Yahoo's 'unusually stylish geek' CEO Mayer's Vogue photo shoot stirs 'storm in tea cup'

Yahoo's CEO Marissa Mayer's stylish photo shoot with Vogue proved more a controversy than a pleasure for the eyes of critics who believe the photograph detracts from the article alongside which focuses on her successes and vision in a male-dominated tech world.

In her two-page photo spread in September's Vogue magazine, she lies upside down on a backyard lounge chair, wearing a blue Michael Kors dress, her blond hair fans out at the foot of the chair, her Yves Saint Laurent stiletto heels point toward the top and she holds a tablet computer featuring a stylized image of her face, CNN reports.

Stan Horaczek, an editor at Popular Photography, tweeted 'Nothing says, 'I'm a powerful woman' like a photo of you upside down on a weird couch, Nice work, Vogue'.

While online business consultant Angie McKaig said that 'being equal means one can be feminine and smart but still winced over Mayer 'all stretched out for Vogue'.

The photograph garnered mixed bag of responses with some critics focused less on the photo and main article instead aimed at what they deemed a questionable sidebar piece titled 'What Would Marissa Mayer Wear?: A Workweek Guide to Office Dressing.'

While some focusing on the article with much of it praising Mayer and the steps she has taken to begin a turnaround at a once-faltering Yahoo, others said that the photo shouldn't take away from the overall look at Mayer's life and career.

Founder of women's website Jezebel, Anna Holmes argued that women who hold any position of authority get it coming and going when it comes to their appearance. If one ignores it, they lack self-respect, if one focuses on it, they are superficial, the report added.