Why Women in Movies Get Makeovers

Get a full month of MUBI FOR FREE: mubi.com/thetake (With the support of Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union) | Shopping sprees, upbeat soundtracks, and the discovery that an actress was always beautiful beneath those glasses: the makeover is one of our most enduring movie tropes. On screen, transforming a character’s appearance is often about changing their lives. But the makeover is also steeped in harmful expectations about how we “should” be presenting ourselves. By breaking down what these movie makeovers have in common, we can get a better picture of when they help-and when they hurt. Here’s our Take on how the makeover can be both empowering and damaging, and why superficial changes alone can’t always help our deeper issues.
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[@thetake]

Get a full month of MUBI FOR FREE: mubi.com/thetake (With the support of Creative Europe - MEDIA Programme of the European Union)

[@Poochilooloo]

@Mia Lp r

[@bailey7792]

⁵

[@myosotismalva]

Why people hate on girls with glasses so much, we're just trying to see 😥

[@ilovemusic3584]

OMG I know! Even Though I don't wear glasses I honestly don't find the problem with them. Glasses are used to improve vision quality.

[@Tracymmo]

And there are great frames out there!

[@darlalathan6143]

Anti-intellectualism.

[@FacebookQueen]

Honestly 😂

[@Alias_Anybody]

More and more people get glasses (because doctors tend to recommend them faster novadays, I don't think our eyes collectively got worse) and it's an insanely widespread fetish, so I'd argue the whole "loose glasses to become attractive" trope is outdated and dying.

[@solanum6039]

Typical Hollywood Drama plot: Conventionally attractive side character takes off her glasses and swaps flannels for a tight fitting dress and suddenly she’s friends with the popular girls and is successful until this boy reveals to her that he actually liked her better as a nerd. And then she puts back on her glasses, but sticks to the sexy dresses and straightened hair and she’s a new woman. 🤦‍♀️

[@trinaq]

Yep, that's pretty much how it goes, in a nutshell! "Zoey 101" in particular did this with Quinn, whom they tried to make look nerdy with glasses, but couldn't hide how attractive Erin Saunders really was, on par with the other girls. 💗

[@ECL28E]

@@trinaq Although, she managed to round it out by playing Quinn as... a little unnerving and having zero-boundaries

[@adampower9757]

loll. true

[@UnboxingAlyss]

Boom! Done. I hate this trope so much. :-/

[@nicanornunez9787]

The Ogbert the nerd that was hot from the beginning and only needed to take off his h Glasses

[@anagham4700]

These makeovers also feed into the stereotype that straight hair, no glasses and lighter hair colours make you more attractive. Which can be regressive for so many communities...

[@adwaitab.3622]

Especially for brown or black communities. In fact even in South Asian or Latino film film industries most of the female characters tend to have fairer skin and straight hair.

[@michellemgbeke2693]

And wearing makeup too

[@Laoshiiiiii]

Not even most white people have lighter hair

[@dani-hq6ed]

@@adwaitab.3622 yup, i have yet to see a telenovela with a non fair-skinned protagonist

[@Mimi-ef4mt]

@@TJ-uc8bb can you recommend me some movies please 🥺💁🏾‍♀️

[@Angi3_6]

I hate how glasses are precieved as "ugly". It's not my fault I can't see and they are cheaper than contacts! Also, why do makeovers often include straightening hair? Curls are beautiful!

[@Oversurge_]

She didn't have curls. She had frizzy ass hair.

[@Angi3_6]

@@Oversurge_ I was talking in general. There are many movies wherethe makeover involves getting rid of curls.

[@Oversurge_]

@@Angi3_6 I don't watch many movies directed at women. But everyone I saw with a make over seen. The girl straight up had frizzy-curly hair. I can count more movies or TV shows where the girl was given curls for prom/wedding etc

[@Angi3_6]

@@Oversurge_ From what I've seen, many makeovers for prom or weddings aren't permanent. Makeovers for other reasons are more likely to be permanent. A makeover isn't inherently wrong, but many are made when the character feels they have no choice.

[@Oversurge_]

@@Angi3_6 all the makeovers aren't permanent lol. But it still proves people do find curls beautiful. It's just harder to maintain if your hair isn't naturally curly. Straight hair is easier to look maintained is all.thats why it looks more "permanent"in a make over. It's easier to straighten your hair everyday then do elaborate curls.

[@MAFDTTSdeda]

I think another good "make-over" is the one of the mom in hairspray. She is clearly unhappy and insecure because she's "fat and old" and prisons herself in her house, because she believes that nobody should be exposed to her looks. But her daughter and the Plus-Size store teach her that everyone has the right to feel good and taking an active role in life no matter the physical traits. Edit: Happy that so many people agree with me! Just an add-on: Watched it the other night and realized that the character arc doesn't end with the song but continues through the whole movie. Big, blond, and Beautiful - normalizing her eating habits and the joy it brings her Timeless to me - discussing her insecurities and work through it with the love of her life Final - fully proud and presenting herself to the world. In short - it's a great movie.

[@yolandatoba5665]

@lockstam go mama, go go go

[@laurenalexander3472]

Great example!

[@choutzuyu8915]

Unrelated but your profile picture is really cute. I dont know what it is, but it's pretty

[@IsisIknaisha]

yesss that was such a good transformation

[@momobunny1234]

@@choutzuyu8915, it's Mokona, from C.L.A.M.P.s' "Magic Knight Rayearth" series! :)

[@dianareynolds2446]

The makeovers happen when the girl has glasses and frizzy curly hair. Why is the society percieving those things as "ugly"?

[@laurenalexander3472]

Yeah I was disappointed they didn’t mention this

[@sarasampaiio]

This is why I love Seinfeld's Elaine

[@DidixGil]

Yes, I was waiting for them to mention this.

[@reine5372]

Because glasses in media are linked to intelligence and nerdiness. This is a threat to a lot of guys, and since their beauty standards are unreachable unspoken rules of society that only seem to reflect the physical form of a woman, the idea of her being more than two dimensional and actually have something that can challenge a man’s idea of himself is directly thought upon as ugly and disdainful. Frizzy hair also goes back obviously to racial issues, with black women struggling with keeping their hair “tame”, the frizzy hair on white women too starts to get hated on as well.

[@directiontonarnia]

Key reasons of me feeling ugly all my life... Curly hair, glasses and being overweight. Society really wants us to be models or something 🙄

[@samiam9925]

As a young black girl, I always was sad at the makeover scenes. The protagonists (white females) were always made fun of for their "frizzy" hair, that was made bone straight later. That had a damaging effect on how I viewed my hair, which had curls much bushier and tighter than those girls at their "ugly" stage. On the flip side, one movie makeover that I did think made sense was Andy in "the devil wears prada", because she was IN the fashion industry. Her makeover showed that she was knowledgeable about the industry and was taking her job seriously, much like Elle Woods study montage in legally blonde showed her determination to be a lawyer by hitting the books and Mulan learned to fight to be a good soldier. I think there is too much emphasis on outer appearance, but I do like when a character endeavors to gain more confidence (even if this initially comes from "dressing better") or improve at their craft.

[@BellesView]

I couldn’t agree more. Andy needed that makeover or else she would’ve been fired.

[@kristalcampbell3650]

Absolutely, i relaxed my hair until it was crispy. I didn't embrace my natural hair until my late 20s.

[@realkr8324]

So true even on America's top model. The black models mostly changed to straight hair even Tyra told Yaya her afro hair is too black 😳.

[@Tracymmo]

It stinks for white viewers too because lots of whites have naturally curly or frizzy hair, and for a long time now straight has been the standard. This has often come up for white women from Jewish or Greek backgrounds, among others. The natural styles of the 70s were a wonderful push back against the idea that only one texture is ok.

[@Logitah]

It makes me sad too. Afro hair is beautiful (and fun to draw)! It bothers me that women are constantly expected to change something in themselves to be accepted.

[@angelikabatwoman]

Kinda hate when a girl gets a make over for whatever reason and a dude tells her that's not her and he liked her better before and the girl gets even more insecure and I'm like she's not your doll? You don't decide what she wears. If you like her you should support her or talk to her about what made her think she needs to change, not tell her how you like her and that that's the way to be. Annoys me so much

[@wowanothercookie]

Also what's the point in telling her now? You never supported or complimented her "old" look, but now that she looks different you come and guilt trip her? Get lost.

[@melissacooper4282]

The boy is probably an egotistical pig to begin with!

[@subtropical1228]

I think in The House Bunny, Emma Stone's love interest did this! I think I remember him saying he liked her either way but she never had the confidence to talk to him before

[@NotAnotherKuromi]

I think it's often that the make over is fake & not what the girl actually likes, or a true reflection of them. So it's the guy saying that he likes the authentic them, no whatever is seen as more acceptable by their peers & society as a whole. I don't remember the girls reaction as being insecure though; can you give examples? I see the girls as being happy & realising she chose the right boy. Or taking time to reflect what it means, how they view themselves & re-examine what actually makes them happy.

[@caros.6072]

Thank you

[@w98]

I hate this trope so much. The Princess Diaries makeover scene straight up traumatized me as a kid, especially since I have glasses and very curly hair. As an adult, knowing how to manage my textured hair, just made me realize that the ‘hairstylist ‘ in that scene needed to lose his job😂

[@trinaq]

Me too, I also had glasses and frizzy hair as a kid, and it felt like the movie was insinuating that you need to lose both to be considered pretty.

[@bloggerblogg5878]

I feel you. I have curly hair and that's always consider ugly and a person who doesn't care about his personal hygiene, for some reason, this have to stop.

[@MostHighDwelling]

"Traumatized" you? Oh my goodness 🙄

[@broadway520]

Imagine using a brush on that!

[@niamhha9014]

@EverlastingPeace You know they probably used that word just to emphasise their point. Don’t be so picky.

[@km1dash6]

Toph Beifong is the best subversion of this trope in Avatar: The Last Airbender. In one episode, the group has to go under cover, and she reminds everyone that she knows how to be a "proper lady," but chose to leave that behind. She is one of the toughest, strongest, masculine characters in the show, but she up teaching the more traditionally feminine Katara how to "be a lady."

[@Psychwriteify]

I feel like that version of a twist should be more popular, at least in an era where good drugstore makeup and makeup tutorials as entertainment are a thing. Because honestly a lot of women know how to do this performance and said nah.

[@taylor_green_9]

Yet again, Avatar does it right 😁

[@choutzuyu8915]

Toph is my favourite character

[@arjuscarlet55555]

Yessssss I love her☺️

[@leiahok7873]

I love her

[@beccag2758]

Problematic trope aside, as someone who wears glasses, it always annoys me that instead of trading in the “ugly” glasses for a cuter pair that works better with their face shape, they just ditch glasses all together. Like you want to have a makeover montage? Okay fine. But glasses that work with the face shape are soooo good looking on anyone regardless of gender.

[@amityislandchum]

They did that on Hey Arnold! when popular girl Rhonda gets glasses and becomes a nerd for a bit. At the end of the episode, she just gets better glasses and is popular again, but she's also nicer to the unpopular kids. Since it's a cartoon, we didn't get to see this plot beyond just that 1 episode, but it was a nice change of pace from the usual trope.

[@hollywoodshopaholic]

Fuck yeah, nothing inherently wrong with wearing glasses

[@aliciaannettafuntop10list57]

I don't wear glasses but completely agree plus they properly need them to see

[@FacebookQueen]

Yeah I always wondered this. Why not just get a nicer pair?

[@pixiebells]

And plus, some people like myself who are visually impaired need glasses and contacts simply don't work in my situation. That never seems to be the case in movies, though. Glasses always just seem to be the less attractive option and contacts are always possible. Not true in real life.

[@mariana.okimoto5823]

In the case of Pam it's important to remember that she avoided make up and certain clothes because of the constant sexual harassement she suffered at work.

[@Sarah-ml4fv]

yes 100%! another reason shes able to get more confident is bc she grows out of the "target age group," gets married and becomes a mom, which in some ways makes women feel unseen but in other ways she no longer had to deal as much w that harmful harassment and can grow into her self a little more!

[@mariana.okimoto5823]

@@Sarah-ml4fv Yep, so I kind of feel is a partial kind-of-finding-herself make-over and a bigger case of "no longer being objectified all the time, now I can dress how I like" make-over

[@jesuschild07able]

I am not a mom but I am married and I can honestly say this is very true. I dress more how I want to dress because when people see the ring they leave me be. It is a sad thing that men respect my husband more than me

[@Sarah-ml4fv]

@@jesuschild07able so true unfortunately! i heard it put really well once, something like "men respect a man theyve never seen or heard of over the woman standing right in front of them"

[@Becky0494]

@Akshay 786 I get what you mean, but why bother hitting on someone if they’re clearly married? It takes a split second to check. If you see a ring, leave them alone-man or woman. I still get comments from middle aged men at WORK even though I have my engagement ring and wedding band on. It’s ridiculous and kinda creepy especially since these men are usually at least twice my age

[@kristenmosquera6803]

The only makeover that could fix my life is ✨therapy✨. Too bad I can’t afford it.

[@nonviablevenus9206]

:-(

[@spiderganon]

Same here. I can't wait to have enough to go and see one to list off all my issues and say "good luck"

[@paccawacca4069]

therapy bullshit. you need to just self-reflect and try to find out what you're problems are on your own.

[@astaldogal]

@@paccawacca4069 well that's incredibly untrue. It's extremely helpful when you find the right fit.

[@gabbyb9418]

@@paccawacca4069 ughhhhhhhh stop Telling people not to go to therapy is extremely harmful I can tell you you're wrong simply because I know therapy helped me where "just self reflecting" didn't. Also my boyfriend is a therapist & has helped dozens of children feel better about themselves and/or their situation. I can't even go into how wrong you are because it'd be the length of a novel so I'm not going to bother, plus I'm sure no scientific evidence would sway you as it already would have if it was ever going to so you are clearly a lost cause. I'm just going to tell others who are on the fence about therapy: IT WORKS. You just have to be open & completely forthcoming to your therapist. You might have to shop around, & thats ok. Theres many different styles of therapy & guaranteed SOMEONE out there can help you. Do not let assholes like this guy tell you tHeRaPy iSnT rEaL like cmon my dude, anti-therapy people are about on par with climate deniers, flat earthers, & antivaxxers. Its a completely anti-science stance to state that therapy doesn't work. So you should throw out anything to do with science tbh if you hate science that much. Throw out your PC, consoles, phone, tv, medications, fucking everything. If you're going to be anti-science in one aspect you may as well in every aspect. Have fun living under a rock with some sticks to entertain you. Tbh i really wish there were a way to make y'all live w/o science so you can learn to appreciate it better.

[@auramora]

This trope is usually played by actors who are already considered attractive. That choice emphasizes the discrimination for other body types and physical features and ultimately reinforces the idea that you have to be born a certain way (height, weight, color skin, breast size) to be deserving. Ugh.

[@luciathefemininewoman]

Beauty standards are actually toxic to me personally. Because as you mention you need to have these specific characteristics including body type, height, skin color, shade, and hair style, and etcetera. No girl and women are going to have a specific body type, when you should accept that you’re not perfect. As person with diabetes and body image issues I stopped caring what others think, and not give a fuck except for things I actually care about such as climate change, animals, health, and much more.

[@chasityboatman4928]

The makeover really pushes Euro-centric beauty standards: straight hair, dying hair lighter, hair removal, and losing weight. The characters always end up looking so generic and inauthentic.

[@Tracymmo]

And even a subset of Eurocentric. Some white women are seen as too "ethnic" with frizzy or curly hair, dark hair, lots of body hair, features that aren't "delicate.'

[@Qaxoontii]

Straight hair, losing weight and hair removal are not Euro-centric beauty standards. Many countries around the world have those standards. In fact hair removal was a standard in Middle East and Africa way before it caught on in Europe.

[@chasityboatman4928]

@@Tracymmo 100%

[@UntakenNick]

@@chasityboatman4928 Because Hollywood belongs to an eurocentric culture. I bet you don't complain about the lack of inclusion of non-black people in african movies. If the presence of white people triggers you so much maybe you should go back to Africa (warning: lots of thin people there).

[@ecstasy3692]

i agree but losing weight isn’t an exclusively eurocentric thing

[@latamaquino]

movies always try to show that what's inside matters more than looks by making the good-looking/popular person fall for the non-conventionally attractive character's personality but it's only after the glow-up that they can be together in front of everyone

[@AxxLAfriku]

Chill out, what ya yellin' for? Lay back, it's all been done before. And if you could only let it be, you will see that I am the funniest YouT*ber of all time. Admit it, my dear follow*r tams

[@latamaquino]

@Emerald Glass exactly! it should be about choice but movies make it seem as if the makeover is mandatory and the only option

[@petravotroubkova1916]

Aaaand they are both played by attractive actors 😄

[@Hallows4]

In retrospect, this is just another reason to love My Big, Fat Greek Wedding: Tula does get a makeover, but it's not motivated by attracting a man (or not just that, at least). It's much more about asserting herself as she continues her education and finds job fulfillment. She also does it herself, so it's not influenced by men or even other women reinforcing stereotypical standards. I'd say that her truest makeover is in her attitude, as she gains the confidence to reject her family's rigid norms and find happiness on her own terms.

[@xarchanx]

OMG Yes! Tula's confidence went up so high almost immediately after the makeover. The guy (forgot his name) was attracted at how fun and confident she was (especially that scene where he sees her in the travel agency). She did the makeover by herself and chose the look that she wanted. Very empowering.

[@hollywoodshopaholic]

As a bicultural person I personally relate to her makeover on so many levels: wanting to eat normal lunches and look/feel like one of the "basic" American girls. It represents choice, and she gets everything she wants by the end of her journey without ever abandoning who she truly is.

[@victoriaacrage6342]

I love that she doesn’t give up on her curly hair - she learns to style it!!

[@geniehossain3738]

I identified so much with Tula’s makeover. For so long I just didn’t like what I saw when I looked in the mirror and felt so frumpy and self-conscious. Until I got to college and learned from the people around me about what clothes/makeup/style tips worked best for my body, not just what I thought I should look like based on what I saw in magazines or on Instagram. And the semester I started to figure out my look, everything seemed a bit brighter and I accomplished more than I thought I was capable of because I felt more confident! That’s what a real makeover should feel like.

[@Becky0494]

@@hollywoodshopaholic as a person who’s American with Greek roots (and a VERY Greek last name 😅) I also found that empowering. It was crazy how much I got picked on for my food, cultural practices (my classmates were horrified to hear that we eat lamb for Easter... hope they’re vegan!), my thick eyebrows, etc. that move means so much to me. And now as an adult people are so much more understanding and open-minded. Kids are so mean lmao

[@BITCHstfu234]

Fun Tropes: • The villain who we actually low-key agree with • The virgin • The average guy with the super hot woman • Bully ends up with the bullied • The wife who's following her dreams, but the husband or boyfriend doesn't agree • Opposites attract • Men not allowed to be intimate or emotional with friends and family because it's "unmanly" • Gay men always being overly feminine and lesbians always being always being overly masculine especially dark skinned black women • The boring girl especially boring girls being the most sought-after (looking at you Bella) • The "three" friends • Life journey's

[@punkrockjoanofarc]

“The average guy with the hot woman” Don’t you mean nearly every Adam Sandler movie?

[@Skyler_Momoko]

very good choices!!

[@NAME-yg8sl]

"Looking at you Bella" Lol

[@haminational3885]

• Gay men always being overly feminine and lesbians always being always being overly masculine especially dark skinned black women the best one and l would pay to see that - cause l am a burly hairy ruggeed guy from Pakistan and l can understand why all the gay men are shown that way when l am nothing but

[@caros.6072]

Agree with all of them

[@alexandrac591]

For another Take, are there movies that explore the trope of the overprotective older brother? The kind of guy who says he cares about his little sister but ends up choking her personal development and perhaps literally choking anyone she tries to date?

[@kennedyjojackson1202]

Yeah especially when the little sister ends up with one of the brother's friends, and the brother either 1) doesn't trust the friend or 2) is possessive over his own sister.

[@BellesView]

OMG if The Take does this, please use Tony Montana and Gina as an example.

[@sadtitties222]

@@kennedyjojackson1202 Agreed. Also, animation, especially Japanese animation, has the overprotective big brother trope in numerous shows. The older brothers never want their little sisters to have boyfriends, become incredibly hostile towards the boys their sisters have crushes on/are in love with, and literally want to be the only man/"the number one" man in their sister's lives. The relationships between these older brothers and their little sisters almost ALWAYS have incestuous overtones (resulting in ACTUAL incest in certain cases) going on and it is incredibly off-putting. Demon Slayer has managed to subvert this trope (THANK GOD) perfectly and it makes me sad knowing how it is considered a literal relief to find actual familial type bonds in anime without them having romantic/sexual overtones.

[@strawberrygoldie329]

@@sadtitties222 I agree with you on Japanese animation but I think this is how it is in most Asian countries. The father is supposed to protect the purity of the daughter and the older/younger brother resumes that duty. I live in Turkey and it's what's expected from brothers. You don't tell who you're dating with to your father or brother cause they're going to be pissed off and it's going to cause a scandal. It's rooted deeply in female gender roles of Madonna/Whore stereotypes. Actually one of my female friends got beat up by her little brother when she was 20 because she was messaging some guy. And the little bro was 15, everyone applauded him for protecting her sister's honor.

[@ann5141]

@@strawberrygoldie329 0.0

[@kikikokonyc2137]

Could you do the “bullied kid” trope and analyze why shows sometimes frame bullying as a “good thing” necessary for character development or to make them “stronger”

[@johnwalker1058]

I hate that trope because I feel as though it gives too many people excuse to justify tolerating or even condoning/justifying bullying because it "builds character" or "makes someone tougher."

[@Xehanort10]

I can't stand people who think being bullied makes you stronger or toughens you up. It doesn't.

[@justrenee2640]

It actually made me misanthropic and apathetic to most things and more manipulative due to extreme trust issues.. so I guess in a way.. “stronger”

[@HereIAm247]

A little girl once said something smart. The effects of bullying is a bit like curling a piece of paper into a ball, and then trying to straighten it back out. No matter how much you try to press it, the marks will still be there. And they will show and affect anything you try to draw or write on that piece of paper.

[@ayeilak5]

Love it can you do Native American stereotype in movies and shows thank you 😊

[@Randomdudefromtheinternet]

Would be cool, I know about one who participated in WW2 and did a series of tasks that allowed him to become a Crow war chief.

[@Princess-Pulcella]

yesss I'd love to see a video on that

[@hannahpop355]

While not entirely the same, Lindsay Ellis hits on this topic in her video on Pocahontas

[@toysmostwanted]

That's a cool to see can of snakes that might bite them in the arse if not done well.

[@nicholecharo1263]

lindsey ellis made some great videos talking about indigenous representations in disney movies (mostly in the pocahontas video, but she's talked about brother bear, emperors new groove, lilo and stitch, and moana)

[@Nse204]

10:07: Even in a makeover, women aren't allowed to have body hair so they have to apply wax onto already hairless legs. Amazing.

[@caros.6072]

I thought the same thing. Also why always waxing?? Makes your skin more stubbly and coarse than before anyway.

[@Liusila]

What do you mean even in a makeover? The makeover is about doing all of those beauty procedures.

[@Nse204]

@@Liusila Watch the clip? They wax her already hairless body in the movie.

[@anagham4700]

Funny how if I get rid of my glasses I become the sexiest woman alive

[@adampower9757]

untie that ponytail too

[@laurenconrad1799]

I've had people over the course of my life tell me I look better with glasses. To be honest, can't say I disagree. lol

[@hidden-behind-wisteria2701]

Well, if you're blind, you can't see what's wrong with society and try to fix it. I guess some people like it that way 🤷‍♀️

[@sapphic.flower]

My sis posted a pic of herself without her glasses and an old high school mate reached out to her telling her she looked good without them 🤢 She always looked good, you’re just shallow bro

[@anagham4700]

@@laurenconrad1799 I don’t have a problem with people telling me I look better without my glasses, as I recently got my glasses it’s understandable. What I don’t like though is the fact that some people think that removing my glasses can be such a major difference and can make me reach a level of attractiveness that was seemingly impossible for me to reach without the glasses...

[@201stars]

Also usually it’s the female character that has to change while the male get to stay the same.

[@simonj3413]

Yep... male writers leave their mark

[@jossposs3400]

As I was scrollig through the comments I actually started thinking about that movie with Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling where Steve gets a make over after his divorce. Don't remember the name of the movie. But yeah. Life is unfair 😭

[@harvestmoon_autumnsky]

As an unattractive, overweight teacher, I found it horribly disturbing when research was done that proved children and their parents both think the pretty, young teachers are the most effective. I started watching all those makeover shows on TLC or whatever. Then I just said, screw it, and went back to my flannels and jeans. I just am so thankful my school doesn't require a dress code. for our staff. I just gotta let that sh=t go.

[@hugogodinez2477]

Thats weird, i always thought that the best teachers are the older ones, with experience. Looks should not be important

[@debolinabhattacharyya5179]

For me, all our teacher's felt experienced and their looks never mattered. My friends objectified the pretty teachers and listened to the ones who weren't distractingly beautiful.

[@punkrockjoanofarc]

You are beautiful the way you are! - a curly haired, bespectacled teenage girl

[@ericainchains5806]

Nothing wrong with jeans and flannels!😊

[@juliagd]

you are still beautiful

[@Turner_Strait]

I will never forget the time I was "chosen/picked out" for a makeover thing in my grade school paper. It was my worst bully/abuse year, and I was convinced that being picked for this would change everything. Even the girls who helped me with it (all 16-yo Popular Girls to my 14-yo Unpopular self) gave me a massive confidence boost the whole time. And then the day after, having everyone being like "wow they have eyebrows! and a new haircut/-color! They're so different!" it didn't last long. By the end of the week I was at the bottom of the social ladder again and being bullied by my assigned perpretrators so yeah. Makeovers do jack shit, unless you're Hollywood pretty, and your script says that makes you desirable.

[@alenciaga21]

Kids are just bullies. They bully anything that looks just a tiny bit different than the trends. It's their own insecurity a lot of times. Bullied people don't have to be and mostly aren't ugly. I used to be bullied and now I am confident and nobody says anything about my looks. I am sure you are very beautiful! Also, a lot of now Hollywood beauties were in fact bullied. Angelina Jolie to say just one

[@Tracymmo]

What idiot adults signed off on that?!

[@Turner_Strait]

@@Tracymmo eh, it was a semi-tradition, and a trend at the time. No one thought anything of it, and even in hindsight neither do I particularly.

[@WannabeWryter]

Were the 16 year old girls at least nice?

[@Turner_Strait]

@@WannabeWryter Yup! Which helped immensely with the whole process

[@lemonringo566]

There's a line in Legally Blonde musical where Elle says to Emmet "The outside is new, but now it reflects what's already in you", and that line changes my whole opinion on makeovers. Maybe sometimes, people just need a makeover to realize that the values they were looking for are already in them.

[@ellaknox4544]

I'm really skinny, tall and have red puffy hair and my hairdresser once said to me I should be a model, because many agencies aren't looking for pretty, they're looking for unique. I was like, bit of a backhanded compliment but alright 😂

[@ellaknox4544]

@De Nile same, though at the time I was 13 (21 now) so when he said that, I was just like... oh :/

[@nanahuatli2144]

I understand it'd feel like shit, but I think there's some truth to it. If you look at fashion model photos is magazines, they're not always the same kind of pretty as Hollywood, and not so uniform. Some are very tall, spindly, bony, with small boobs, very pale, thin-lipped, with strong facial features... they don't work on the same sandards as TV and it's interesting. It's probably not less of a harmful model of beauty by itself, but it's nice that there's at least two conflicting, established standards and thus there's no universal truth to it. TV's made you feel bad that your boobs are small? Well, if you were a fashion model big boobs would be a hindrance. It's all a matter of context.

[@jessicavictoriacarrillo7254]

Sounds familiar

[@franz3810]

what a shitty compliment

[@shannonceleste5557]

There was a whole ass reality tv show about this back in the day. I believe it was called the swan and it was so super problematic. The whole premise was to do up to 20+ invasive surgeries all at once, turn these women into clones of one another, then pit said women against each other in like a final showdown type competition? Many of these women (they only had female ‘contestants’) ended up in therapy after the show. I don’t believe I need to elaborate on why. God the early 2000s were truly a wild time 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@lenastorm6280]

@@Chris-rg6nm I don't know. Why do people watch this incredible cruel and unhealthy child-beauty-contests?

[@Sandra-wl1iq]

@@Chris-rg6nm I think about that question sometimes. I watched it. Plastic surgery was a brand new possibility and people didn't know what to think about it. It was certainly very cool, a lot of celebrities used it. And early '00 was certainly not about mental health, that became a subject very slowy after the mental breakdown of Britney Spears. It's weird how much we progressed as a society in twenty years or so when you think about this.

[@mariahn5764]

@@Chris-rg6nm I watched this show too! I was way too young to be watching it, and therefore way too young to see it as problematic but it was objectively horrible. I don’t know why adult women watched it. As a kid, I bought into the toxic idea that attractiveness was the only way for women to be happy, and I genuinely believed all these women’s problems would be solved by these extreme makeovers.

[@IOANNA333]

What?Thats crazy.

[@deveneydaniene5808]

Jeez, I completely forgot about that show. Repressed it probably, so unhealthy..

[@RamiroEloy1997]

Mean girls did the opposite the best when the plastics became who they really wanted to be.

[@nanahuatli2144]

@Akshay 786 I think he means the other Plastics. Regina quit being a queen bee (granted, it was due to her injuries), started doing sports and, free from her anger, became more balanced. Karen... I think Karen was always who she wanted to be, but she seemed happier in her new job. And Gretchen never quit being a Plastic because riding on the coattails of someone else's power was always her. And Lindsay Lohan was always pretty and white, but I guess in highschool your desirability isn't dictated only by actual looks, but mostly by societal role, and she left the top tier to be with the nerds again, where she was truly happy.

[@jessetorres8738]

So, apparently it is on the outside that counts, since in pretty much all of these films/shows, once the female (or in some cases male) character starts to look good, that's when people start to like/pay attention to them, and it has been this way ever since My Fair Lady.

[@bloggerblogg5878]

and thanks to movies in real life people think if you are ugly( means you are not fit in the beauty standards) you are a bad person too. Yeah, it's true if you are beautiful and attractive easier to succeed in any field of life. If you are not it's a struggle.

[@wildcatste]

Crazy Ex Girlfriend's "Put yourself first" is the best takedown of the makeover trope. If you haven't watched it go look it up.

[@beatrizgomes4094]

Oh, it totally is! But I'm also surprised they didn't use any of 2x04, where Rebecca is at a much worse place mentally, the makeover is more drastic and it's a bigger cry for help (and the song Makey Makeover is just nuts lol). That scene where she sees Josh and he thinks she's wearing a costume is just heartbreaking

[@jaycievictory8461]

Crazy Ex Girlfriend is the best at everything! It is the Queen of lampshading tropes and then dismantling them. Please do a video on the show, Take! 🙏🙏🙏

[@jaycievictory8461]

@@beatrizgomes4094 oh, man... Now it's totally stuck in my head: "I had a stroke. I had a stroke!" 😂😂

[@gizemaslan4431]

putting myself first for him does mean I am putting myself second ". It is a wonderful show which does not get credit what it deserve

[@Psiberzerker]

In the writing industry, there's another term for the "Gradual Makeover." It's called a Character Arc. That's what the flash makeover really robs from the story. It's supposed to be a Quick Fix, but it isn't. It doesn't change the character, at least not more than superficially. When a character grows, and learns from her experiences, She might personally change Her style, but that's not a Makeover. Crucially, it's a Fashion Choice. Pretty much the opposite of forcing a square peg through a round hole with a mallet.

[@LittleHobbit13]

The Librarians does a good example of this with Cassandra Cillian. She starts out wearing really simple clothes in very muted colors, and as she grows into her new role and gains more confidence in herself, her waredrobe gradually becomes more brightly colored with lots of individual flair.

[@zainmudassir2964]

There is a similar trope of men becoming attractive and desirable. Usually after wearing 'cool' clothes, haircut and getting in shape, girls start getting crazy over him. As a chubby kid it was demoralizing and fed to insecurities but luckily I had supportive people around me or I might have gone the incel route

[@adwaitab.3622]

Yup. The example I can think of would be Steve Carell's character from Crazy stupid Love. As youth, we're increasingly being victims to body dysmorphia syndrome. And it's not healthy. Embracing ourselves for we are is something which media should be focussing on.

[@rinowx5]

Steve Rogers (Captain America) is a great example of this one

[@hollywoodshopaholic]

Hercules, too. The protagonists go from being "your average Joe" to an alpha male with just a few tweaks. As a kid none of that stuff affected whether I thought someone was attractive; it's strange that as we become adults, these small superficial details (neatness, stylishness, fitness) start to make all the difference. P.S. glad you had a strong support system and are comfortable with yourself!

[@genzi78514]

I think that is pretty damaging for boys when movies give them expectation that several girls (specially, hot girls), would get crazy over them after a makeover. For the majority of men, getting more attractive won't cause that effect.

[@kiaraetsuko3523]

The Princess Diaries legit taught me that my curly hair and glasses make me ugly af lmao

[@kilimanjaro5537]

The racism 🙄

[@juliagd]

a shame truly

[@caros.6072]

I always hated when people took their glasses off to be attractive. Especially when I knew they were insecure about them. I just think they're a beautiful accessory. Also, is there anything on this planet that could be more mysterious, beautiful, alluring and confident than natural curls? Including black people's hair of course!

[@she_wizzdom4410]

Curly hair is so pretty. Every type of hair has its own beauty. Why should we become clones when nature gifted us with such abundance and variety?

[@elsalou5433]

It's kinda baffling how often the girl getting the makeover starts out with curly hair, and ends up with beach waves, or even straight hair... :( Celebrate curls

[@LeaD2000]

Yeah, that’s disgusting and did so much wrong to me as a kid

[@reyy9220]

these days curls are celebrated so much tho and that makes me happy since they're so pretty

[@alsersz]

@@reyy9220 I'm soo happy younger girls can grow up in this environment because, as someone who grew up un the 2000's, that trend of "only the straightest hair is acceptable" was very demoralizing for those who didn't fit into that standard

[@pennypaints8091]

I'm a makeup artist and I totally agree with this video. I've had a lot of people assume I tackle innocent women and force them to dunk their faces in foundation and highlighter. The truth is that I never force anyone to put on makeup if they aren't comfortable with it. People hire me all the time to give them makeovers but it's always THEIR CHOICE, and it can be as heavy or light as they desire. If I'm doing their makeup and they for example don't want to pluck their eyebrows or their eyes are sensitive and they can't wear mascara or eyeliner, I skip it. Or if they just don't like a strong statement like red lips, there are always other options. There are tons of ways of updating your look but the update/makeover itself should always reflect the client's desired look. Allison's makeover in the Breakfast Club is unnecessary and she looks so stupid afterward. The makeup looks fine I guess but why does she have to be in pink?? I would go in a totally different direction if I were giving her a makeover. Also an ironic side note: I did Rachel Bloom's makeup years ago for a short film (The makeup wasn't essential to her character and it wasn't for a makeover scene).

[@TemariNaraannaschatz]

Totally agree with you. Addin to Allison in the Breakfast Club: her make up before the make over looked honestly better on her. I get that her having her hair out of her eyes was to show that she wasn't hiding anymore (I can see your face.), and I know it's to have her and Claire have a nice girl time moment with each other (why are you being so nice to me). but it wasn't that well done. Claire's own eyeliner is stronger and would have fit Allison a lot better, the lips are actually nice but that shirt in pink is just too much. If they would have gone with anything less toned down it would have looked so much better. Blue, grey, even white and then something less frilly and it would have fit her character better. But I suppose it could be a piece she got lended from Claire, considering everything else she wears are still her old clothes.

[@JBabyLeather]

I disagree very much. Allison’s makeover is to let her walls down and show herself fully. And it’s a white top she wears, not pink. White. Meant to symbolize innocence and purity. She’s showing herself honestly and without any shields up. Also, it’s her own clothes. Wasn’t like she got them from Claire. That is her own clothing she’s been wearing under the big black sweater. It’s a make under

[@TemariNaraannaschatz]

@@JBabyLeather We can't actually see what she is wearing underneath her coat. There is a grey shirt beneath it, the pink one might be beneath that though. And it is a light pink. You can watch the makeover clip on youtube to see the color if you don't have access to a copy on your own.

[@sorcerersapprentice]

Outta curiously, how would you go about Alison's makeover in a modern sense if you were put in charge of it?

[@TemariNaraannaschatz]

@@sorcerersapprentice Not the person you asked, but I'd definity stick with the overall messages behind it. Less hair in the face. Put the headband that matches her color scheme (anything but pink) into her back, so when she tilts it over you can already see it in her possetion as something she wants to have. Also put the belt in there, that she wears later. Less baggy clothes but stick with the color scheme and let it being seen as something she clearly already wears underneath, a peak of the collar would be great, if the shirt is in a different color than her black/grey color scheme having a little bit of color shown when her face is in close up would also work. (anything but pastels would be a great match to do this with) Maybe after some time she doges one layer (the scarf) as everyone talks about their storys and you can see her having something less baggy underneath. Then when the moment comes (Because the scene itself is actually really nice) have Claire clean up her make up to a nice smokey eye with more clear defined lines instead of the more smudged look she has and she just sheds her baggy sweater puts on the belt and headband and that's it. Maybe let Claire put the headband on and do the make up and then have Allison take the sweater off as a final step.

[@pretzellina]

And that’s why I love Shrek 😂

[@sydneycloud5930]

True 😂 honestly though shrek really does send a good message about how looks don’t always matter

[@castellanofgundabad5]

The most unpleasant example of this is with Amy Ferrah Fowler in the Big Bang theory, where it's seen as her big character development despite her WINNING A NOBEL PRIZE earlier, whilst the nerdy Sheldon dresses exactly the same.

[@MaiiOrduna]

@@NoFirstNoLastName because she had to be somewhat different from Sheldon, and Sheldon was there first. Plus, women tend to have more insecurities about their clothing than men and I know this because I'm a woman.

[@laurenalexander3472]

I enjoy Amy throughout for different reasons but sometimes I do miss her more “I don’t care what you think” attitude. I feel like it quickly diminishes when she meets a penny and she becomes someone desperate for Sheldons (and Penny’s) affections. I enjoy the new Amy probably just as much but it doesn’t always feel like the same character

[@Pinkranger87]

@@NoFirstNoLastName I liked her make over. Amy's mother repressed her beauty and pushed her into be smart. So she when met sheldon she didn't change anything about her self because he love as herself.

[@mysteriiis]

@@Pinkranger87 This is the key. Early seasons Amy is showing us her pathology; not her personality.

[@MichouThe]

that show itself is really misognystic

[@ilovemusic3584]

At this point I seriously can't with media. Glasses are worn for if you have vision problems.

[@kennedyjojackson1202]

Watching these makeovers call white girls with loosely curled hair ugly and unkempt while I sit here with type 4 hair thinking, 'dang even they can't catch a break' It's so harmful. Makes me grateful my parents gave me black dolls with curly instead. It's important to see a flattering reflection of yourself.

[@kilimanjaro5537]

Right and the white people in the comments pretending like they’re so oppressed for having 2c(if you even consider that curly) hair 😩. Like wow, they’re talking about how these movies made them feel bad...imagine having 4 type hair especially 4c 🙄.

[@punkrockjoanofarc]

I’m a white teenage girl with curly hair and glasses. I think I’m already beautiful

[@FruityHachi]

@@kilimanjaro5537 don't need to put them down to make yourself feel better suffering is not a competition, theirs is valid just like yours

[@may.k_me]

Another great one I wish you'd have covered the film media's obsession to make people who use glasses "ugly" and then miraculously "beautiful" when they wear contacts instead. It's a recurring trope that I loathe

[@sakunaruful]

Another good example is from Ugly Betty. At the beginning of the show, Betty underwent a makeover to fit in with her coworkers at Mode. This makeover doesn't work since Betty is pretending to be somebody else to impress other people. By the end of the series, Betty does undergo a style change. This time, the change is successful because the update reflects the person Betty is on the inside. She becomes a “strong determined and successful businesswoman.”

[@joycezale5433]

I can't believe they ignored ugly betty..

[@kaatje557]

Just a quick little thought with this trope. (may or may not be worth analysing). I think FRIENDS Monica was never unhappy with being overweight when she was a teenager and that other people also didn't care about it. If you think about Monica was friends with Rachel at that point (who was multiple times referred to as really popular during high school), who didn't seem to mind Monica her appearance. Not meaning that overweight people can't be popular, but that was the stereotype back than, the skinny model-like were popular and they didn't hang out with overweight nerdy people. Later on in the show the only one who keeps mentioning her weight in Chandler, who was the cause of her weight loss. (Ross also said some things "If you didn't eat fast, you didn't eat a all!". My point is I think that Monica was more laidback and happier when she was overweight than when you was skinny (wanting to be more in control).

[@Missmagazinebura]

Monica became addicted to cleaning and cooking 🧑‍🍳 when she was skinny

[@kaatje557]

@@Missmagazinebura Yes than her controlling personality came forward

[@alternateuniversescollidde313]

@@Missmagazinebura I think she may have always had a controlling personality and exchanged one thing for another. She may have had an eating addiction to help calm her anxiety and act as a form of control. Then when she lost weight she turned to cleaning and cooking to express her need for control and to take away that anxious energy.

[@hollywoodshopaholic]

Interesting point, though Monica and Rachel started as childhood besties, at an age when you don't notice differences like that. I doubt they would have been friends had they met in high school. That being said, "fat Monica" did seem somewhat happier and more oblivious than the grown-up she became.

[@kaatje557]

@@hollywoodshopaholic I see, in my high school a lot of people dumped their "best friend" in the first year because they wanted to be popular and they didn't fit in that picture. But that was my experience so it's a valid point you make.

[@OnyxLee]

In almost all the comics, when women become powerful, they always become more sexualized.

[@mcd4370]

Why is that? Just curious

[@OnyxLee]

@@mcd4370 because no matter feminism or sexualization is just a selling point. Marketability is the king!

[@OnyxLee]

@Akshay 786 yeah, but look at power girl, vamprella......

[@kiwimaracuia9834]

Because it's considered powerful to be owning ones sexuality

[@OnyxLee]

@@kiwimaracuia9834 yeah, you're right. I heard of this very frequently too. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I personally saw many females using this phrase to justify male's objectification.

[@moustachetuesdays]

Urgh the glasses thing pisses me off... Especially when most of the time they don't even do a quick scene saying "let's try contact lenses" it's like they literally just take off the glasses and what? Shes supposed to magically be able to see? If she could see that well she wouldn't need glasses! 😡🤬 😂 OK rant over! 😂

[@Elora445]

I used to wear glasses (before I lasered my eyes) for about eighteen years. That trope annoyed, and still annoys, me SO much! I used to be really near-sighted and would be half-blind without my glasses. so that trope... Annoys me every time.

[@NAME-yg8sl]

TV was one of the main reason I cried when I needed glasses. I don't look that bad in them though.

[@thisisnancybot]

As someone who has recently rewatched The Princess Diaries, The Devil Wears Prada and Miss Congeniality, I feel like this video was made just for me.

[@VulpineNinja]

you forgot to mention that makeover tropes is more often forced onto women than men. Women's makeover is often due to outside influence, while men seem to have his own agency. a mediocre guy can still 'win the girl' without any extreme changes to his appearance, but a nerdy girl HAS to go through lengths to get attention. that said it would be entertaining if there's a romcom where see both love interests change themselves to attract each other.

[@toomuchinformation]

Men change their behaviour, women change their looks.

[@FruityHachi]

"if there's a romcom where see both love interests change themselves to attract each other." in Three Wishes for Cinderella the woman attracted the man when she changed her appearance, and the man attracted the woman when he changed his behavior tho i'd want to see if characters changed themselves independently and before meeting each other

[@imjstar]

What do you think about the end of Tangled, where her hair was cut? As a 14 year old, I have to admit I was disappointed with that dramatic transformation. As a 24 year old, I think it's incredibly powerful and a very important lesson for young girls.

[@lolablake9196]

But then in the cartoon that follows the movie she gets the long hair back.

[@gloryramos2526]

@@lolablake9196 Then cuts it again gets married. In the short tangled ever after.

[@lolablake9196]

@@gloryramos2526 I have seen the short I was very curious how that happens if both the cartoon and short were canon because I have barely watched any of the cartoon so thanks for telling me.

[@zendayasfruityfrenchfry1784]

You’re putting too much thought into it.,.

[@pastelcloudpainter]

I think when it comes to the hair cutting scene in Tangled, you have to factor in that Rapunzle's hair is magical. She was convinced by the evil witch who kidnapped her that the whole world was unsafe for her because people would try to steal her magic hair. Of course Rapunzle eventually realises that it was actually Mother Gothell who was obsessed with her magic hair, and that Flynn loves her for who she is. When Flynn cuts her hair, he's freeing her from Gothell and proving definitively to Rapunzle that he cares more about her as a person than her hair. So I'd say in that case, her haircut is more significant as a symbol of her relationships to other people rather than really being a make over scene.

[@RobLandauer]

Makeovers are a common trope because a lot of people like the idea that they're a haircut away from being attractive, successful, and having lots of friends.

[@Hexgirl239]

Betty's gradual make over in Ugly Betty is my favourite on screen makeover. It came from herself and she didn't let anyone else's opinion of her fashion choices deter her from being herself

[@winonacrvz]

As much as I love watching makeovers, it really took a toll on my self-esteem bc of all the implicated beauty standards 😔

[@DeathnoteBB]

Seriously. I always looked like the before option and while I didn’t really care about standing out so never thought much of it, I’m pretty sure it’s why I have a lot confidence issues about my appearance

[@AshleyABrannon]

Regardless, you are beautiful Winona! Shine on! 💖

[@Oversurge_]

Is what it is.

[@winonacrvz]

@@DeathnoteBB oh yea I definitely get that :( and then I feel guilty when I do feel good about myself? damn

[@mississipi1103]

Same. I have curly hair, glasses and a little bit chubby, but it doesn't mean that I am unworthy :(

[@DanyLassard]

I'm impressed you didn't talk about Kat's makeover in Euphoria! It's a major topic in the show, as it first shows us the edgy way Kat chooses to dress makes her more confident about herself, but then it backfires... it's kinda like what happens with Olive in Easy A and with Cady in Mean Girls

[@AveryTalksAboutStuff]

I always think of the "very cute moose" scene from The Princess Diaries 2

[@trinaq]

Me too, it's one of my favourite quotes from the second movie, and always makes me laugh! 😹

[@heyidaroo]

HUAAAAH

[@Logitah]

As a young teen, I refused to wear makeup and pluck my eyebrows. Other kids constantly said such things as: "You'd be pretty if you'd just wear makeup!", which made all kinds of conventional femininity feel gross and forceful. I spent my years in lower secondary school looking like an angry, scholarly werewolf because I liked annoying my classmates by not meeting their standards. I didn't start wearing makeup until I was about 17, because nobody expected it of me anymore. This is why I honestly hate makeover montages. They just scream "You won't be loved unless you change yourself somehow!"

[@KitKatLag]

Mia’s makeover in The Princess Diaries, Hermione Granger’s makeover in Harry Potter for the Yule ball, and Sam’s makeover in A Cinderella Story are my favorites because of how much they shock their fellow classmates and make them realize that they aren’t the invisible shrinking violets or just “one of the guys.” I always wanted to have a moment like theirs where as soon as you walk in, everyone stops and stares in awe. It’s just such a thrilling moment in stories. I love when characters get to experience that.

[@somethingcooliguess]

The movie version for Hermione was so underwhelming. They didn’t hide Emma Watson’s good features before then. Especially with the haircut in Azkaban.

[@TemariNaraannaschatz]

@@somethingcooliguess Oh yeah, Hermione in the books transformation is such a big point that is important for her, because she knows she's a girl and she wants to have that for herself so she does really well in making sure that she looks amazing (not that Hermione was ugly, her only issue was with her teeth and she fixed what she didn't like (although it didn't help that she got bullied for them) her own way). She made an effort because she wanted to look pretty for the ball. Movie Hermione in 1+2 was fine, Emma Warson was a child still and children aren't hot or anything, they are cute, and she still had her hair (although they did a bag job at making it actually curly instead of just a mess, but it's been a long time and hairstlying tools got better over the years) bushy, but in PoA she her hair was too pretty. The clothing was actually decent in both PoA and GoF but the started to get more and more pink in (no discussion about the dress color difference, that's a different topic that ModernGurlz made a great video about) which is a classic sign of showing more femininity in film making and I think they should have left that either for GoF or left the pink for the actual Yule ball dress. Having Hermione taking more care of her normal clothes as a sign of character growth isn't bad, but they should have stuck to the Hermione hair until the scene and then have her styled hair intead of her usual either practical or a bit messy hair. (Give me HbP potion hair, that looked amazing!) So her Yule ball scene in GoF felt quiet flat, because we never got that wow moment that Harry has as extreme as in the books.

[@lh9591]

I find it amusing you used clips from “Not another teen movie” as opposed to “She’s all that”

[@ashakir622]

Isn't that shocking? "She's All That" is the poster child for problematic makeover movies.

[@timmycakes001]

Anne Hathaway had two of the most well known character makeovers - Mia in Princess Diaries and Andie in Devil Wears Prada. This vid also mentions Ella Enchanted but I only saw that once when it came out so I don’t remember the makeover.

[@laurenconrad1799]

I honestly liked the makeover in My Big Fat Greek Wedding because it was self initiated and because it was accompanying other, more meaningful changes like going to college and getting a new job. No one told Toula to do that and the curls and contacts were really just a cherry on top of larger, more impactful changes.

[@gayathriprakash1296]

The princess diaries makeover is the most iconic makeover by far...

[@maggiemcfly5267]

It's so dumb and kinda of offensive lol what's wrong with wearing glasses and having big curly hair??

[@amangoyal923]

@@maggiemcfly5267 I think saying it's ironic and saying it's unnecessary are completely different things... There's nothing wrong with wearing glasses. But there's nothing wrong with makeovers either

[@trinaq]

When I was younger, I hated how they straightened Mia's hair, as if princesses can't have curly hair. But now, it makes sense that if she was going to lead a country, then she needed to appear as more "presentable." 👑

[@iamV10010]

I thought the pictures they had in front of her for the big reveal looked exactly the same as she did walking out from behind them lol

[@lilmess5234]

Only Paolo can take THIS and This and give you.... ~a princEss~

[@thisbitchgotfamous2574]

Last time i was this early corona was just a rumor in the medias

[@imjstar]

Too soon 😭

[@lydiafayre9806]

Well...just a rumor for you, not for the human beings in China who were dying from it.

[@LM-tq1ev]

this is why i love the scene in Not Another Teen Movie where they call out the simplicity of it, showing the main character calling out the obviously gorgeous love interest but she has "glasses and ponytail"

[@ThePrinceofHisOwnKingdom]

"I'm a miracle worker!"

[@partycitydumpster]

Willow in the Buffy episode Halloween is a fascinating example of the makeover trope. She's too shy to wear the sexy costume Buffy chooses for her and puts a ghost costume over it at the last second before going out. But when everyone gets turned into their costumes, she becomes the ghost of herself wearing the sexy outfit. And she's got way more important things to worry about than her outfit, and takes charge in a big way to solve the problems of the episode. When everyone is turned back in the end, she throws away the ghost costume because she's spent the whole back half of the episode in the sexy outfit getting shit done. She doesn't continue to dress sexy in the series, but she took a big step in conquering her fears about being seen. Willow's gradual style transformation over the course of the series and how it relates to her identity and self-image is also fascinating but this comment is long enough.

[@Sapphire_Reacts]

vampire willow was hot though

[@alekadelacruz8592]

"Makeovers" should only be done to those women who actually wants it, women should not be forced to confirm to societies expectations just to be accepted. We are lucky to be living in a generation on where we can be ourselves so we should take advantage of it 😊💖

[@texasred2702]

You should check out a movie called Dance Me Outside that came out about 25 years ago about a murder on an Indian reservation in Canada or near the border, and for contrast watch it on a double bill with Thunderheart which covers similar territory. Starred Adam Beach in one of his first big roles. Serious subject matter but a lot of humor.

[@melissacooper4282]

I felt the same way when I watched an episode of The Twilight Zone where this girl was being forced to get a makeover of sorts because she came of age. It started out as a rite of passage for both males and females to have the transformation to become beautiful. But then it becomes clear that it was compulsory for conformity. The girl ended up getting the makeover against her will. It made me sad because although she was beautiful she lost her identity because everyone else looks the same!

[@user-ig2io3hc8g]

Appearance is so about social status, income, role

[@mysteriiis]

I'd love to see a story where someone is taught how to effectively use thrift stores and DIY techniques. Just because you shop at Goodwill doesn't mean you have to look like it.

[@user-ig2io3hc8g]

@@mysteriiis it true, i was photoshoping some business magasine. And some people who wasnt rich in youth, cant look like rich person in adulthood. Look is about habbits too

[@samiam9925]

A makeover should be initiated by the character, even if it's a superficial makeover. there's nothing wrong with wanting to "pretty yourself up" or "dress for the job you want" IF that's what you want. EVEN if the purpose is to attract your object of desire... There's nothing wrong with getting dressed up for a date. And there's nothing wrong with us if some new clothes and a new style make us walk a little taller. We are visual creatures and presentation can count for a lot. BUT there's something to be said for movies that show that this is the only way to add value to a person, or that the person didn't matter or was invisible beforehand. That a person cannot be valuable if their hair isn't bone straight and they wear glasses and slightly baggy clothing. there's also something negative to be said for these movies targeting teens, whose minds are impressionable, who tend to be insecure, and sometimes look to media as a guide for how to view themselves and others. We are more than our hair and clothes.

[@meganhartmann180]

In "The Princess Diaries", I thought Mia was most attractive in a scene at the beginning of the movie when she and her mom were climbing on an indoor rock wall. Unlike at school -- where she felt like an awkward and clumsy person -- when she was climbing, Mia was relaxed and really in her element. And that confidence really radiated outward.

[@ognjensijak989]

I don't think makeovers are that bad but a lot of times people are treated like they are literal goblins before them, despite them looking just fine.

[@linnycrocus6023]

When you are a woman who doesn't perform femininity well a lot of other women treat you like a child. Like you are defective and you need to be fixed. And that your unhappiness lies in the fact that you don't get dressed up and put on make up all of the time. I have depression and PTSD and struggle with dissociation and executive dysfunction. I barely have the energy to get out of bed somedays...never mind styling my hair, contouring and making up my face and wearing clothes that are usually uncomfortable. When it's a big event, I'll get it together obviously. I'll never forget when my friend and I went to a party and she commented on the fact that I had spent money on a new outfit and had on lipstick "You should do this more often". I told her later that it hurt my feelings and she apologized but I don't think anyone will ever fully understand why that comment stung. Lots of people view me like the pathetic and lost characters featured in this video.

[@leahjackiepeah4130]

You are not. People who were makeup ends up in hell. So.. you are kinda of avoiding a bullet there. Also pray to Jesus for help for your depression.

[@realSimoneCherie]

Anyone else been adopted as a 'pet' by a group of girls before?

[@availanila]

That would be so humiliating

[@clairewillow6475]

Yes . By my friends friend. She straightened my hair and plucked my eyebrows and I was lol “ugh ow stop” lol and then we went to McDonald’s and I got hit on by an older boy that I had no interest in and we went back home. She felt like she really did something 😒 I got into makeup and hair maybe like 5 years later for self expression reasons and that was different/more fun

[@Melly16yr10]

Nope never been in a group of girls to begin with

[@Sheisdreaming06]

Yup

[@Elora445]

Kind of. It was mostly one friend who had way more fashion sense than I, and hence chose to gradually do a makeover to me. It was mostly positive since it was an actual friend who did it.

[@thedevicebook]

Thanks for mentioning people calling something “self-care” when it’s not. I went to a self-care event at a spa that when on & on about how to get rid of cellulite, which they said even skinny women need to worry about. All this in front of me, an obviously curvy woman who loves how I look.

[@completelyrandom8671]

That trope really harmed me as a kid. As much as my sisters love the Princess Diaries, I cannot see a meaningful conclusion for tomboys like me.

[@FacebookQueen]

Been thinking that this whole time. They tend to have these “makeovers” for tomboy characters

[@ananaspryde5687]

I was a total tomboy as a little girl. I hated the message of the movie so much and felt not represented at all in media bc a tomboy was always labelled as sonething Bad or kinda wrong and the beatiful girl in girlish dress as the thing to achieve

[@g_realmvlog4889]

Honestly these women were beautiful even before their make over

[@auramora]

"Beautiful" by society standards, which is way worse.

[@Gabrielles108]

That's why My big fat greek wedding is so good. She teaches herself how to do make up and do things that make her feel more herself

[@realSimoneCherie]

Changing your appearance, hoping that you'd feel like you now look is even more depressing than looking like you did originally.

[@Meggpie]

As a teenage girl, I've always struggled with my appearance because I have frizzy curly hair, acne, glasses, and braces and I've always just been the ugly, the before the makeover girl which was really hard for me 🥺

[@MusicUnderMyBreath]

Okay now I kinda want to watch/make a movie where the makeover is in reverse someone whos all dolled up and hates it but feels pressured to do it every day and realized she doesn't have to. And she's just wearing what she feels comfortable in.

[@sammyvictors2603]

With the Makeover Montage, I think of it as a sort of a vanity, to quote Jane Austen "Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.” As I think, but correct me if I'm wrong (I'm open for correction), is that the Makeover Montage in these medias is about looking beautiful (with impossible standards) for other people to notice and admire you in a way that would have others think of you.

[@snotnose3901]

I still want the analysis of the "bromance" trope on the fact that it's apparently weird to normalize male friendships to the point we have to have a name for it in tv and movies.

[@konraddygudaj257]

"Take care of your costume and your confidence will take care of itself." Amit Kalantri

[@trinaq]

I agree, sometimes an "Attitude Makeover" can be more rewarding than a physical makeover! 😻

[@lilmess5234]

I mean...that’s not wrong.....🤷🏻‍♀️

[@laurenconrad1799]

I think it’s important to remember that in the Breakfast Club, the makeover was one day and only a few hours. Allison probably went home that Saturday, changed back into her outcast-style clothes on Monday, and probably didn’t speak to Claire again. Hopefully Allison can find her tribe when she goes to college.

[@lemsip207]

I wondered where she got the clothes from as they were nowhere near a clothes shop so I assumed she was wearing them under her baggy sweater.

[@lydiafayre9806]

When I watch analyses like this, it puts periods of my own life into new context. For years as a teen, I was obsessed with trying to find a balance in my persona where I could like myself and be liked by as many people as possible while disliked by as few as possible. This is...not an easy balance to achieve, and the latter concerns can often actually infringe upon the former.

[@TheLoverbug567]

I like how Wicked handles the Makeover, even though Glinda initiates it, Elphaba still stays who she always was and makes the new look her own.

[@JR-sx3gl]

In real life the problem with makeovers is only if the person helping you is trying to make you into another version of themselves. If you are clueless about style and want to reveal your true self rather than conform to some norms or trends, then a good stylist will do miracles for you. Honestly. When I was a 20 year old girl I could only make myself look like a 12 year old or a 40 years old and nothing in between. Now as I am heading towards 40 discovering Kibbe (yin-yang) style and the KZbinrs who analyse it is God sent. Now I know why this doesn't work for me but that does and I can shine my inner self outside. Not trying to be someone I am not, but follow some rules with my take on the style. The rules are in fact just an eye opener and when I look back I see my favourite pieces, that I felt my best in actually followed this or that rule. It is so freeing. I think a lot of people would like to express themselves, but lack time, knowledge and a push to actually do something about it.

[@Gen_X_Rosey]

Everybody always talks about how Sandy changes for Danny, but nobody talks about how he tries to do the same for her (earning a letter and wearing a sweater at the carnival). No, his change wasn't as extreme, but it was still a change!

[@shayb4498]

If you think about it his change probably was more extreme. He had to work over a long period of time to get that jacket. It took Sandy only a couple of hours...

[@Gen_X_Rosey]

@@shayb4498 Very true, I totally agree! But no one ever talks about it. Like EVER!!!

[@shayb4498]

@@Gen_X_Rosey I knowwww....you’re completely right. it’s so annoying.

[@Sapphire_Reacts]

thank you,everyone keeps overlooking that

[@krystofdayne]

🎵🎵 Makeover, it's a makey makeover It's a makey lakey wakey fakey bakey cakey rakey nakey I had a stroke I had a stroke 🎵🎵

[@danapotts7521]

Yes! Love Crazy Ex Girlfriend!

[@upsetstudios1819]

As a cosplayer / amateur designer, I became somewhat addicted to "Cinderella-moments" in High School. I would dress up in these bizarre, huge, eye-catching creations. Smurf Bob Ross, an all gold pajama set, a Victorian ballgown. Heck, I even went as Poison Ivy with just a bathing suit, green body paint and and a long skirt that floated in the air behind me. And I loved it. Teachers and students would take pictures with me. I loved seeing people's reactions (anything from laughter, ugly stares, childish amazement or just confusion) and feeling free to be a whole different person for a day. But they were also a form of outburst. I was deeply lonely and felt like I could dress bizarrely because nobody found me attractive to begin with. And even though it made me feel really good for a few days, it didn't help anything. Some of the "popular girls" told me they were jealous of my freedom to be myself, but I was just as jealous of their friendship and status.

[@ladmyn2726]

I think one example of a good makeover is astrid from Roller Girl. The makeover isn't just a "make her pretty" kind of thing, it expresses her personality in a new and more true way.

[@_theaven_5907]

I truly hate this trope. The idea that once I do a makeover everything will fall into place is so deep in my mindset that it takes a lot for me to work against it. When I was a teen I always identified myself as the main character who needs fixing until becoming popular. And my friends encouraged this thinking. I never liked wearing make up. But when I was 13 a lot of my friends tried to convince me that I look better with. I tried it once or twice but I felt very uncomfortable and actually pretty ugly with this. I'm so thankful to my self esteem back then. So make up wasn't really my thing, but clothes on the other hand. I remember being like 13/14 or something and I had no interest in shopping. But one day a friend made me come shopping with her and I kind of fell for that. I think clothes make a much bigger impact on appearance than make up and before I mostly wore not so fashionable items. When I went shopping I discovered how clothes can change ones perspective on oneself. And it's really hard for me to step out of that. In everyday life it's not that hard, I can wear jogging clothes and feel comfortable. But on social events I feel like I have to do my own little makeover and show others the diamond that's hidden under all the comfortable large size sweaters. From age 16 to 18 I went to a lot of parties and always dressed up very sexy, styled my hair etc.. in school I was the exact opposite. What I noticed was that some people came to on party nights and just showed a lot interest in me. And back in school they kept ignoring me. I think that hurt my mindset too. That I'm only enough for people when I dress up. I'm now 22 and I still have the image...if I just work out and buy some new pair of Jean's then people would consider me a beautiful. I think the most damaging thinking isnt that you aren't enough, but that others aren't enough. That they need fixing too. To everyone reading this: never make another person feel like they are not good enough ☝️

[@astridjl85]

This is THE FIRST TIME I have ever seen anyone use a clip from leverage in one of these video essays. Thank you. I LOVE that show

[@katyailnitskaya2459]

One of my favourite videos from The Take. Amazing work

[@videohistory722]

I feel like the one in Devil Wears Prada is grossly underrated, because even when she quits, she STILL doesn't go back to her old clothes. Because it turns out she DID learn a lesson from working there: there's nothing wrong with taking a little bit of pride in how you dress for a job.

[@therearenoshortcuts9868]

its easier to make a hot person "ugly" and then make them hot "again" then to make an actual ugly person hot

[@agraciotti]

This channel is one of the most important we have today on youtube. I recommend your videos to everyone I know. Please never stop making these.

[@inescastellano7960]

I love how you put scenes of "Not Another Teen Movie", instead of the original movie they're trying to satire "She's all that".

[@somethingcooliguess]

Glasses? Ponytail? Overalls?! I’d rather date the albino!

[@inescastellano7960]

@@somethingcooliguess Lmaooo yes, that one!

[@xXPrettyp4lifeXx]

Makeovers made me hate my curly hair and damage it with heat for 10 years trying to maintain the "makeover" look

[@adeliajovani]

i've been blessed to watch this early. such iconic trope!

[@Fennec333]

I do like that you acknowledged makeovers can be beneficial as well. I didn’t really understand a lot of my discomfort with my body and identity until I switched to a more masculine look and style and felt good in my own skin for the first time. Finding the right clothes for you really can help you feel better, and I wish more movies showed that positive, self-directed form of style change.

[@trustyourself-ashleyching3646]

“Fitting in is about suppressing what makes you unique.” 🤯