FV Style: Miss Universe 2012 Early Favorites And The Sash Factor

Coming up with my own list of early favorites was easy and hard at the same time. Weird. Following the girls online, checking their performance in each and every activity were (I guess) the hard part. But I would have to say that I'm having fun! Although I'm not physically present in Las Vegas, I'm always wired to see what's happening through the Internet. I'm glad that most of the girls have Twitter and Instagram accounts where they post pictures every now and then. Accessing them through all posted pictures is the easy part. The sash factor is something we enthusiasts are always on the look out.

Having said all of these, may I present to you my early favorites. Dim the light, here we go....

Stand-out Favorites

These are the girls who are giving those with "sash factor" a run for their money. Even before the arrivals, these girls are already making noise in the world wide web. Check them out.


Ecuador


El Salvador


Poland


Netherlands

South Africa


Croatia


Czech Republic

The Sash Factor (Old and New Powerhouse Countries)

Although I can't really say they are my favorites, I have to give it to them. I know they worked hard and are well prepared for the competition. Some of them have been ready-ing since they were kids. I am tired seeing the same structure of faces (maybe done by the same doctor, who knows), but having their sashes make them ones to look forward to each year. They could get in the semi-finals in their own merits but whether we like it or not, they have the sash factor. They have the highest probability of getting in and/or winning.

Venezuela


USA

Puerto Rico

Mexico

Australia

Colombia

Kosovo

Ukraine

Fan Votes

This is where patriotism comes in. I may be hyping about Miss Philippines but a back-to-back Runner-Up placements in 2010 and 2011 say a lot about how our candidates prepare for the battle. One can really argue if whether or not we already have the "sash factor". But one thing is for sure. Our girls did it in their own merits. There were no online voting in 2010. And fan-vote winner in 2011 was Portugal. There is high probability for Miss Philippines to be in the Top 16. Will she advance to Top 10 or Top 5? That will depend on her performance and her fate is in the hands of the judges.

Philippines

To wrap it up. This list is still subject to change come preliminary competition on the 13th. There are always surprises. Some girls are really in it to win it. Those girls who are not giving up on shining are the ones to look forward to on Thursday (Friday morning Manila Time).

Honorable Mentions

If we are in the perfect world, sash factor aside, here are my personal favorites who are also doing great in Las Vegas. Some exude freshness and confidence. They might just steal the show. Watch out!

Vietnam
Thailand.
Malaysia.
Bahamas.
Indonesia.
Germany.
France.
Guatemala.
Finland.
Georgia.
Germany.
Cayman Islands.
Bolivia.