It might be hard to imagine now, but there was a time in her life when Anna Laura Bryan, the new Miss Alabama, was convinced she wasn’t gorgeous.

“When I was younger, I didn’t feel beautiful. I begged my mom to let me dye my hair blonde,” Anna Laura said of her shiny red tresses. “When I got older, I realized that was what set me apart.”

Of course, it takes much more than a breathtaking head of hair to win the coveted title of Miss Alabama. Anna Laura, 22, who was Miss Hoover 2012 when she competed in and won the Miss Alabama pageant June 9, stands above the crowd for many other reasons.

Anna Laura, a Decatur native, earned a degree in interior design from Samford University earlier this year. During her time at Samford, she competed in 14 pageants, winning four of them — Miss Samford University, Miss Jefferson County, Miss Trussville and Miss Hoover — and, along with her titles, four chances to compete in Miss Alabama.

However, just a few years ago, none of the tiaras or accolades seemed possible.

Find out more about Anna Laura’s journey to the Miss Alabama crown in the September issue of H Life. Get your copy by calling (205) 669-3131.