#The wonderful wackiness of the Miss Universe costume contest

It’s the most campy time of year. Yes, the Miss Universe pageant (airing Sunday at 8 p.m. on FYI), and that over-the-top, crazy event: the national costume contest.

Forget boring gowns and bikinis. These are kimonos, feathers, headdresses, tridents, wings. In 2015, Miss Thailand went as a motorized rickshaw known as a tuk-tuk. That same year, Miss Canada went as the Stanley Cup, complete with hockey sticks. While some of the “national” images are pretty obvious — Miss Japan this year is in a karate outfit holding a gold medal for the Olympics — half the fun is trying to figure out what flower, bird or symbol these intricate costumes are suppose to represent.

Post critic Johnny Oleksinski and fashion editor Serena French take a look at some of the standout costumes of 2021:

MISS CANADA

Wonder Woman, eh?

Johnny: Wow. I’ve never been there, but is this how people dress in Saskatchewan?

Serena: If only hockey night looked this good.

MISS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Nice stems.

Serena: She’s goddess of sunflowers.

Johnny: Hey Mister! My flowers are up here!!

MISS NEPAL

A sexy sherpa, complete with bejeweled oxygen mask

.Serena: This outfit is strictly peak performance: that mask can only be worn on the roof of the world and she’s got Mt. Everest in her purse!

Johnny: Climb ev’ry mountain, Ford every stream, follow ev’ry rainbow . . .

MISS SINGAPORE

Now that she has your attention . .

.Serena: A caped crusader fighting crime wearing an important message.

MISS FRANCE

In fairness, she’s wearing more on top than the regular depiction of Marianne.

Johnny: I Louvre it.

Serena: Following the national motto Liberte, Equalite, Fraternite, at the end she overthrew her dress.

MISS ARGENTINA

Hand of god, shirt of soccer great

.Serena: She can bend it like Maradona.

MISS GREAT BRITAIN

Yaas queen.

Serena: She could rule any runway.

MISS FINLAND

Aurora beautyealis.

Serena: The sky’s the limit in this Northern Lights number.

Johnny: I know Europe can be behind on American trends, but it’s wild that they just got Lite Brite.

MISS BAHAMAS

Celebrating Bahamas airline (or maybe the Bermuda triangle)

Johnny: This jewel-studded look must’ve cost her a lot of frequent flyer miles.

MISS PUERTO RICO

The Zodiac killer look

Serena: Signs point to fabulous.

Johnny: I can’t decide how I feel about this look because I’m a Pisces.

MISS USA

Burning hot.

Serena: What more glamorous way to rise like a phoenix from the flames?

MISS BRAZIL

Wikipedia tells us Brazil is the fifth-largest producer of cotton in the world.

Johnny: When I think of beautiful, vibrant, sunny Brazil, the first things that pops into my head are cotton balls and twigs.