Men, it turns out, are more magpie-like than us birds. Show up in something shiny and just watch those eyes go out on stalks!

Take the recent Brit awards for example. Was it the delectable Alexa Chung in her demure-but-sexy lace number that had them glued (in every sense) to the papers the next day? Guess again.

Or perhaps the re-styled Beth Ditto won their admiring gaze, in her luscious Luella frock? Fat chance.

Nope, the girl getting all the glances (and glue) was none other than Denise "get 'em out" Van Outen. She went dressed as a bon-bon, in a glistening gold micro-mini dress (with plunging neckline to boot), and may as well have had "hello boys" tattooed down her leg.

So, why the moth-to-flame effect of shiny-shiny fabrics on your common-or-garden bloke? One possible explanation is that light reflective materials highlight protruding curves by their very nature. And then there's the fact that they're pretty easy to spot in the dark. Worth bearing in mind next time you find yourself in American Apparel. Those lame hotpants might have a function after all...