The glow-up gripe: When did makeovers become so complicated

Apple, pear, cornet, lollipop. Quiet luxe, colour matching, zhuzhes, half-tucks. Dressing well is a mishmash of competing rules. No wonder we’re upset

Makeover tropes used to be easy. Curls got smoothed; straight hair got wavy. Brows were tweezed out of their caterpillar stage. The magic wand came out of a mascara tube. Everyone got sent home, delighted, with a structured jacket over a flowy shirt, dark mid-/rise jeans and wedge-heels (“This is the real you, honey!”). For a while, Oprah Winfrey’s show even did make-unders: Sartorially toning down women who had gone too far with hair treatments, make-up, loud prints and jewellery.

The idea of stealth wealth – neutral-toned, logo-free looks featured by the billionaires on HBO’s show Succession – is the flavour of the season.

The half-in, half-out tuck, championed by stylist Tan France on Queer Eye, is now so popular, Netflix calls it the unofficial sixth member of the cast. (Netflix)