Price

It’s not cheap to show off your child’s beauty.

Parents typically spend between $100-$200 on pageant clothing, although some pay as much as $1,000 for a gown.

Pageant fees cost another $100-$200 per contest, and the 41 mothers who Levey interviewed competed in an average of five pageants during the past year.

In addition, those with higher incomes may hire someone to do the child’s hair, or a pageant coach to give their child an extra advantage.