015. She said, «We are really not looking at her bottom. We are really listening to her speak.»
2020s: what’s next?
Karolina Bielawska (Poland), Miss World 2021
The first event of the new decade wasn’t really big. In 2022, the number of countries participating in the contest was the smallest since 2003 — only 97. The winner was Karolina Bielawska from Poland. Next time, the Miss World jury gathered in 2024 and crowned Krystyna Pyszková from the Czech Republic.
Krystyna Pyszková (Czech Republic), Miss World 2023
Since modern trends criticize various beauty standards, there is a possibility that the Miss World organizers will choose to stop using any selection criteria for future contestants, following the example of Miss Universe. In 2023, the latter removed the upper age limit for contestants. And since Julia Morley suggests that it is personality that should be evaluated, we are sure that changes in the contest are not long to wait.
Speaking about Miss Universe. Here’s what 16 Miss Universe winners look like now.
Preview photo credit Harry Pot / Nationaal Archief / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 NL DEED, Historia de la belleza / Wikimedia Commons, EAST NEWS, Rajanish Kakade / Associated Press / East News
My Stepdaughters Despised Me as Low-Class and Worthless – Suddenly, They Changed Their Minds
When I fell in love with an older man with three adult children, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. His daughters thought I was with him for his money, but when they discovered the truth about our dynamic, they tried twisting my arm, and I wasn’t having it!
I never imagined falling in love in my forties would come with so much judgment. I’m 43, and I’ve been dating Elon, a 61-year-old widower. He works in banking, and I’m a bartender. Sadly, our relationship made his daughters assume that I was only after his money an opportunistic gold digger.
A happy bartender | Source: Midjourney
I understand how, to Amanda and Claire, on the surface, it looks like a cliché, a younger woman with an older, wealthier man. His two daughters certainly thought I was looking for financial gain, while their brother, Mark, was the only one who welcomed and accepted me warmly without knowing anything about my financial standing.
What his daughters didn’t know was that they couldn’t have been more wrong about me and their father’s situation. Elon isn’t wealthy anymore. In fact, he’s broke. Meanwhile, I have a trust fund and many thriving businesses.
A well-off bartender | Source: Midjourney
The truth is that bartending is something I do because I enjoy it, not because I need the paycheck. Elon’s financial struggles aren’t because he was careless with money. He actually sacrificed everything for his late wife during her battle with cancer.
Three times, the cancer came back, and each time Elon fought harder, pouring every resource into treatment. This wonderful man maxed out six credit cards, took out a second mortgage, and drained his retirement savings to give her every possible chance.
A stressed man | Source: Midjourney
His only goal was to make sure she lived long enough to see their daughters get married, but he failed. His wife passed away a few years before we started dating. Now, he’s left with mounting debts, while his daughters live comfortably in their own suburban bubbles.
The pair live six hours away with their fiancés, and for the past two Christmases, Elon and I made the long drive to visit them. Both times, I was met with cold shoulders and passive-aggressive remarks!
Mean-looking sisters | Source: Midjourney
Amanda and Claire would ignore me, pull their father away when he tried to include me in conversations and ensure their fiancés avoided me too. The duo constantly portrayed themselves as coming from some sort of high-class family.
Periodically, they dropped rude comments about me being “just a bartender” and having nothing. They’d say things like, “At your age, being 40, it’s sad to be just that.” Elon tried to defend me as best he could.
An upset man | Source: Midjourney
The first year of our Christmas visit, Elon called them out for their behavior. They apologized, but only to him, but excused their behavior by saying it was hard to see their dad with someone who wasn’t their mom.
Because I loved Elon and saw a future with him, I decided to be understanding. Grief can twist emotions. But the second year was even worse! The thinly veiled comments about my bartending work became more direct.
A sad woman with her eyes closed | Source: Midjourney
Amanda once laughed and said, “At your age, it’s kind of sad to be just that. Waiting for a handout from our dad.”
Claire smirked but didn’t disagree. I didn’t correct them. I didn’t tell them about my trust fund or my businesses. I didn’t see the point. I don’t like boasting, and frankly, they didn’t deserve to know.
I wanted Elon’s children to like me for who I am, not what I have or can give them or their father financially. Little did I know that a gift to their father would change the relationship between me and them forever.
A happy man in a new car | Source: Midjourney
This year, I told Elon I wasn’t going. I couldn’t put myself through that humiliation again. He looked torn, saying, “I wish you’d come. It’s Christmas.”
“I can’t, my love. They don’t respect me. Why should I keep showing up to be ignored?”
He sighed. “I don’t want to do this without you, plus you know my back’s been acting up. The drive’s hard alone in that ratched car without someone to help.”
Not wanting to come between him and his family, I insisted he go alone and decided to make things easier for him.
A concerned woman | Source: Midjourney
His car had seen better days and wasn’t as comfortable for his problematic back. My brother owns a car dealership, so I leased a luxury car for him, something safe with comfortable seats for the long drive.
When Elon mentioned the car to his daughters, they exploded! They accused him of spending “their mother’s money” on me and wasting it on a “stupid car” instead of helping with their upcoming weddings. Their entitlement was astounding!
Two angry women | Source: Midjourney
They didn’t know Elon was drowning in debt or that I had paid for the car, and he couldn’t get a word in edgewise to correct their misgivings! But that wasn’t the worst of it…
Elon’s son, Mark, lived in a different country, and because of his son’s medical issues, he’d never attended holidays at his sisters’ in recent years. His life hasn’t been easy with his young son, Ethan, struggling with serious health problems, and the medical bills were piling up.
A father with his ailing son | Source: Midjourney
Mark and his wife, Sarah, had to sell their car just to keep up with treatments. They were stuck, isolated, struggling. Hearing about it broke my heart. Elon didn’t ask me to help. He barely mentioned it. But I couldn’t shake the image of Ethan and his parents stranded without a car.
So, I bought them one. It wasn’t extravagant, just a reliable SUV to get them to doctor appointments and back. I didn’t say a word to anyone about it except Elon. I didn’t do it for recognition. But the news got out.
A happy couple with a new car | Source: Midjourney
When Amanda and Claire heard about the car, naturally, they assumed Elon had bought it. They were furious!
“Why would Dad buy them a car and not help us with our weddings?” Amanda whined.
When Elon told them the truth, that I had bought the car, they went quiet. Then, suddenly, they seemed to have a change of heart and called me on their father’s phone wanting to meet. They told me and Elon that they wanted to apologize, to “clear the air.”
An upset father talking to his daughter | Source: Midjourney
I agreed to meet them but only as a test. Elon was hopeful, but I wasn’t. When they arrived at my house, which Elon lived in with me after losing the one he shared with his late wife, at first, they seemed sincere.
Amanda smiled tightly, saying, “We’re sorry. We misjudged you.”
Claire nodded. “It was wrong of us. Thank you for helping Mark. It means a lot.”
I wanted to believe them. For a moment, I thought maybe this was progress…
A suspicious woman | Source: Midjourney
Then Amanda leaned forward, voice soft and casual.
“Oh, by the way… with our weddings coming up, it’d be AMAZING if you could help with some of the costs. Nothing huge, of course.”
Claire jumped in.
“Yeah, just a little something. You’ve already been so generous.”
And there it was! The real reason they wanted to meet!
I smiled politely. “No.”
A determined woman | Source: Midjourney
Amanda’s smile vanished. Her face turned red. “Are you serious?! After everything you did for Mark?”
Claire’s expression twisted. “You’re such a hypocrite! You act all generous, but you’re selfish!”
When Amanda slammed her glass down, causing her wine to splash across the table, Elon tried to cut in, but she cut him off! “Unbelievable!” she shrieked before storming out.
Claire leaned in, eyes narrowed. “You’ll regret this. Don’t think we’re just going to let you ruin everything.”
Then she left, slamming the door behind her!
An angry woman leaving | Source: Midjourney
Elon sat in stunned silence.
“I told you they’d react like this,” I said quietly.
He stared at the empty doorway, then at me. His shoulders sagged. “I didn’t want to believe it.”
“They’ve had every chance to treat me like family, Elon. They don’t care about me. They only care about what I or you can give them.”
He nodded slowly. For the first time, I saw relief in his eyes, like he’d been holding onto some false hope and finally let it go.
A defeated man | Source: Midjourney
Later that night, Mark called, and his father put him on loudspeaker. “Thanks again for the car, Sandra! It’s already made life so much easier!”
Elon quickly filled him in on the failed meeting with his sisters, and his reply was, “I don’t know how you deal with Amanda and Claire! You are a saint!”
I laughed. “I’m not a saint, Mark. I just know where to draw the line.”
A woman laughing while talking on the phone | Source: Midjourney
Since then, Elon’s relationship with his daughters has been distant. He’s reached out, but they keep their conversations short. I feel bad for him, but I can’t fix that. The greatest thing about what happened during that meeting was that Elon’s focus had finally shifted!
We started planning small weekend getaways, enjoying quiet nights in, and reconnecting with Mark’s family! Ethan even calls me “Auntie” now, and that melts my heart!
A happy woman with a little boy | Source: Midjourney
I decided that Amanda and Claire could think what they wanted. I know the truth, and so does Elon. That’s enough. Our relationship isn’t built on money or appearances. It’s built on trust, respect, and love. And for the first time, I feel truly at peace.
A happy woman | Source: Midjourney
While Sandra’s boyfriend’s children didn’t accept her for who she is, in the following story a man with a stepdaughter struggled with their relationship. Then one day she invited him out but acted strangely, when she finally revealed the truth behind her behavior, the pair shared the warmest hug!
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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