Few things say elegance and glamour like the radiant sparkle of a rhinestone tiara. A tiara is a symbol of majesty. It is understood that the wearer of a glittering tiara holds a captivating power, an unquestioned authority; she is the center of attention in any gathering. By its very presence, the wearer of a rhinestone tiara is implicitly announcing her importance at least for the moment.

The symbolism of a tiara shares its roots with the halo, suggesting an angelic and revered character, one whose authority is God-given and therefore indisputable. For centuries the right to own and wear a tiara was reserved for a privileged and elite few, limited to royal families and the Pope. Incidentally, the last Pope to wear the papal tiara was Pope Paul VI, in 1963. He wore it once at his coronation, and never again.

Until the last thirty years, women who were privileged to wear a tiara either inherited the right by birth, or were rewarded with it for exhibiting the most admired qualities of the culture she represented. Queen Elizabeth II has long been credited with owning the largest and most valuable collection of tiaras in the world, strengthening the deeply entrenched association between tiaras and royalty. Winners of beauty pageants are "crowned" with sparkling tiaras and are called "princesses" or "queens" because they represent the highest ideals of appearance and sometimes intelligence, talent and community involvement.

However, after the tiara was made widely acceptable by Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe in movies like Breakfast at Tiffany's, My Fair Lady and Gentlemen Prefer Blonds, the tiara is no longer solely the possession of royalty and beauty queens. And by substituting rhinestones for gemstones, the rhinestone tiara maintains all the beauty and splendor of crown jewels without the price tag placing it decidedly out of reach. The tiara is now the finishing touch of any formal attire, imbuing its wearer with grace and poise. The rhinestone tiara has become standard bridal apparel as well as appearing more frequently at proms and other formal events where femininity is celebrated.

And yet, despite its rising popularity, the rhinestone tiara is anything but commonplace. Although a rhinestone tiara is affordable enough for any woman to own, wearing one still makes her extraordinary. A rhinestone tiara compliments as no other adornment can. The beauty of the glimmering stones simply or elaborately set near the face draws attention to a woman's best features and hints at her scintillating personality. A woman wearing a tiara confidently recommends herself as the height of all that is admirable in feminine nature. The availability of the tiara hasn't diminished its desirability, and wearing one will always make any woman a queen.