Despite it having escaped the odious clutches of Trump the Chump, there’s no way Miss Universe is going to get on mainstream British television. We don’t do that sort of thing here these days. (If it is on one of the cable networks, please tell me.) So I have to rely on my American friends to fill me in on the National Costume Round, which is far and away the best cosplay contest in the world these days. Genevieve Valentine has done her usual, snark-filled review of proceedings.

Of course this year no level of snark could possibly embarrass the tournament more than the disaster of the final announcement. I’ve been critical of Hugo Award ceremonies in the past, but good grief, people! All that money, all that possibility for rehearsal, all that experience from previous contests, and you manage to screw up that badly? Oh well, at least it is an object lesson in how not to design the card with the results on it.

Anyway, back to the fun stuff. The judges seem to like weird, which is the only possible explanation for Thailand winning this part of the competition. You can see from her face what poor Aniporn Chalermburanawong thought of having to wear this thing.

Kudos goes to Monika Radulovic, Miss Australia for the purple hair and glasses. Yes, Dame Edna, you too can be a beauty queen. Nice Opera House epaulets too.

But for me the stand out costume, despite the magnificent displays of feathers and wings from elsewhere, was Miss Austria. Her team clearly knows that their country is famous for these days, and understands the relationship between this contest and Eurovision. Well done Anima Dagi for having the courage to do this.