Why too much airbrushing/Photoshop/make-up are a bad idea for women who want to be taken seriously

This is a photograph of Labour MEP Marlene Mizzi with the barest amount of make-up, no 1980s Alice band, and no airbrushing or Photoshop. And she looks all the better for it, because it gives her gravitas.

This is the look she should go for, instead of going head to head with fellow Labour MEP Miriam Dalli, when there is a whole generation between them and she could be Dalli’s mother. She has no hope of winning that competition and the act of competing in a league for which she no longer qualifies merely serves to undermine her when she should instead be playing the gravitas/older woman card.

In any case, as Mrs Mizzi will have observed herself directly in the European Parliament – and Mrs Vella (aka Miriam Dalli) is about to observe too – it really is not the European way for women to wear heavy make-up, over-style their hair, wear matchy-matchy get-ups and especially not certain types of shoes.

These are not only viewed as tacky and tasteless, but as directly undermining one’s credibility.