Senior Pageant Queens Prove Beauty Has No Expiration Date

Senior Pageant Queens Prove Beauty Has No Expiration Date

A far cry from the stereotypically cut-throat and ruthless beauty pageants you've heard about, Ms. Senior America is more about working what you've got than winning a tiara.

The annual pageant calls on women age 60 and up to showcase their talents, inner beauty and fashion sense in order to find "the gracious lady who best exemplifies the dignity, maturity and inner beauty of all senior Americans."

This year, photographer Everett Meissner was on hand to photograph the Massachusetts state-level competition and the images made our jaws drop.

"I discovered the Ms. Senior America Pageant and felt it would be interesting [to photograph] since most standards of beauty relate to youth," Meissner told The Huffington Post.

He took photos of not only the contestants but also previous winners. "They showed a great sense of camaraderie with each other," Meissner said. "It felt like more of a celebration than a competition."

Meissner says he was most struck by the women's attitudes. "These women were confident and strong-willed. You could tell by speaking with them that they had a very positive view of their age and a confidence in their beauty," he said. And that graceful aging is evident in every single one of his stunning images -- showing the women radiant in their shiny gowns and glittery jewelry.

"The way they embrace their age with pride instead of thinking of it in a negative way goes a long way," he said. Indeed.
Work it, ladies!

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