At Miss Universe 2024, it was all those things — and much more — as the annual pageant kicked off with its flamboyant ...

That’s a serious question, but with a delightfully nonsensical answer: All served as inspiration for national costumes on display ... representing the Netherlands and Portugal.

Five years later Holland High School Dutch Dancers took their performance to Washington D.C. for the National Folk Festival ... was choreographed, and costume standards were developed.

Miss Universe Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios, would go on to win both the National Costume competition and the main crown of Miss Universe 2023. Miss Universe's national costumes are not just pretty ...

Hector Vivas/Getty Images via CNN Newsource This year's Miss Netherlands ... the annual pageant kicked off with its flamboyant national costume competition Thursday evening.