Winning a major pageant title is often associated with elaborate gowns, designer wardrobes and significant expenses. For newly crowned Miss USA 2026 Justus Kelley, however, her pageant journey has followed a different philosophy.
Kelley, who was crowned Miss USA on August 27, says she has made secondhand fashion and affordability an important part of her approach to competing. Her crowning appearance itself carried that message, with a striking feathered piece in her ensemble coming from a fellow member of the pageant community.
The 31-year-old winner believes pageantry should not become inaccessible simply because of the high cost often associated with competition wardrobes.
A Secondhand Piece for a Historic Crowning Moment
Kelley took home the Miss USA 2026 title wearing a sparkling gown accompanied by a dramatic pink feathered cape.
While the overall look stood out among the elaborate ensembles onstage, the cape had a story of its own.
Kelley told PEOPLE that the feathered piece was obtained secondhand from Savannah Miles, a former Miss Georgia USA. The garment had previously belonged to another pageant queen before becoming part of Kelley’s own crowning look.
For Kelley, that history made the outfit more meaningful.
She has said she appreciates the idea of clothing having a life beyond its original owner and being given another opportunity to serve a new purpose.
Making Pageantry More Affordable
Kelley says her commitment to thrifted and secondhand clothing began long before her national Miss USA victory.
Throughout her years of competing, she has looked for ways to source outfits without spending beyond her means. That has included purchasing items secondhand, thrifting and finding creative ways to obtain clothing for pageant appearances.
After winning the Miss Virginia USA title in July, Kelley said she did not want to leave those principles behind as her platform grew.
Her goal, she explained, is to challenge the idea that a woman must spend enormous amounts of money to have a genuine chance of succeeding in pageantry.
Kelley wants aspiring contestants to see that creativity, resourcefulness and personal style can matter just as much as an expensive wardrobe.
From a $9.99 Find to the Pageant Stage
Secondhand shopping has allowed Kelley to build looks at dramatically lower costs.
She recalled the satisfaction of attending pageant-related events in an outfit that included a suit purchased from Goodwill for $9.99.
For her, the price did not diminish how she felt wearing it.
The experience reinforced one of the messages behind her fashion choices: an affordable outfit can still make someone feel confident and prepared.
That perspective places accessibility at the centre of her advocacy.
Sustainability and Accessibility
Secondhand fashion is often discussed through the lens of sustainability. Extending the life of clothing, buying pre-owned items and reducing unnecessary consumption are all important parts of the broader conversation.
Kelley agrees that sustainability matters, but she has also focused attention on another issue: accessibility.
Pageant competitions can involve significant expenses, including clothing, travel, preparation and other costs. Kelley wants women who may not have access to large budgets to know that participation does not have to depend entirely on spending thousands of dollars.
By publicly wearing thrifted and secondhand clothing, she hopes to demonstrate that resourcefulness can have a place on one of pageantry’s biggest stages.
Her Gown Had a Different Story
Not every element of Kelley’s crowning ensemble was secondhand.
Her gown, she explained, was provided to her at no cost through sponsorship by a designer based in the Philippines.
Together, the gown and secondhand feathered cape represented two ways contestants can potentially reduce the financial burden associated with pageant wardrobes: creative sourcing and professional support.
Foster Care Advocacy Also Marked Her Journey to Miss USA
Kelley’s appearance at the national competition drew attention for another reason.
She travelled with her belongings in trash bags as part of an effort to highlight the experiences of children in the foster care system. Children moving between placements may sometimes carry their belongings in trash bags rather than traditional luggage.
The gesture reflected an issue that has a personal connection to Kelley and her husband, Tyler.
Kelley has said that she and her husband have been licensed foster parents in Virginia for nearly two years. The couple has welcomed children of different ages into their home through fostering.
Her experiences connected to foster care have become an important part of her public advocacy.
A New Chapter for Miss USA
Kelley’s Miss USA victory also drew attention because of the milestones associated with her crowning.
She was reported to have become the first Miss USA winner to hold the title while being married, having children and being over the age of 30.
For Kelley, the victory brings a significantly larger platform for the causes and ideas she has supported throughout her pageant career.
Her approach to fashion remains one of those messages.
Rather than treating expensive clothing as a requirement for success, Kelley is using her Miss USA title to promote a different vision of pageantry—one where secondhand finds, borrowed pieces, sponsored designs and creative sourcing can all have a place.
Her crowning look offered a fitting example. A dramatic feathered piece with its own pageant history became part of the outfit worn during one of the biggest moments of her career.
For the new Miss USA, the story behind what she wears appears to matter just as much as how it looks.
