Last November, on Melbourne Cup Eve, I was crowned Miss World Victoria at Crown Palladium which was an amazing honour.

The process to get to this point however was a long one and not to mention nerve racking!

To begin with, there were 400 contestants in Victoria which were whittled down to 30 over a six month process. During this time I went to heaps of photo shoots, catwalk classes, etiquette classes and the list goes on! One of the most valuable lessons this process taught me however was how to deal with my nerves which I thought would help those of you who are thinking about entering the Fashions on the Field Competition at the Peet Limited Pakenham Cup on Sunday, which I will be judging.

My number one tip is to pep yourself up with a bit of positive self talk. I always tell myself as I am about to strut my stuff on the catwalk that there is nothing else I can do! My makeup is done, my hair is done and I am here so make the most of it.

The way you perceive yourself is the way others will perceive you so if you feel nervous then you will look nervous. Tell yourself that you are confident and look fabulous and others around, particularly the judges which are the most important will feel your positive vibe.

I was competing against a Roxy model at one event who was absolutely stunning but extremely fidgety which is a dead give away that you are nervous. Be confident on the catwalk, have a personality on the stage and smile!

When it comes to the fashion side of things for Sunday make sure you dress your age. I once judged a Fashions on the Field competition in Hamilton and a girl who was just 14 had tried to make herself look like she was 20 which is not a good look!

Make sure you have the complete outfit, that is your dress with all the trimmings – hat, shoes, bag, gloves and accessories.

Good luck in your preparation and I look forward to seeing you on the catwalk on Sunday.

Metalle Balot