Sophie-Charlotte North enters a meeting room in London, wearing a sexy red bodycon dress, fake eyelashes and a full face of makeup. She confidently takes a seat and opens her laptop.
The other men and women, all dressed in conservative suits or designer dresses, stare at her in confusion, one asking if she is the secretary and another wanting to know when her boss will arrive.
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It’s a scenario the 25-year-old owner of a super-glamorous events company knows all too well.
“People think I’m a bimbo because I look like a Love Island contestant,” says Sophie-Charlotte.
“I am regularly approached by business people, potential dates, and even other women for tweakment shaming, and am constantly mistaken for an assistant or secretary instead of the business owner.
“Other people tell me that because of my face and breast augmentation enhanced with Botox and fillers, I will never be taken seriously as a businesswoman or find a husband.
Read more about plastic surgery
It’s discrimination based on my appearance.
Sophie-Charlotte
“It’s discrimination based on my appearance,” says Sophie-Charlotte, who also regularly gets manicures, eyebrow waxes and blow-drys and wouldn’t leave the house without makeup.
“It’s outrageous that in 2024 men and women attack you for taking care of your body and being proud of your appearance, but I try to see the positive side of it.
“That means they underestimated me and I misled them so they didn’t see my deal-making prowess coming!”
Sophie, who lives in Woolwich, London with Jordan, 30, who she has been with for 10 months, is not the only woman to face appearance discrimination or glam shaming.
Earlier this month, legal secretary Megan Bratt won a sexual harassment claim against her boss after being told she looked like a “Love Island reject”.
Some people say 22 is too young to start Botox, but it’s my body. I have an esthetician who is extremely skilled at administering her tweaking doses, and that’s the key.
Sophie-Charlotte
Ms Bratt, who has a Masters of Laws, was criticised by female colleagues at the law firm where she worked for dressing as if she was “out for a night out”, with fake tan and false eyelashes, despite her male boss telling her she looked “nice”.
Sophie-Charlotte started having facial surgery in 2019 and has since spent £7,000 on fillers and Botox, plus £4,000 on breast implants.
“I’ve always had a thin upper lip, which made me feel insecure,” she explains. “So when I was 21, I decided to do something about it – I had 1ml of filler injected into each lip and loved the results. It made me feel powerful and confident, so I get a £150 top-up every six months.”
At the age of 22, Sophie-Charlotte started what she calls “preventive Botox.”
“It’s easier to prevent than to cure. I did my research and started with Botox on my forehead, to prevent wrinkles and around my eyes, for £200 a session. I also had fillers in my cheeks, which also cost £200 a session. I loved the results.
“Some people say 22 is too young to start Botox, but it’s my body. I have an esthetician who is extremely skilled at administering her tweaking doses, and that’s the key.
“I see it as an investment in my self-esteem.”
In May 2023, Sophie-Charlotte flew to Turkey for a breast augmentation, going from a 34B to a 34E.
“I was being picked on by mean girls at school because I had small breasts. The bullying really plagued me, so I wanted bigger breasts for my confidence. The new curves complimented my fillers and Botox, and my whole new Love Island-esque look suited me.”
Meanwhile, Sophie-Charlotte has also been building her business. She began her career as a catwalk and catalog model at the age of 18 and opened her own event management company and modeling agency in 2022.
5 warning signs for tweakers
Amish Patel, award-winning esthetician and skin care expert at Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic, shared his 5 warning signs with Fabulous.
1. Cheap is not so cheerful
When you search for “cheap Botox,” cheap is often cheap for a reason. Botulinum toxin is a prescription drug, which should only be administered by the medical professional who prescribes the drug. Cheap prices mean that the cost is being cut.
2. ‘Filling packages’
And always seek advice BEFORE you undertake a treatment. Your face is unique and what suits one face may not suit yours.
3. ‘Botox parties’
If a clinic offers ‘Botox parties’, avoid: alcohol and partying with friends do not go well with a medical-aesthetic procedure.
4. Dirty clinics
Where do they do their treatments? Is it a clean and clinical environment? Hygiene and client safety are paramount. As with all injectables, there is a risk of infection in a contaminated environment.
5. Two-for-one offers
Don’t be tempted by ‘share with a friend’ filler deals. Filler syringes are for single use only; changing the needle does not protect against cross-contamination.
“I work with record and media companies, collaborate on social media to promote products and run advertising campaigns for small and medium sized businesses.
“I have 50 models on my books, booked for shoots, adverts, commercials or to add glamour as party guests at major events. I have used my modelling experience to tap into the business potential of event management – and I have done it all before I was 25 years old.”
In the past two years, Sophie-Charlotte has doubled both her turnover and her client base. However, she has had to deal with a lot of discrimination based on her appearance and insults.
“When I talk to accountants and business people about events they want to organize, they are shocked.
“I walk in wearing trendy outfits, looking glamorous and am immediately judged. They inevitably think I’m the assistant, the person with work experience or the secretary.
I know female executives look at me and think, ‘Bimbo Barbie,’ while the men assume I can’t look like that and be intelligent at the same time.
Sophie-Charlotte
“I know that female executives look at me and think, ‘Bimbo Barbie,’ while the men assume that I can’t look like that and be intelligent. They don’t even ask about my qualifications or experience. If I were a man, this wouldn’t happen,” she says.
“I used to hate it, especially when women didn’t take me seriously. I assumed they would welcome a 25-year-old with open arms. Instead, they think that because I’ve put time and effort into improving my appearance, I forgot to bring a brain.
“But I don’t get angry anymore – now I play it up. Let them judge my fuller lips and bigger breasts. I don’t miss a single trick!”
Her appearance also attracts a lot of unwanted attention from men.
“When random men want to flirt with me, I smile and tell them I have a boyfriend and I’m not interested. That’s when the shame around plastic surgery begins.
When random men try to flirt with me, I smile and tell them I have a boyfriend and I’m not interested. Then the shame around plastic surgery begins.
Sophie-Charlotte
“Instead of walking away gracefully, men will tell me I’m too plastic for them, or that they’re not really interested.
“A man told me not to go near an open fire because I would melt!
“I just laugh. They wouldn’t have asked me if they weren’t excited. Their reaction says more about their own insecurities than mine, and he loves me through his looks and supports me through his business. He stands up for me when people say I’m brainless. He knows I have business skills!” she says.
Sophie-Charlotte plans to have veneers placed on her teeth and, as she gets older, have other minor procedures done.
A man told me not to go near an open fire because I would melt.
Sophie-Charlotte
“Today, alterations and plastic surgery are as common as dyeing your hair,” she says.
“I didn’t do anything to make a man happy – I did it for myself, and I’m tired of people assuming that the more adjustments you make, the less brain you have.
“Just because I don’t fit into some outdated stereotype of what a boss should look like doesn’t mean I deserve to be humiliated, trolled, or attacked.
“Women can’t win – if you go glam, you’re brainless. If you go makeup-free, you’re not trying hard enough. It’s 2024 and I’m free to look the way I want, which makes me feel empowered.
“I pride myself on my well-groomed look and camera-ready appearance. I’m more confident than ever – and my business is booming. What could possibly go wrong with that?”
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