Miss Universe Gowns Have Evolved A Lot Throughout The Years

Kuusela was the first-ever Miss Universe beauty pageant winner from Finland. She was only 17 when she won the title. She looks like beauty personified in her body-thigh swimsuit. Armi Kuusela chose to wear classic poolside wear of the ’50s at the time of her crowning, which was a mandatory uniform for all the contestants.

The sweetheart neckline and thigh-high length of the suit make her look raw and real. She chose to pair her bathing suit with studs, peep-toe heels, and bold lip color.

Miriam Stevenson was the first Miss USA to win the title of Miss Universe. Her crowning dress was a welcoming change from sweetheart necklines donned during the previous years.

She wore a halter neck thigh-high bodycon dress with sequins that accentuated her lower neck area. The purple color of the dress makes it look playful and young yet classy. After winning the title, she went on to work as an American TV show host, act in movies, and model for famous brands and magazines.

Gladys Zender of Peru was the first woman of Latin American origin to win the title of Miss Universe. During her crowning, she looks like a snow angel in her ice blue swimsuit.

You can see Gladys continuing the tradition of wearing short swimsuits during the crowning. Fun fact: She was only 17 when she won the crown, but the pageant let her keep her title because she was considered 18 in Peru.

Kojima became the first woman from Japan to win the title in 1959, and she was also the first Asian to crown the title of Miss Universe. She looks like a goddess of water in her deep blue dress, which adds a pop of color to her red robe.

Her single strap dress is bejeweled with stones forming butterfly-like patterns in the bodice and a make-belief belt pattern just down the torso adding more definition and character in the look.

Linda Bement broke the long saga of swimsuit as the crowning dress with her one-shoulder gown. She looks like a princess ready for her first ball dance. The knee-high slit with one-side bare shoulder makes for a perfect tease and gives a bold vibe to the look.

The silver embellishment on the left side above the waist adds just the right amount of glamour. After winning the title, Linda went on to pursue her modeling career.

Meet Leda Maria, the first woman to take the title of Miss Universe to Brazil. Linda chose to grace the stage of Miss Universe with a celestial blue gown. With crystals scattered all over the gown, giving it a rich and royal feel.

The chiffon sleeve on the side is stitched to blow in the air while walking on the stage for a dramatic effect. The dress hugs the body perfectly, accentuating her figure.

Corinna became the first woman to win the Miss Universe title for Greece. The Greek beauty chose to wear an elfin silk gown during her crowning. The glamor of the dress is further enhanced by glittery beads strung together in the hanging shoulder frills. You can see the accents of crystal and beads lining her neck in a subtle fashion.

The beads and glitter perfectly match the crown’s bling, giving her a heavenly glow on the face. After her crowning, she went on to become an actress and model.

Sylvia won the title of Miss Universe for the USA. Her choice of one-shoulder cross strap dress gives the dress the right kind of edge. The strap is further defined by the woven crystals and beads.

The bodycon bodice of the gown is heavily embellished, enhancing her torso and paired with a faired hem making it a perfect play of tease and imagination. She is radiating like a bride waiting for her new adventure to begin, and winning the title of Miss Universe feels like a similar affair.

Martha embraced the drama for her crowning at Miss Universe. She lit up the stage with her electric blue dress with added bling. The use of the net in the neck and sleeves is further glamorized by the crystals’ sequence work and embedded choker finish.

The sequence of crystals repeats till the end giving the dress a very strong feminine character. Finally, the look is tied up together with a dramatic bow near the waist.

Shawn Weatherly, better remembered as the Baywatch actress, won the crown in 1980. She broke the pattern of blue and white gowns with her crème bodycon dress. The high neck dress features a vertical sequence of beads from start to end.

The full-sleeves of the dress follow the same beaded series with cuffs featuring crystal hangings, creating a spectacle. She has worked in many movies and television shows after winning the title.

Karen became the first Canadian to take home the title of Miss Universe. Breaking the tradition, she also became the first contestant to don a black gown in the Miss Universe pageant. Her choice of dress reeks of glamour and charisma.

A romantic touch is lent to the gown with a sweetheart neckline. The sequins of black with a hint of gold in this bodycon dress gave out a mystique vibe. Feathers featured on the hem of the dress create a tale of drama.

Lupita was Mexico’s ticket to the Miss Universe title. She chose to convey the fire of her passion through her dress color. Her bodycon dress is adorned with jewels beads creating exciting patterns throughout the gown.

The highlight of the dress would be the portrait neckline with falling shoulders that features a heavily studded design and crystal hangings around the dress. She has paired the look with equally dramatic long earrings while keeping a bare neck. It is a perfect dress to channel the inner goddesses and manifest desires.

The first Indian woman to take home the Miss Universe title, Sushmita Sen, is also a celebrated Indian Bollywood actress. Her acting career began after she won the crown of Miss Universe in 1994. She chose to wear an embellished silver dress at her crowning.

The dress showcases a plunging neckline with strap support, where embellished flower sequences are masquerading as straps. The edge of the neckline and that of the slit features the bejeweled flowers. The dress hugs the body in all the right places.

Miss Universe, turned model, turned actress, was a Venezuelan-born, American pageant winner. The mint green dress perfectly matches her breezy sunshine vibe. The strapless dress features sequence embroidery in a fading manner.

The torso of the gown is heavily spiked with beads. There are fewer beads at the lower half of her dress. She chose to pair the dress with long earrings while skipping the necklace and bracelets.

Brook Lee turned into one of the famous TV show hosts in Asia and America after winning the title. Her sensual dress had all the eye-balls on the stage. Her dress seems to be playing the game of hide-and-seek with its net and slit pattern.

The deep-cut halter neck of the dress is secured with an ornamental rim that defines the neck. The spotlight of the dress is the bejeweled net in the waist that arouses mystery. Every element of the dress exudes an alluring vibe.

Lara Dutta was the last Indian to receive the crown of Miss Universe; no one after her has won the crown after her. The Indian beauty chose to dazzle us in a sequined one-strap dress.

The body-hugging dress is covered with mild glittery beads throughout the dress – making it look like she has wrapped stars around her body. In addition, she adorns a red chiffon scarf resting on her arms pulled from the back, much like an Indian Dupatta.

Prior to winning the Miss Universe title in 2001 – Denise Quinones was also crowned the title of Miss Puerto Rico. Denise chose to keep it classy and minimal with her halter neck and a deep-back dress. She oozed sultry vibes with her plunging neckline.

There is a thigh-high cross slit on her sequined gown, making it look a-la-mode fashion. The colorful beads scattered on the evening gown adds just the right amount of fun to the look.

The title owner of Miss Universe and Miss Australia chose to go all gold during her crowning. Her dress looks like a love child of Meadows and Midas. The embellished flower texture of the dress adds femininity to the bold plunging neckline and a thigh-high slit.

Embellished details of the gown give out a royal vibe. She chose to extend the bling even in her jewelry, wearing a sparkling necklace and an open calf bracelet.

The Puerto Rican beauty stunned the audience with her bold choice of gown. The asymmetrical gown with knee length in the front, while the back tail extends till the floor, is all about drama.

The sensuality of the deep cut halter neck neckline of the gown is further enhanced by the sultry sequins work that teases with the skin show. The silver embellished dress was paired with equally bling earrings and a bracelet. Everything about her look is glamorous.

Dayana brought in the sunshine with her dress. Former Miss Venezuela donned a bodycon bodice with a flared hem. The extra fabric of the hem brings in an element of fun to the dress.

The body-hugging bodice of the dress features a bling sequence work in silver, a sweetheart neckline, and a thigh-high side slit. She has paired the look with beaded string long earrings. The combination of yellow and blue is fun, fresh, and new.

The winning dress of 2009 exhibits glamor in all its glory. The semi-portrait neckline of the sensual red dress is embellished with colorful blue and orange stones along with crystals, and the embroidery extends to the bejeweled dropping shoulders.

The cascading fabric of the dress transitions into a dramatic feather work. The beads and the feather bring the element of glee and warmth to the otherwise bold red color. After winning her title, she went on an entrepreneurial quest – and has her own beauty line.

The Mexican soap opera actress was the second Mexican to win the title of Miss Universe. For her crowning, she opted for a passionate red dress. The sweetheart neckline of the dress has a pleated work extending till the waist.

The red stones across a one shoulder strap add more character to the dress. The waist is defined by a belt effect sequence work to the otherwise flowy gown. She paired the look with crystals and ruby red stones, an embellished bracelet, and long crystal earrings.

Gabriela became the seventh Venezuelan woman to win the crown of Miss Universe. She graced the stage with a long silver gown with full sleeves. The body-hugging dress features crystal adornments that create a stripe pattern throughout the dress. She topped the silver dress with small silver earrings.

The beautiful dress exhibits the right amount of bling needed for the crowning of the Miss Universe title. She went on to work for women empowerment and founded the Universe of Blessings fund to further her cause.

Paulina became the second woman to win the title from Colombia. The Colombian stepped on the stage wrapped around in starry bling. Her bodycon strap dress with a flared hem features a plunging neckline that cuts off right before the navel.

The silver beaded ornamentation forms a vertical stripe pattern that gives it a more structured look. The bold red lips add color to the otherwise monochrome bling look. Her dress is an epitome of elegance and femininity that hugs the body perfectly, enhancing the figure.

Pia is the third Pilipino woman to win the title of Miss Universe. She entered the stage with a royal blue dress exhibiting opulence and luxury. The strapless bodycon dress features a traditional plunging neckline and a fish cut hem which is enhanced by the dramatically pleated fabric that falls on the ground.

The side edges of the dress are highlighted with scattered silver beaded embroidery, which adds just the right amount of sparkle to the dark color of the dress. Her dress feels like a dark evening sky covered with scattered stars.

Iris brought the title home to France after 63 long years. Her choice of dress during her crowning spills sensuality and opulence. The illusionary high neckline of the dress evokes enigma. The choker embellished finish of the neck features a net-covered V-shaped plunging neckline.

Golden and silver stones densely adorn the dress and form geometric patterns that add an element of structure to the dress. The long sleeves of the dress are crafted out of the bedazzled net—the body-hugging fitting of the dress transitions into a flared hem.

Demi Nel-Peters became the second South African woman to win the title of Miss Universe. She walked the stage with a dazzling skin color bodycon dress. Her gown features a midriff cut plunging neckline.

The hand-woven silver bead sequins form geometric designs adding sparkle to the muted skin color. The long sleeves of the dress also embody scattered beadwork. The slit featured in the dress lends the gown a sensual appeal.

The Pilipino diva embodied a celestial sky on stage. Her strapless red dress features accents of golden yellow and black beads adding texture to the dress. The scattered sequence work mimics the nighttime sky reminding of the old adage – red sky at night, sailors delight.

The sensational look is completed by the plunging sweetheart neckline and thigh-high slit. After winning her title, she went on to pursue modeling and singing and has recently started her own brand.

Zozibini became the third South African woman to crown the title of Miss Universe. She walked on stage with stunning silver gold and turquoise evening gown, stealing the show with her look. The silver to gold gown featured a midriff cut and thigh-high slit.

The sequenced drape sleeves and high choker neckline perfectly balance out the peekaboo element of the torso. The color trio perfectly blended together and hugged the diva’s physique in all the right ways.

The Mexican beauty dazzled the stage in a shimmery fringe red gown. She was the third woman of Mexican origin to crown the title of Miss Universe. Her silk tulle gown featured hand-embroidered ruby red crystals.

The mesmerizing fringes of Canutillo and arched-shaped crystals are evenly scattered across the dress. A slim oval neckline extends till midriff with a thin bedazzled layer falling on the shoulders, giving it an illusion of a V-neckline.