Published: October 07, 2009 09:44 am      

Playtime to Pageantry

Some of Jacqueline Cooper’s most cherished childhood memories center around her making over her girlfriends.

“It didn’t matter what we were playing, they had to be made-up first,” said Cooper.

Today, she’s still making over her girlfriends, only now she gets paid to do what she loves.

Contrary to how it sounds, it wasn’t exactly a straight road that led Cooper to where she is today. There were quite a few detours along the way.

Cooper was born in Commerce, but moved to Greenville when she was 1 year old.

She graduated from Greenville High School, and from there attended, and graduated from, East Texas State University, now known as Texas A&M University-Commerce, with a degree in business administration.

While attending ETSU, she also attended the John Robert Powers Acting and Modeling School System in Dallas.

“After I graduated I went to work for Tony Blair Modeling Agency in Dallas,” she said. “It was fun. Pure fun. It didn’t feel like work at all. All told, I modeled for about three years.”

Cooper also spent some time at the Barbizone School of Modeling in Dallas, where she was an instructor.

In 2003, Cooper was asked to participate in a beauty pageant. She won Miss Business Career Woman of Texas, put on by the U.S. Modeling System.

“I had never done pageants as a kid,” said Cooper. “I had done modeling before, but this was my first move to pageants.”

After winning the pageant, she was asked to be a judge for a variety of pageants.

“I started out judging local pageants in Dallas,” she said. “I judged a pageant in Florida for several years and got the opportunity to judge the Miss USA preliminaries in Arkansas and Alabama. I also served as a judge for the Cover Boy and Cover Girl pageants in Arkansas. There for a while, just about every weekend I was either judging a pageant or viewing a pageant to get ready to judge.”

Judging pageants gave Cooper the opportunity to travel, with little to no expense on her part, and get paid for doing what she enjoys.

“It was so exciting,” said Cooper. “The atmosphere is always charged with lots of energy. You had to respect the fact that these girls worked very hard to get where they are.”

Cooper has been on both sides of the pageant scene.

“My biggest concern when being a contestant was not tripping over my dress and falling flat on my face in front of everyone,” said Cooper. “Being a judge was less stressful. A lot less preparation was required, too.”

In 2006, Cooper left the judging scene.

“I miss it,” she said. “I still have my contacts within the circuit, so If I ever feel like going back I can.”

It wasn’t too long before Cooper’s mother became ill and she had to move from Austin back to Greenville to care for her.

“I wasn’t working at all at that time,” she said. “I started subbing because that was all I could do while still caring for my mother. I spent three years caring for her, and after she passed I was offered a full-time position as a resource teacher.”

She spent seven years at GISD, with the last six being spent as a special education paraprofessional.

“It was very rewarding,” said Cooper. “They get real attached to you.”

According to Cooper, being a caregiver for her mother helped get her ready for the task of caring for special needs children.

Less than four years ago, Cooper began working part time for Belk in the fragrances department.

“In April I was asked to come on board Estée Lauder,” she said. “I took a full time position as an Estée Lauder beauty advisor. At that time I resigned from the school district.”

According to Cooper, it was not a difficult decision to make. The fact that she had been using Estée Lauder products since she was 21 was, of course, an incentive.

“I began putting make up on my friends when I was 7 years old,” said Cooper. “Back then, before we could play, I would have to make everyone up. It’s just something I’ve always had a fascination with. I always had a passion for glamour, beauty and cosmetics.”

Even though Cooper is doing what comes natural, it hasn’t all been easy.

“We are taught extensively about the history of Estée Lauder up to the technology in the products today,” she said. “They take great care and pride in making sure that we are educated and are able to talk to the customers and address their concerns.”

Cooper is pleased with where the, somewhat winding, road has taken her.

“Belk has a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and the people I work with are very team-oriented,” said Cooper. “I love it here, and I want all my friends to come see me so that I can make them up again.”