Miss America "Show Us Your Shoes" Parade

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Miss America "Show Us Your Shoes" Parade

Photos from the 2011 Miss America "Show Us Your Shoes" Parade in Las Vegas.

With intricate beading and down-home charm, 53 Miss America contestants strutted outside a Las Vegas Strip casino Friday to show off shoes decorated for their native states. Here, Lindsay Staniszewski, Miss Maryland, is reflected in a plate mirror as she displays her specially-decorated shoe.

Jaclyn Raulerson, Miss Florida; Christina McCauley, Miss Georgia; and Jalee Fuselier, Miss Hawaii (from left), wait to go on stage. The "Show us Your Shoes" event outside the Paris Las Vegas hotel-casino comes one day before Saturday's televised competition to crown Miss America 2011.

Miss Ohio, Becky Minger, wearing a flight suit to honor Ohio's history as the birthplace of aviation, walks through manufactured smoke during a photo shoot after the parade.

In Las Vegas, the girls held their handcrafted shoes aloft for a crowd of about 3,500. But the event was a nod to the pageant's days in Atlantic City, N.J., when an annual procession on the boardwalk spawned a quirky footwear tradition.

The "Show Us Your Shoes" event started when spectators would catcall Miss America contestants riding past in open-topped cars, asking them to show their shoes. They hoped to embarrass the girls because they wore elaborate dresses but casual shoes since nobody would see their feet. The girls eventually responded by displaying decorated footwear, and shoes eventually became the highlight of their outfits.

Many shoes this year would have been unwearable as decorated. Miss Connecticut, Brittany Decker, (left) displayed a high heel with a basketball hoop and "ESPN" written on the backboard in homage to UConn and the home of the cable sports network. Also pictured (second from left to right) are: Miss Colorado, Melaina Shipwash; Miss California, Arianna Afsar; Miss New Hampshire, Krystal Lee Muccioli; and Miss Arkansas, Alyse Eady.

Kathryn Knuttila (left), Miss Minnesota, stops to have her photo taken by spectators from her home state.

Cali Young, Miss West Virginia; Kimberly Brooke Sawyer, Miss Wisconsin; Alicia Grove, Miss Wyoming; and Cris Crotz, Miss Nevada (left to right), share a laugh before the start of the "Show Us Your Shoes" parade.

Jacquie Brown, Miss Washington, doesn't hesitate to show off her apples and have a chat with spectators during the "Show Us Your Shoes" parade.

Miss Michigan, Katie Lynn LaRoche, stops to be filmed during the procession.

After the parade, Arikka Knights, Miss Maine, changes into some more sensible shoes... er, boots.

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With intricate beading and down-home charm, 53 Miss America contestants strutted outside a Las Vegas Strip casino Friday to show off shoes decorated for their native states. Here, Lindsay Staniszewski, Miss Maryland, is reflected in a plate mirror as she displays her specially-decorated shoe.

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