A recent New York Post article this morning caught our attention. A woman from Citibank was fired for being too hot (or so she claims). To quote the article, “Debrahlee Lorenzana said she was dressing professionally, but her male bosses and co-workers still found her too hot be around their cold cash.”

This is not the only incidence when women have been fired without cause based on their appearance. In this case, Lorenzana was too sexy. In June 2009, ten Air India hostesses were fired for being too fat to fly. When will it end?

But there have been studies (by Daniel Hamermesh and Jeff Biddle) that have shown than women who wear makeup are more likely to get ahead in their career than those who don’t. According to those who were interviewed, plain people earn less than average looking people who earn less than good looking people.

Many women have resorted to cosmetic surgery and dressing to the nines for the job they want (or have), and in today’s rocky road economy, women need every piece of ammunition they can get to land the job of their dreams, even if it means wearing that coral lipstick.

Tell us, do you think makeup and style makes you get ahead in your career?

– Charu Suri