Yes, you read correctly! As New Jersey-ians ourselves (and Southern New Jersey-ians, at that!), we are so happy to be announcing that Miss America is back in Atlantic City, NJ this year! And, with that comes one of the most fun events of the pageant: the "Show Us Your Shoes" Parade on the Atlantic City Boardwalk! The parade will be on the boardwalk this Saturday, and the procession starts at 5pm.
Luckily, we don't have to wait until Saturday to get a sneak peak of all the pretty shoes that the Miss America contestants designed themselves. The Star-Ledger got the inside scoop on the parade, and they even have a sneak peak video, all on NJ.com.
Miss New Jersey's shore-inspired heels (Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger )The heels that everyone at Rissy Roo's is dying to see? Miss New Jersey's, of course! Those are the beautifully decorated and themed shoes you're looking at in the above picture.
"Miss New Jersey, Cara McCollum, says she's going with a combined "washed ashore" and "Stronger Than the Storm" theme. Her peep-toe pumps, encrusted with starfish, oyster pearls and seashells, shimmer with a sea foam green and ocean blue, like "Wizard of Oz" went to the Shore."
-Amy Kuperinsky/The Star-Ledger
Cara could not have picked a more fitting theme for the return of the Miss America Pageant to the New Jersey beach. We can't wait to cheer her on at the parade and in the pageant!
Miss Pennsylvania's perfectly patriotic pumps(Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger )
We're most excited to see Miss Kansas' shoes, though. The Star-Ledger revealed that she made quite an unusual and thought-provoking choice to wear a pair of work boots for the parade because she's in the state's National Guard. Talk about a statement fashion choice! There's no photos of the shoes as of yet, but you can get a glimpse of them in The Star-Ledger's video.
This fun parade started all the way back in the 1970s, when on-lookers watching contestants rehearsing for the pageant would yell, "Show us your shoes," only to see that the girls were in slippers since they were rehearsing. Well, one year, the ladies decided to give the hecklers something to look at! Now, the Show Us Your Shoes parade has become an Atlantic City tradition that we are so happy to have back this year. If you're in the area or coming down to the Shore for one last Summer weekend, make sure to stop by the AC Boardwalk to get a glimpse of all the fun, funky, and super shiny shoes. And, of course, don't forget to tune into ABC on Sunday, September 15th at 9pm to see who will be crowned Miss America 2014!