BENSON, N.C. -- The recession is forcing prospective beauty queens to cut back on costumes as they compete on the North Carolina pageant circuit.
The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Monday that beauty pageant contestants say they are cutting costs by wearing dresses more than once and selling outfits they would have retired.
Brittany Crews says she has spent thousands of dollars on pageant gear over the years. She was crowned Miss Johnston County this weekend, and said her cost for the contest was about $600.
Crews says she's been forced to thin out the costumes in her closet. She has rented evening gowns to high school girls attending proms. She's also selling some gowns, which fetch about half of the original price on the resale market.
Information from: The News & Observer
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