The Project hosts discussed cleavage with Gina Liano. Things got pretty darn awkward.

A new study released by the Journal of Social Psychology has led to a seriously awkward encounter between Real Housewives of Melbourne star Gina Liano and Waleed Aly and Gorgi Coghlan on Monday night’s edition of The Project. 

Discussing the study’s findings – which were that women who show cleavage in the workplace generally wield more power – Coghlan said, “In all honesty, I was really annoyed about this study today, I’m sick of studies about what women wear.”

According to the Daily Mail, who reported the study over the weekend, “the study found women who loosened their top few buttons were seen as more forceful — especially to female colleagues."

“The outcome actually surprised researchers at the University of Wisconsin, who had expected a camisole to boost a woman’s image.”

Agreeing with Coghlan, Aly said, “I'm trying to imagine there will be young girls sitting here watching this tonight or who might have read about the study during the day and I worry that the message they’re getting is that to show off some cleavage, that’s the way to have power and success in your professional life."

Listen: Mamamia's HR manager Nicolle Stuart discusses the do's and don'ts of dressing for a job interview. Post continues... 

The Gold Logie winner then posed a question to 51-year-old Liano, a practising barrister.

“As a father that worries me, just generally as a message, is this a bit dangerous?”

"I think if girls look at it as the rule to succeed they may fail," Liano replied.

Fair call.

But then the reality star continued, "I think if, you know, a girl comes to work and it's a conservative environment and she's exuding too much sexuality that it can come across as a distraction and perhaps that she's even distracted."

Mmmm, yeah, nah.

Then, clearly trying to choose her side wisely, Liano replied, “It’s important to balance it," before adding, “I don’t think cleavage is offensive...A bit of cleavage, if you’ve got a nice chest, why not?"

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