2023 in photos: the best national costumes of Miss Universe

She shone from head to toe as the characteristic Nicaraguan grackle, "a bird indigenous to her country," per Insider. 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; they also carry an important message. For Endi Demneri, Miss Albania, the suit represented the eagle that appears on her nation's flag. The bird's "shimmering gold feathers meant to symbolize Albania's prosperity," Business Insider reports.

Seemingly a puffy, sweet bridal dress, Great Britain's national costume represented something really important: the Oxford English Dictionary. Some essential words like 'Goodbye' and 'Love' were attached to Jessica Page's shoulders while the dictionary itself was tied to her back.

National costumes often refer to natural wonders occurring in the contestant's home country. They may also indicate that a certain species is under threat of extinction, as Miss Brazil, Maria Brechane, demonstrated with her costume of endangered blue macaw parrots.

Miss Philippines, Michelle Marquez Dee, reminded us that she is a reservist in her country's Air Force. In her airplane costume she gave an in-flight safety demonstration, CNN reports.

A wonderful reference to the national culture of flamenco, this yellow 'Gitana' gown fits Miss Spain, Athenea Pérez, perfectly.

One of the most obvious references to a national symbol in the 2023 contest! Miss Canada went dressed as a maple leaf, the image also depicted in the country's national flag.

Well, if Canada made a clear reference, Miss USA also did her best to represent the most famous aspects of her country. For example, we see the Statue of Liberty but also a sign of Route 66, the iconic midwest-to-west-coast highway that many road trips followed in the 20th century.

Russia kept the message neutral at this year's Miss Universe pageant. Margarita Golubeva wore a fairytale dress with a traditional braid and a Russian kokoshnik on her head.

Azie Couture designed this beautiful tunic/dress in traditional songket fabric for Miss Malaysia, Serena Lee.

Miss Ireland, Aishah Akorede, wore a costume made out of recycled materials to raise awareness of the pollution of Irish waters. The image she represented was a "Celtic sea goddess," CNN reports.

Miss Nepal, Jane Dipika Garrett, was the talk of the day on global social media. Not only because she is a more 'curvy' beauty queen than usual, but also because her costume was so extraordinary. She wore "an exploding bomb's dust cloud" on her head in protest against war, CNN reported. In addition, "she released a plushie dove from the cage she carried on the runway."

Miss Singapore, Priyanka Annuncia, reminds us that an important part of the Singapore population is the Hindu ethnic group. Her face jewelry, consisting of a 'nath' nose ring and a 'mang tika' forehead ornament, is typical for weddings in northern India.

The national costume of Rikkie Kollé, Miss Universe Netherlands, was a tulip when she walked onto the runway. This flower is a Dutch national symbol, as it is one of its most famous export products.

After walking onto the stage, Kollé opened up the leaves of the tulip to reveal a dress in rainbow pattern - which reprensts L G B T Q advocacy - to express her evolution "into the proud woman she is today," CNN cited local commentators. Rikkie Kollé is one of two transgender Miss Universe candidates.

The other transgender woman in the race to Miss Universe 2023 is the Portuguese Marina Machete.
She was a true goddess in this outfit with a white armored body and a wide red cape.

The costume of Zuheilyn Clemente, Miss Honduras, was a tribute to the indigenous Lenca people of her country.

Rio Miyazaki wowed in a typically Japanese dress, accessorized by a 'wagasa' umbrella.

Miss Myanmar, Amara Bo, referred to a Buddhist tradition with her national costume donned with bank notes. According to CNN the outfit represented how, in this ritual, "a portion of a family or individual's savings are donated to their local monastery."

Bùi Quýnh Hoa, the representative of Vietnam in Miss Universe 2023, wore a striking red dress. As the designer, Chu Thi Hong Anh, explained, it was inspired by the maid outfit in the Vietnamese Mother Goddess worship ceremony.

The outfit of Miss Germany, Helena Bleicher, showcased the fairy tales that originate in Germany. 'Rapunzel' is one of them.

Miss Indonesia, Fabiënne Nicole Groeneveld, wore an impressive outfit that reflected the local art of Wayang puppet theater. Its specific meaning was the character and story of 'Ratu Luhur,' a female figure overcoming darkness.

We discerned Miss Guyana, Lisa Andrea Narin, from behind the trees of her own little forest. The Guyana beauty queen reminded us of the fact that 80% of her country is part of the Amazon rain forest.

While Miss Guyana emphasized the ecosystem of her country, Miss Chile (Celeste Viel) wore a costume that represented the Andean condor, Chile's national bird.

Miss El Salvador's costume, meanwhile, referred to the renewal of life during a volcanic outburst. Isabella Garcia-Manzo not only got applause because she was walking the runway in her hometown, CNN claimed, but also because "her costume lit up to represent an eruption of hot lava."

Pearls are among Bahrain's biggest treasures. As the national Miss Universe committee explains on Instagram, "the name of the National Costume is Durrah (درة) Meaning: A bead of Pearl." Lujane Yacoub wore the outfit with grace.

You may not immediately think of northern Europe when you see this costume, but Miss Denmark, Nikoline Uhrenholt Hansen, wore it to remind us of Viking myths about the ocean, dragons, and heroic sailors.