How are tits, lips and high heels aspirational for young women?

[Bouncealot]

Just watched The Apprentice on BBC and am following Rise and Fall on C4. Why are all the women styled like this? What does it say to younger women? Is it to signal feminine power? None of the successful young women I know dress this way. The equivalent dress code for men doesn’t bear thinking about, and guess what? We don’t see young men’s chests on display in the office, or even on TV.

Because some women enjoy dressing this way, enjoy make up, hair and nice clothes that show off their figure. What's wrong with it ?

I think whatever you want to dress in that is fine. I was recently told by someone who had only just met me and clearly did not think I should look the way I do that 'we will work on your self security' because I have highlights, botox, wear heels etc. She does not. I thought it was fairly insulting because I dress and look the way I do because it makes ME feel good about myself not because I want the world to think so. I think people need to stop judging people on their looks.

If a women enjoys dressing that way and feels confident doing so that’s great, there is absolutely no reason to hide our breasts away unless we choose. Shame on you for beating women down, they are successful business women, that’s a great example to any younger woman. Also it’s on at 9pm so it’s clearly not aimed at kids.

Lips? We all have lips, can't hide them away

Tits? You mean breasts? Up to the individual what they wear

High heels have been around for years

But tv is portraying ALL of the women styled in this way as a standard uniform as if it is not a choice but to sexualise themselves. In general most work places women dress in diverse ways. I’m not criticising women’s choices.

Admitting how we are built, we have tits. We look better stand better with a bit of heel. Does it hold us back?
Would we be better at engineering or economics if we bound our chests and wore the boring greys and dark blue that the men wear?
Make-up and hairstyles - I pass.

Where on tv op?

Show us who you mean

Not sure women engineers generally wear heels and have breasts on show.

It's all a bit 1980s to be honest. Yes, if you want to dress like that then fine, but I agree, it's regressive. Pumping lips full of fillers till they look comedic, teetering on 4 inch heels, having Botox in your 20s and oversized breast implants is not empowering; it's conforming to a sexualised stereotype. Break the mould, just be who you are.

You are allowed the be successful and dress however you want. It annoys me when people dictate that to be successful you can be into beauty/aesthetics. I make a point if not hiding my feminine interests in my traditionally masculine role. This is how we break down barriers - by not changing ourselves but BEING ourselves whist still being successful in our careers.

*can't be (typo)

Certainly not at my work. But female engineers are usually focused on work, not on wearing uncomfortable shoes tobget male attention.

Unfortunately (perhaps due to social media and the sense of being on public display all the time) people, women especially, seem to be judged more on their appearance now than ever before - and the current fashion is for a very heavily made-up, somewhat doll-like, plasticky look.

I guess the young women on the Apprentice are just following the current fashion. How they can walk in those heels is beyond me! I'm sure I'd trip over almost immediately.

This is who they are.

What are you wanting us to look like then?

Dowdy frump is not my vibe I'm afraid! I do NIT find that aspirational at all

But these women are on tv, in a reality tv show.

i think perhaps the contestants that go on these shows self select.

but agree producers should be aiming for more image diversity

There's only one who was in the final 5 who I think matches that description and I think she came across really well. I wondered was her business plan something she submitted as a laugh and got an awful shock when she got in. She seemed really articulate and sensible to me- which was obviously shocking because we all know tits, lips and heels sucks you're brains out.

But they are not ‘being themselves’. They have been styled by tv companies is the point I’m making. Why aren’t a range of women’s styles shown on prime time tv shows. Augmented breasts and lips are a choice of a minority of successful career women. Tv is signalling this is the way women have to look to be successful.

The "liberal" feminists are out in force.

The OP isn't trying to control women's choices or force anyone to hide their figure. She's asking why cosmetically enhanced lips / breasts and impractical clothes are viewed as aspirational.

They are attractive young women. I would wear one of their outfits on a night out though and not at work. I would feel utterly ridiculous but they’re on TV so it’s understandable they want to look their best. At 34 I’m still youthful looking to get away with some of their outfits and whilst I’ve been tempted to pump my lips a bit I’ve decided to leave them well alone.

I agree with OP. I've never watched The Apprentice but couldn't miss the trailer for the final as the BBC kept showing it. I was gobsmacked to see that all the young women looked like clones of each other. Why? As others have said, most workplaces have women employees, including senior women, dressed/presenting themselves in a wide range of styles. High heels are really bad for the feet and uncomfortable, which is why few men wear them.

Way back in the 1980s when I worked in accountancy in the City nobody expected women to wear a full face of make up and heels. Plenty of women wore no make up and had short hair. It didn't hold us back. What changed?

But... all of the female contestants on The Apprentice? All of them?

I’m not convinced the men actually want women to be piling on the make up and blowing up their lips. The women who do this really are just doing it for themselves. Most men like women to look natural.

@Bouncealot

Lots of successful women my age have had breast implants and lip fillers. Just not to that extent.