Miss England loses her bikini (but easy chaps, she's gone all sporty instead)

By Beth Hale

Modern model: Miss England Katrina Hodge (centre), pictured with Miss London finalists Kimberley Cooper (left) and Anna Watts, has called on beauty pageants to replace the bikini round with modelling sportswear


On the bikini front, there is no question that she has done her bit for her country.
But Miss England has decreed that the days of beauty queens parading in swimsuits are over.

Katrina Hodge believes sports gear is far more in keeping with the active young women of today.


The way they were: Miss United Kingdom contestants in 1968


Which is why daringly bare bikinis and one-pieces are out and tracksuit pants and vests are in for the Miss England competition this year.

And the days of lithe young beauties lining up in their swimwear are consigned to misty-eyed memory for admirers of the female form.

Those vying to be Miss England 2010 won't have to worry about looking as glamorous as Miss Hodge did when she paraded in a white bikini for the pageant last year


Hypocrite? Miss Hodge parades in her bikini at the Miss England final (left) and in a La Senza lingerie advert (right)


Times are changing: Yvonne Costello pictured at the 1973 Miss World contest (left) and Madeleine Stringer in 1977 both opted for more conservative swimsuits


Revealing: But things have changed, as former Miss England Danielle Lloyd proved when she entered Miss World in 2004


Day job: Miss Hodge is on an unpaid career break from the Adjutant Generals Corps so she can pursue her Miss England duties


But as she stepped out in the sports gear the competitors will be slipping into this year, Miss Hodge still showed off a shape to envy.

The 23-year-old Lance Corporal, who has put her Army career on hold for her year as Miss England, said getting rid of the bikini round would prove the contest was about 'real women'.

'In a world of size zero models it's not a particularly good image to give out to girls that you've got to be stick thin,' she said.

'Having done Miss England two years in a row myself, I met girls who were all dieting and worrying about the bikini round and I just thought it's not a good image for girls to have, so we should get rid of it.'

As for life after she hands back her crown in September, she is looking forward to returning to Army uniform.

'I will miss this year but it's been hard doing my hair and make-up and looking glamorous all the time.'


source :dailymail