20 year old Chloe Lake was crowned Miss Galaxy Scotland at the UK Galaxy Pageants 10th anniversary! Get to know Chloe by reading her interview below!
What made you want to enter the UK Galaxy Pageants?
Since I was 16 and first followed the 2014 Galaxy queens’ journeys to Orlando, Galaxy has always been a dream of mine! I entered the Miss Teen Galaxy Scotland competition in 2014, and competed the following year – placing 2nd runner up to Laura Macmillan, and I was so pleased with how I got on. I think that’s where my love of pageantry started; it sounds cliché, but I made so many friends over that weekend that I still keep in touch with regularly, and I had so much fun. It led me to competing in Miss Teen GB, where again I did well – but due to various things happening in my personal life, I had fallen out of love with pageants and I really wasn’t myself. After spending time with a different organisation, I decided I wanted to go back to where I had the most fun: Galaxy. So, I sent off my application for the Miss Galaxy Scotland competition – the rest is history! Galaxy is where I found my ‘sparkle’ originally, and I definitely think that it is where I got it back, too.
What did you do to prepare for the final?
To prepare for the final, I basically had to become a time management wizard. Not even kidding!! I have almost finished the first year of my Law degree which at times can be very tough, I work, and last year I became a crazy dog mum to my Pomeranian, Pippa. Add appearances and charity fundraising into that mix and you can imagine, I’ve been a very busy person. I made a deal with myself over the Christmas period that I would focus solely on my academics so that I wouldn’t have to do any re-sits near to the UK finals, and I ended up doing very well! So since the New Year, I was able to focus on completing appearances, raising money for The Christie, and making sure I was fit and healthy. I also met up with Rachael Tate of The Pageant Coaching Academy, as I felt that I wanted to push myself to be the best I’ve ever been on stage and in interview.
What is the best thing about being a Galaxy Girl?
There are so many amazing things about being a Galaxy Girl! When you enter Galaxy, win or otherwise, you become part of an amazing organisation that is really more like a family. Again, at the risk of sounding cliché, I have met some of my very best friends through Galaxy, some are now my sister queens which made winning this year all the more special! There is something about competing at Galaxy that really does give a person new found confidence, and willingness to be the best person you can be. It also provides so many new opportunities and ways to step outside of your comfort zone – if someone told me a year ago I’d be training for a half marathon later this year, I’d have probably had a laughing fit – but as Miss Galaxy Scotland, I’ll be running the Scottish half in aid of Mind.
Who is your inspiration?
I have a few people that I consider to be inspirational, from all different walks of life – of course including my mum. But within pageants, I have two:
Deone Robertson is one of them, I first met Deone when she was handing her crown back in the 2015 UK Galaxy finals, and ever since she has definitely been one of my role models, competing nationally and internationally, representing both Scotland and Great Britain, as well as being one of the most genuine people you’ll ever meet within pageants, it is not hard to see why she is so loved by pageant girls!
The second is Bella Normand, Miss Galaxy Scotland 2015 and Miss Galaxy 2016. For me, Bella is the ultimate Miss Galaxy, and really epitomises what I feel being a Galaxy queen is all about – being hard working, determined and dedicated, but also beautiful on the inside as well as glam on the outside!
What part of the international Galaxy Pageants in Orlando are you most excited about?
Everything!! I’m definitely looking forward to meeting the other delegates from all over the world, and sharing this amazing opportunity with Team UK – our group chat goes off 24/7, so you can imagine how excited we all are. I’m also looking forward to experiencing the Belleza Latina competition too, I have heard that the Latinas are fierce!!
Tell us your favourite:
Film/tv programme – Suits or Riverdale at the moment!
Food – Has to be Cadbury’s Daim bar… they are meant to be for sharing but I don’t think I’ve ever shared one….
Song – Birthday by Katy Perry – I can’t get it out of my head and it’s been nearly a month since Galaxy!!
Beauty/make-up product – My Fenty Beauty highlighter. Rihanna got it sooooo right with her makeup line!
Do you have any exciting plans/appearances organised for your year as a Galaxy queen?
I have lots organised for my year as Miss Galaxy Scotland. I’m hoping to do lots of fundraising for Mind, which is a national mental health charity. So far, to do this I’ll be running the Leicester 10k and the Scottish half marathon. I have also been asked to judge a couple of national pageants which is always good fun. I’m going to be working at the Harrogate Bridal Show for the 3rd year running, where I’ll be modelling for household pageant brands such as Rachel Allan and Alyce Paris!
When you aren’t busy being a beauty queen, what do you do in your free time? Do you have any hobbies?
I’m very lucky to have a really good friend group of girls, who have supported me since day 1 in pageants! So when we are all free, we enjoy just relaxing – we’re all quite busy people! So that usually involves ordering in, and watching movies, usually Mamma Mia or something like that! I work out several times a week, this helps me to wind down after a long day at uni or a busy weekend of appearances. I like to spend time with my boyfriend and his family too, as they live far away from me. His nephew thinks I am the actual queen that lives in Buckingham palace…
What advice would you give to girls who are thinking about entering the UK Galaxy Pageants?
Any girl thinking about entering Galaxy needs to hit send on that application form straight away! I don’t think I’ll ever have enough positive things to say about Galaxy. It really isn’t always about taking the crown, it’s about learning something new about yourself, making more friends and gaining bigger and better opportunities along the way. It’s all about looking for new experiences, and seizing chances with both hands. My advice would be, as silly as it sounds, to shoot for the moon – you’ll land among the stars, and be authentically you – don’t be afraid to be happy and confident within yourself!
Taking part in a pageant is a confidence building exercise – and where else are you going to sit in a room with tens or hundreds of other like minded women, who share the same interest as you! If you are looking at our crazy Galaxy family and wanting to join in on the fun, well, the only way you’ll be able to do that is to enter!
Love, Chloe – Miss Galaxy Scotland x
Photography – Van Der Meuwe