Beauty contests became more popular in the 1880s. In 1888, the title of 'beauty queen' was awarded to an 18-year-old Creole contestant at a pageant in Spa, Belgium.
Beauty contests came to be considered more respectable with the first modern "Miss America" contest held in 1921.
Take a look at these glamorous photos to see what American beauty queens looked like from the early days.
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| Miss Chicago Georgia Theodora Hale was the winner in the first year of the Miss Chicago contest in 1922 |
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| Miss Chicago Margaret Leigh came in fourth place at the Atlantic City Miss America beauty contest, the most prestigious beauty contest in America, September of 1924 |
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| Miss Milwaukee Clare Koehler, from left, Miss Chicago Margaret Leigh, Miss Los Angeles Lillian Knight and Miss Sioux City Alta Sterling, Sept. 1924 |
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| Miss Chicago of 1925, Margarita Gonzales, circa 1925. Gonzales was a candidate for the national title at the Atlantic City beauty contest in 1925, but was eliminated in the first round |
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| Cars are covered in flowers as part of a Chrysler Parade to honor beauty queens, Sept. 1, 1926 |
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| Maebelle Soller at the Miss Chicago contest, Aug. 31, 1926 |
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| Margaret Knight, right, and two other girls participate in the 1926 Miss Chicago contest |
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| Miss Chicago contestant Lucille Burgess, left, with Betty Blythe, March 20, 1926 |
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| On Aug. 2, 1926, Mae Greene, 18, was chosen as Miss Chicago 1926 out of 4,000 rivals at the Trianon Ballroom in Chicago |
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| On Aug. 2, 1926, Mae Greene, 18, was chosen as Miss Chicago 1926 |
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| Estelle Kosloff, 20, August 16, 1927. Kosloff won the Miss Chicago beauty pageant in 1927, but was disqualified when the pageant found out she was recently married |
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| Miss America Lois Delander, 16, Oct. 11, 1927 |
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| Miss America Lois Delander, a Joliet High School junior who was selected queen of beauty at the Atlantic City pageant, is seen with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Albin Delander, 1927 |
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| Miss Myrtle Christine Valsted, 17, July 11, 1927. Valsted became Miss Chicago 1927 after the original winner, Estelle Kosloff, was found out to be married |
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| Miss Myrtle Christine Valsted, 17, was Miss Chicago in 1927 |
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| Mrs. Wallace Ford models a dress that she will wear to the Miss America costume for arts ball at the Stevens Hotel, Nov. 20, 1927 |
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| Virgina Stonesifer, from left, Betty Ann Savers, Doris Rutkin, Margaret Dorney, Novene LaRue, and Myrtle Christine Valsted in the Miss Chicago contest, 1927 |
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| Ella Van Hueson, circa June 2, 1928 |
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| Ella Van Hueson, July 3, 1928 |
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| Ella Van Hueson, June 16, 1928 |
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| Miss Universe Ella Van Hueson, June 16, 1928 |
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| The recently-crowned Miss Universe, Ella Van Hueson, 22, arrived home in Chicago for a parade in her honor on June 8, 1928 after winning the International Pageant of Pulchritude in Galveston, Texas |