Why do female gymnasts always look like that?

[LovelyBitOfHam]

I’m sure you know what I mean.

Hair tied back in a big scrunchie - the kind of scrunchie you last wore when you were 9 years old.

Glittery make up.

Plaits, braids and hair clips.

I understand a lot of sports have a uniform but ultimately, if you take a track and field athlete, a swimmer and a tennis player just before they perform, you wouldn’t really be able to tell which sport they play just by looking at them. But you can identify the gymnasts from a mile away.

It isn’t just at Olympic level either. Even the little girls in weekend gymnastic clubs have the same sort of style.

Is it some kind of male gaze thing? Or is there a “type” of girl who grows up wanting to be a gymnast? I’ve always associated gymnasts with the sort of girls who didn’t really grow up, but I’ve now realised just how wrong that is.

I think what they can do is incredible, and Simone Biles is great. But there’s something about the “look” of gymnastics that’s always bothered me, and I can’t put my finger on what it is. Anyone else?

The brilliant silver medalists, Kate Shortman and Izzy Thorpe, in the artistic swimming, looking amazing. That hair has to stay in place while they are underwater for what feels like hours, so I don’t care how many clips they use.

Anyone watching the Olympic weightlifting? Mary Theisen-Lappen (I think that is who it is!) has glittery hair and a full face of make up (complete with winged eyeliner). Is she catering to the male gaze with all that or is it just the thin athletes who we accuse of that?
They all look brilliant in my opinion! This is probably one of the highlights of their life, if they want glittery hair for the occasion, crack on.

Did you see the British competitor? She had red, white and blue scrunchies/elastics in her hair and then the Olympic rings on the back of her head. I don't like weightlifting but I saw her in the last Olympics and now I watch for her. She's such a lovely person

Anyone remember Flo Jo? She was one of the first to go running with a full face on and everyone talked about it. Now lots do it, particularly Americans.