Kingston girl wins Little Miss Massachusetts beauty pageant

Eight-year-old Eden Victoria Shannon, of Kingston, was topped Little Miss Massachusetts on March 27 at a pageant held on the Double Tree Lodge in Danvers. 

 A pupil at Kingston Elementary Faculty, Eden has been in 5 pageants since she was 7, and gained finest dressed twice. Her mother designed her garments, and it reawakened her expertise for trend design.

Eden’s mom, Katy Shannon, is a bus driver and her father, Victor Shannon, works for the U.S. Postal Service. Pageants have been by no means on their radar.  At age 6, Eden watched magnificence pageants and requested her dad and mom if she might give it a strive.

“It began after I noticed a cartoon of a Barbie pageant and I believed it could be a lot enjoyable,” Eden mentioned.

Her mother was not instantly onboard.

“I didn’t even need her to compete, but it surely was one thing Eden actually needed to do,” Katy Shannon mentioned. Over time, they explored contests, and selected East Coast Pageants. 

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“It’s all pure, ladies below 12 don’t put on make-up, and he or she’s made lots of mates,” Katy Shannon mentioned. “It’s enjoyable trend and a mix of strolling and poses. It’s boosted her confidence.”

But it surely was her 46-year-old mom who acquired an sudden confidence enhance.

Pageant garments reminded Shannon of her former work in fashion and trend.

“Ever since I used to be 8, I needed to be a dressmaker. I studied for it,” she mentioned.

Gary “Vee” Vaynerchuk, a significant social influencer in trend, was a pal when she attended Mount Ida School in Newton.

“He modeled for certainly one of my collections in school,” Shannon mentioned.

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After commencement, Shannon moved to California and labored as a TV stylist on the cleaning soap operas “Normal Hospital” and “Port Charles” and unbiased movies.

When her brother died, Shannon moved again to Kingston, labored in visible merchandising, and married.

“After Eden was born, I needed to discover one thing that labored for her schedule so I’m a bus driver now,” she mentioned.

Eden’s pageants sparked Shannon to renew her personal dream of trend design.

“Everybody wore the identical factor, it was so method,” Shannon mentioned. “I began pondering, I might do higher stuff. Let’s do one thing totally different, so I did and suddenly I used to be woke up. One thing in me got here alive once more.”

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In each the East Coast Pageants’ Christmas (2020) and State pageants (2021), Eden was first runner-up and gained finest dressed. Enjoyable Trend is the section the place contestants put on garments that finest categorical their personalities. Final yr, Eden’s costume was a mixture of pink sparkles, feathers and leopard print, an unique design created by Shannon. 

Eden mentioned she has no worry of taking the stage to compete.

“It’s about making mates and having enjoyable,” she mentioned. “I bought extra motivated to simply be myself in entrance of the judges. I didn’t actually have stage fright. The one that had stage fright was my mother.”

Shannon laughed and mentioned, “It completely was not my factor. I’m the other of these stage mothers. I’m like, in the event you don’t win, I don’t care, I simply need you to have enjoyable.”

Eden looks as if an previous soul. Her favourite singers are Dolly Parton, Blake Shelton, Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson. She likes to sing however properly noticed, “For some cause, there’s a distinction between posing onstage and singing.”

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This July, Eden will compete within the Nationwide East Coast Pageant in Parsippany, New Jersey, with different state winners, and Shannon is engaged on her wardrobe. The ballgown will likely be bubblegum pink with ruffling on prime. For the Enjoyable Trend class, a “wild” design will characteristic 3D rosette cloth, and for the Patriotic Put on portion, Eden will put on a pink, white and blue camouflage outfit.

“She trusts me and loves no matter I do,” Shannon mentioned. 

Mom and daughter share a journey that has introduced out confidence and creativity in every of them.

Milton resident Suzette Martinez Standring writes Vivid Facet, a excellent news column that includes data on the South Shore and the individuals who reside right here. You probably have an thought for a future column, attain her at suzmar@comcast.internet. Additionally, go to www.readsuzette.com.

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