Revealed: The 50 worst fashion faux pas

Published on Friday 11 September 2009 22:07

EXCESSIVE fake tan was yesterday condemned by women as the biggest fashion faux pas of the 20th century.

The Tangoed look, favoured by stars such as Jordan, Chelsy Davy and Christina Aguilera, emerged as the worst possible beauty blunder in a study of 3,000 women.

Pencilled-in eyebrows like those belonging to Jodie Marsh, Pamela Anderson and Liza Minnelli, was in second place.

Concrete-thick foundation as worn by Girls Aloud singer Nicola Roberts was in third and the bright blue eye shadow, favoured by Hollywood screen legend Dame Elizabeth Taylor, was fourth.

Hairy armpits, famously displayed by Pretty Woman star Julia Roberts, were in fifth place.

Half-dyed hair styles made number 33 in the list.

Katherine Le Clerc, beauty director of Superdrug, said: "It's far too easy to make beauty mistakes.

"But it's no surprise to see the Tango tan at the top of the list.

"It can be easy to overdo the bronzer and end up with an orange glow rather than a healthy tan – sometimes less really is more.

"When you've had the same beauty routine for years, you may find that changes to fashion have passed you by and bright blue eyeshadow is no longer the norm so specialists can help modernise a routine.''

Other bloopers to make the top 50 list included too much make-up, which was sixth, and dark lip liner with pale lipstick – another faux pas favoured by Jodie Marsh and Pamela Anderson – in seventh.

The top 50 – compiled from questions answered by woman aged 18 to 65 – also included hairy legs, over-plucked eyebrows and too much blusher.

A handful of 1980s favourites, such as crimped hair and fake beauty spots, made the list, as did lumpy mascara.

And 1990s fashions such as undercuts and tongue piercings also featured.

More modern beauty trends like tattoos, tummy piercings and Croydon facelifts – the practice of pulling the hair back so tight it hurts – also made the top 50, as did bad hair extensions.

The study revealed most of the women polled had committed six of the "crimes" in their lifetimes.

Three-quarters said they cringed at the thought of some of the beauty mistakes they had made over the years.

It also emerged six out of ten women would comment on a friend's faux pas if they felt they needed to know.

Troubled glamour girl Jordan was voted as the biggest culprit followed by her nemesis Jodie Marsh, Amy Winehouse and Kerry Katona. Almost one in five women said they would not leave the house without make-up.

Dr Mary Brown, lecturer in psychology at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, said the list of "blunders" revealed competition between women rather than a desire for attractiveness

"Women are very critical of themselves and of other women," Dr Brown said. "Men tend to suit themselves whereas women dress and groom themselves to impress their own sex.

"This makes them far more likely to dwell on apparent beauty 'crimes'.

"A man would laugh if you told him wearing socks with sandals wasn't the done thing but a woman would most likely be seriously concerned as she would feel her judgment was being questioned."