AIBU to be bothered by the way female presenters dress?

I agree - of course they would. But I don't think the main issue is the clothing choices individual women make. We are all trying to navigate a culture that defines 'look my best' in a limited range of ways and those ways privilege the heterosexual male gaze and patriarchal assumptions about men and women. 'Best' for women often means emphasizing a feminine figure. 'Best' for men is often taken to mean a suit which hides the figure, emphasizes gravitas and status and makes shoulders and chest appear bigger, which plays into alpha male status. The few times we see men in entertainment with skin tight revealing shorts and teensy figure hugging tops we assume they are appealing to a gay male audience, but they still have access to the male power outfit whenever they choose to wear it.

There's nothing intrinsically wrong in dressing to emphasize femininity / masculinity, but we need to recognize what's going on. We've seen significant changes over the past 100 years with it becoming acceptable for women to wear suits, androgeny in clothing going in and out of fashion, adverts falling out of favour that use bikini-clad models to sell cars and legal challenges of policies that pressure women to wear heels. It's no coincidence that these mirror changes in gender roles and shifts in the dominance of straight men in society. It's good that we reflect on problematic norms that are taken for granted. But that doesn't necessarily mean being critical of the choices individual women make to navigate very complex pressures around appearance.

And yet, you seem to think it's impossible for a woman to like wearing heels, or feel good wearing them, without it having been pushed by a man.

No further discussion to be had then?

Seems a case of male = default and correct, female = defective, incorrect 🙄

I certainly don't want to wear a suit and tie though sometimes I wear a more traditionally "masculine" look. I don't watch GMB so can't vouch for these presenters but the BBC ones look smart and comfortable to me.

I have this dress on today that is fitted but not tight, with tights and boots (with a heel) and it is a ridiculously comfortable outfit. I might do glamorous at times but I definitely don't do impractical.

Have you only just noticed that humans are one of the only animals where the female is colourful and flamboyant whereas the male is boring and beige?

I do know - hence this conversation, right? Don't think we were discussing the question of whether women who like to wear heels exist, were we?

Well then, clearly, you're not a woman who likes wearing heels. But they do exist, you know 😉

I'm not sure how worthwhile it is trying to explain the nuance here, because you're quite resolutely failing to understand anything. But I don't 'hate women in heels' and nor do I think they 'shouldn't be seen in heels'.

What I don't buy is the idea that heels are a neutral, practical, or empowering choice by women, made without any insidious ideological influence about what women are and what they're for and how they might move through the world. Objectively, heels make it more difficult, not less, to move. Not impossible, obviously. But more difficult. Why else are there special dressings you can buy in Boots to mitigate the pain and discomfort of wearing them? And if they were that bloody comfortable and elevating and great.... men would be wearing them too.

Anyone who thinks heels are a free choice made by women in the absence of social conditioning is living in cloud cuckoo land.

I don't usually get distracted by the presenters on UK TV, I do sometimes like a particular dress or top that is being worn. I love what Rita Chakrabarty wears, she's the classiest dresser I think.

It's the weather presenters that distract me a lot, they look awkward swooping and pointing all over the weather chart (BBC), even tomasz schafernaker does it, although he is the only one who dresses casually amongst the men weather presenters. I like Chris Fawkes best.

I prefer seeing them from the waist up, men and women, I pay more attention then.

Where does your hate for women in heels stem from? Because you're really trying to push the point that women shouldn't be seen in heels.

For what? The ability to move freely and easily?

No, not at all. They're not designed for that.

Or, you know that part of a wedding, late on when the dance floor comes out, and all the women take off their trainers and put heels on so they can dance better? Nope, me neither.

This exactly. It’s such a dated look and looks ludicrous.

It's really odd you don't see heels more at the gym, isn't it?

yeah that's partly what I mean: it's not the case that the female air stewards have decided that a shift dress is the safest and most practical outfit, or that they get a buzz out of looking that way: a company has decided this is how women should look and this is how men should look.

If I had to hurry along for a taxi, yes I could do that in heels. Done it many a time with alcohol included in the mix too, it's perfectly possible. Just because you can't, don't assume others can't either.

Of course there is choice involved in uniforms. Maybe not that if the worker but someone made that choice. And that choice is certainly influenced by culture (and for airlines, consideration of various cultures they are serving). Plenty of air stewardess uniforms are designed for the women to be ‘attractive’ though practicality and safety would be a bigger consideration than on the ground.

Yes I agree. They look like they are playing some weird 1990 sexy secretary cosplay.

I get you op. There is a massive discrepancy in how the men and women dress.

No, my thinking has not been formed by male ideas of how a woman should present herself. You've clearly convinced yourself that any woman that likes to wear heels is brainwashed by men.
Did I say anywhere that it's my belief that attractiveness is valued above all else? Or just that some women like to feel good in themselves, which will vary dependant on the woman herself.
Where did I say that her professionalism is defined by her shoes? I said that I personally think heels make outfits look more professional. I was talking about the outfit, not the woman.
You are making a fair few assumptions on me based on nothing - the fact that some women feel good in heels.
Yes, many men like to look good too, and will dress in what makes them feel good/attractive. There's nothing wrong with that.
And as a matter of fact, I hate men. And yes, I hate the patriarchal bullshit that exists in society. But I can and do also believe that heels look good, nothing to do with men 😂

What are you wearing today?

Is that you mum?? I'm only wondering because this is something you often comment on, together with tutting about their cleavage, and every time I have to remind you that it's really none of your business, they're not hurting you and they can wear what they want.

Yeah @Tunnocksmilkchocolatemallow coz NO woman dresses how SHE wants, for HER! It's always for da menz. For the patriarchy! 🙄

Get a grip!

I wear what I want, and what I think suits me, whether that's a boiler suit and converse, or heels and a short skirt. Fuck-all to do with any man. Stop infantilising women and acting like they're too stupid to know their own mind.

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Of course it is! Women are conditioned by society to present themselves as sex objects. Choices of clothing are not made in isolation. No one would wear heels if it were, however much you might like to tell yourself otherwise. Yes it is a horrible way to view women but one that the patriarchy doesn’t cease from pushing.

running for a taxi? in a hurry? in, or sensing, danger on a walk home at night? If your priority is to walk along carefully and sexily as if you're on a red carpet all your life, sure, I image you've perfected that walk. But it's not how you're designed to walk.