"Now, I’m sure if you’re an academic feminist, you can name some theory and quote some book to tell me how I’m wrong. "

LOL -- sounds like an invitation for me to blather. The short answer I'd give from the academic wonk perspective is that it's, um, complicated. On the one hand, it's easy to decry the commodification of sex in capitalist culture. On the other, we're talking here about women who are successful in a market where selling sex is the standard (pop music). I like the Britney comparison because these women all seem to be sex positive, as you say, for everyone.

The difference between this kind of exhibitionism that's making them rich and the exhibitionism of things like the lamentable Girls Gone Wild or most strip clubs is that the latter women are making someone else (usually a man) rich. In a capitalist society, power is where the money is.

And in this case, the glitter and the nipples. Go GaGa!

See, I tend to think the fact that Alesha had proper glittery pants on under her mini dress shows a desire to protect her modesty in a way that most festival starlets don't bother with. It reminds me of wearing gym knickers under your netball skirt at school - they were basically there to make sure you didn't flash too much. Ol' glitterpants seems to be going for the same effect...

I am of the opinion that, as you say, these girls are good role models because they appeal to girls as well as boys, and because unlike your Christinas (in hideous chaps) and Britneys (in skin-tone catsuits) they are clearly dressing up for fun, not for the lads. Also, although Lily's weight struggles have been well documented, these three girls all look pretty healthy, toned and kinda natural, in a way that a lot of starlets these days don't.

I say more power to them - bring on the sequins!

I totally agree with Caroline about Alesha Dixon's glittery knickers. From those photos you can see how low down the photographers were compared to her way up on stage, so she's planned ahead and co-ordinated her outfit accordingly. Nothing was going to stop her wearing her dress of choice.

I have always wanted popstars to look like popstars, dressing in outrageous stage costumes and wearing the sort of things we couldn't get away with on the street. As a kid I used to wonder what would be the point of going on Top of the Pops wearing the same outfit you'd wear in Adsa! But it's not just the girls who do it - although the likes of Madonna, The Spice Girls and Beth Ditto will always annoy the Daily Mail and get more coverage - from Chris "Pet Shop Boys" Lowe and his Issey Miyake jackets and glasses in the 80s to Justin "The Darkness" Hawkins' insane catsuits, the lads have had their fair share of quirkiness too. This isn't about sex, it's about showmanship.

Of course the best part is that, with people like Lady GaGa and Lily Allen, they may be saying "look at me!", but they're actually worth listening to as well.