Most beauty pageants no longer require a swimsuit round. Miss Universe and Miss USA still hold a swimwear competition, but Miss America dropped its swimsuit segment in 2018, Miss Teen USA replaced it with athletic wear in 2016, and nearly every online, vote based pageant skips it entirely. When a swimsuit round does exist, judges score fitness, poise, and confidence on stage over roughly 30 to 60 seconds, not body measurements against a fixed ideal.
Updated August 2026
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Enter the pageant freeWhat is the swimsuit round in a beauty pageant?
The swimsuit round, also called the swimwear or bikini round, is a scored segment where contestants walk across the stage in a swimsuit while judges assess physical fitness, posture, and stage presence. It usually lasts 30 to 60 seconds per contestant and happens during the preliminary competition rather than the televised finale. Historically it carried real weight toward the final score, though modern pageants that keep it frame it as a confidence and fitness presentation, not a body contest.
The round has become the most debated part of pageantry. Critics argue it reduces women to their appearance, which is exactly why several major systems have removed it over the past decade. Others defend it as a test of the discipline and self assurance it takes to walk a stage in front of a live audience.
Which beauty pageants still have a swimsuit competition?
Only some of the big systems still run a swimsuit round, and the trend has been steadily away from it. Miss Universe and Miss USA keep a swimwear segment, while Miss America and Miss Teen USA have both dropped it. The table below shows where the major American and international pageants stand in 2026.
| Pageant | Swimsuit round? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Miss Universe | Yes | Swimwear presentation remains part of the preliminary competition |
| Miss USA | Yes | Swimsuit round retained as a scored segment |
| Miss America | No | Eliminated in 2018, replaced by a live interactive interview |
| Miss Teen USA | No | Replaced with an athletic wear round in 2016 |
| Miss World | No | Dropped the bikini round in 2015 under its Beauty with a Purpose framing |
| Miss Earth | Yes | Keeps a swimwear segment, often presented with an environmental theme |
| Miss USA state pageants | Yes | State preliminaries mirror the national format, so swimsuit is scored |
| Most online, vote based pageants | No | Judged on submitted photos, presentation, and public votes |
If you want to avoid the round completely, look at local scholarship pageants and online beauty pageants, which almost never include one. Always read the official rules before you enter, because formats change from year to year. State preliminaries follow their national system, which is why a woman weighing the two routes in a single state, as we set out for beauty pageants in Pennsylvania, faces a swimsuit round on the Miss USA side and none at all on the Miss America side.
How is the swimsuit round judged?
Judges score the swimsuit round on how a contestant carries herself, not on measurements. In the systems that still hold it, the criteria center on physical fitness, posture, a controlled walk, and the confidence to hold the stage for under a minute. A contestant who looks comfortable and moves with intention almost always outscores one who is visibly nervous, regardless of body type.
| Criterion | What judges look for |
|---|---|
| Fitness and tone | A healthy, cared for physique, not a single ideal size |
| Poise and walk | A steady, controlled walk with clean turns and stops |
| Confidence | Relaxed shoulders, eye contact, and a natural smile |
| Overall presentation | Fit of the suit, grooming, and matching heels |
For a full breakdown of how points are split across every segment, see our guide to beauty pageant judging criteria.
Why did Miss America get rid of the swimsuit competition?
Miss America ended its swimsuit competition in June 2018, when then chair Gretchen Carlson announced the change on live television as part of a relaunch the organization called Miss America 2.0. The stated reason was that the competition would no longer judge contestants on physical appearance, and the September 2018 competition was the first held without a swimsuit segment in the pageant's history.
The swimsuit round had been part of Miss America since the 1920s, so removing it was the single biggest format change the organization ever made. It replaced the segment with a live interactive session in which contestants talk about their social impact initiative, which shifted weight decisively toward interview. That is why preparation advice written before 2018 reads so differently: on the Miss America side, the walk is gone and the talking is what scores.
What are the rules for a pageant swimsuit?
Rules are set by each pageant rather than by any central body, and they get specific. Most rulebooks address cut and coverage, whether two pieces are allowed, heel height, jewelry, cover-ups, and whether you must wear a designated sponsor suit. Breaking one of these rarely disqualifies you outright, but it can cost presentation points, and buying the wrong suit is an expensive mistake to discover at rehearsal.
| Rule area | What pageants typically specify |
|---|---|
| One piece or two piece | Adult national systems usually allow two pieces; teen and many local pageants require one |
| Coverage and cut | Minimum coverage rules are common, and thong or extreme high-cut styles are usually banned |
| Heels | Almost always required, often with a minimum or maximum height |
| Jewelry and accessories | Frequently limited to simple pieces, sometimes banned entirely |
| Sponsor swimwear | Some pageants supply or require a specific suit, which overrides your own choice |
| Cover-ups and sarongs | Usually allowed to and from the stage, not during the scored walk |
The practical step is to get the wardrobe section of the rulebook in writing before you buy, and to ask the director whether last year's rules still apply. Formats change more often than most contestants expect.
What color swimsuit is best for a pageant?
Solid, saturated colors photograph and score best, because they read cleanly under harsh stage lighting and keep the judges' eyes on your walk rather than on a pattern. Jewel tones, classic red and white are the safe choices for most skin tones. Busy prints, sheer panels and heavy embellishment tend to work against you on a lit stage.
Fit matters far more than color. A suit that shifts when you turn will pull your attention through the entire walk, and judges notice a contestant adjusting herself. Buy for the way it behaves when you move, have it altered if you need to, and rehearse in it rather than saving it for the night.
Is the swimsuit round a bikini or a one-piece?
It depends on the pageant and the age division. Adult systems like Miss Universe typically allow a two piece bikini, while many local and teen pageants require a one piece suit or ban two pieces outright. Some pageants also set rules on coverage, cut, and color, and a few require a specific sponsor swimsuit. Read the wardrobe section of the official rulebook before you buy anything, because a suit that breaks the rules can cost you points or disqualify the look.
How do you prepare for a pageant swimsuit competition?
Preparation for the swimsuit round is mostly practice and fit, not crash dieting. Choose a suit that fits your frame and stays put when you move, break in your heels, and rehearse the walk until the turns feel automatic. Steady training and good sleep in the weeks before the pageant do far more for your stage presence than anything last minute. For a week by week plan that covers every segment, read our guide on how to prepare for a beauty pageant.
A common mistake is treating the round as a body test and starving before the show, which drains the energy the walk actually needs. Judges reward a confident, well rested contestant over a depleted one every time.
Do online beauty pageants have a swimsuit round?
Almost none do. Online, vote based pageants are judged from submitted photos and video plus public voting, so there is no live stage and no swimsuit walk to score. MissSlavic, for example, has no swimsuit round, no bikini walk, and no measurements: contestants are judged on personality, presentation, and votes from the public. Dropping measurements is also what makes it a genuine plus size beauty pageant rather than one with a separate category bolted on. That format is a good fit if you like the idea of competing but not the idea of a swimwear segment.
Can you skip the swimsuit round?
In a pageant that scores swimsuit, skipping the round usually means forfeiting those points or withdrawing, so you cannot opt out and still place. The real choice is made before you enter: pick a system whose format you are comfortable with. If a swimwear segment is a dealbreaker, enter a pageant that does not have one rather than trying to sit it out. Our roundup of beauty pageants for women shows which formats drop the round entirely.
What do you wear if there is no swimsuit round?
Pageants without a swimsuit round put more weight on evening wear, interview, and presentation, so your gown and your on camera confidence carry the score. In an online pageant, a strong set of photos and a clear introduction matter most. Our guide on what to wear to a beauty pageant covers gowns, interview outfits, and how to build a wardrobe that photographs well.
The takeaway
The swimsuit round is fading from pageantry. A handful of major systems still hold one and judge it on fitness and poise rather than measurements, but Miss America, Miss Teen USA, and nearly every online pageant have moved on from it. If the segment is not for you, you have plenty of options: enter a system built around interview, talent, or public voting instead. You can enter MissSlavic free and be judged on who you are, not a swimwear walk.