Corine Rottschäfer, Miss Holland, had won Miss Europe title in 1957, which made her ineligible to compete in that year's Miss Universe. In this competition, Rottschäfer ranked in the top 15 and was awarded Miss Photogenic. In the following year, she would win Miss World.
In 1958, Hawaii was still an organized incorporated territory of the United States, and, together with the Territory of Alaska, competed with their own representatives in the pageant.
Luz Marina Zuluaga did not win the Miss Colombia 1957 pageant, instead finishing as 1st Runner-Up. Before the Miss Universe competition, however, the titleholder Doris Gil Santamaria got married. Due to Miss Universe rules stating that no candidate could be married before the final contest itself, Santamaria was forced to resign, making 19-year-old Zuluaga Miss Colombia by default.
This was Colombia (winner), Poland, and Suriname's competition debut. Alicja Bobrowska of Poland was the first delegate from a Communist Bloc country to compete in the finals (and the first woman to be elected beauty queen in Eastern Europe). Miss Poland's amazingly successful debut was a surprise to the world.