‘The Plastics’ give the new girl at school, Cady Heron an ‘On Wednesday’s, We Wear Pink’ makeover
The short film-essay, Makeover Movie (2022) directed by Sue Ding (screened in the 9th Femme Filmmakers Festival) analyses countless Romantic-Comedy movies. Each with their own churned versions of the ‘makeover scene’. The protagonist ‘must’ go through this makeover to transform. Supposedly changing into a beautiful new butterfly in order to please those around them. These transformations involve hairstyle evolutions, makeup changes and shopping sprees. As the protagonist goes on a journey to search for new fashion looks and learn etiquette training to supposedly ‘fix’ their attitudes.
Besides suffering through each stage within the ‘makeover scene’, the real question is… does the protagonist even need to make these physical and sometimes emotional changes? Most of the time it makes the protagonist more likeable to the mean girls yet more disliked by their true friends.
While analysing the stages of the makeover, it is also helpful to think about the possible implications that the potentially harmful ‘makeover scene’ in Hollywood movies could create. Such examples include, influencing and affecting women’s ideology, self-esteem and societal expectations ranging across different cultures, eras and times. Here’s a few important points to consider when analysing the Hollywood Rom-Com ‘makeover scene’.
Makeover Hair Cuts, Hair Dyes & New Hairstyles
From Loretta’s iconic hair dyeing scene in Moonstruck (1987) to Cher and Dionne’s makeover of supposed ‘ugly duckling’ Tai in Clueless (1995). And Shelley’s makeover of the Zeta sorority in The House Bunny (2008). The protagonists in Romantic-Comedies have seen their own painful battle with hair transformations. Here are just a few classic moments from Hollywood’s best.
Moonstruck (1987)
Loretta Castorini (Cher) realises she needs an emergency makeover. This happens just after admiring posters at the ironically named ‘Cinderella Beauty Salon’ in Moonstruck (1987).
The Beautician even encourages Loretta’s makeover, saying –
“‘You’ve got beauty on the inside and we’re going to bring it out to the skin side.”
(Beautician, Moonstruck, 1987)
Loretta then decides to window shop and desires to look like this new, picture-perfect version of herself. Different hair. New shoes. Going out. Loretta steps out of the taxi and looks around quite child-like at her new beginning. She’s letting the world see this ‘brand new’ and transformed Loretta. As she braces herself to become prepared and fully commit to her new makeover look.
Clueless (1995)
Beloved 90s characters, Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) and Dionne Davenport (Stacey Dash) in Clueless (1995) make it their mission to transform new girl in school, Tai Frasier (Brittany Murphy). Changing her from geek to chic.
Cher’s clever closet app on her computer allows her to choose the perfect outfit each day. She swipes through her fashion closet to choose her ‘virtual’ outfit, shoes and accessories to carefully plan before she wears. This also makes sure she has a different outfit everyday for school. As Cher ensures she makes a fashion statement everywhere she goes.
As Dionne says, performing these wonderful makeovers, for Cher “Gives her a sense of control in a world full of chaos.”
The first step to Cher and Dionne’s makeover process is dyeing Tai’s natural brown locks to a playful red shade. They use empty fizzy drink/soda cans to re-curl her waves and apply way more makeup than she clearly usually wears. Cher then grabs the scissors and re-purposes Tai’s clothes. She literally cuts her shirts shorter to achieve the classic cool-girl-esque cropped look. But in the real world their outfits probably wouldn’t make the school dress code.
Tai’s outfits transform from tomboy plaid patterns and oversized graphic shirts to girly sweaters and mini-skirts. She now becomes one of the cool, cute and popular girls but looks less like her previous unique-self. In this transformation, we question if Tai loses and sacrifices part of her unique personality to fit in with the ‘It’ girls?
The House Bunny (2008)
After former Playboy Bunny, Shelley Darlington (Anna Faris) is kicked out of the Playboy mansion her only option is to find a new home in The House Bunny (2008). She lands a job as the ‘house mother’. This means looking after The Zetas (Emma Stone, Kat Dennings, Rumer Willis) a group of awkward ‘unpopular’ girls.
So, Shelley decides the girls undergo training. This involves teaching them how to talk to boys along with a drastic total makeover transformation for the group. A spa day sees each of The Zetas change their hairstyles. They change their hair from flat to bouncy and paint their nails just like at a girly tween sleepover party.
The girls’ wardrobes completely transform from oversized outfits in washed-out greys to bright bubble-gum pink, rainbow and cropped fashions.
As Shelley advises the girls: “It’s all about looking good on the outside.”
Aptly Avril Lavigne’s popular track, ‘Girlfriend’ (2007) plays over the scene where the sorority members give the house a much-needed home makeover renovation. They paint the decking baby pink and re-turf the grass to freshen their home. Essentially, Shelley makes sure everything below her standards receives its very own makeover. And that means the house itself too.
Makeover Makeup
Miss Congeniality (2000)
Shopping for Change
Pretty Woman (1990)
Vivian Ward gets her revenge against mean retail workers with an expensive shopping spree around Hollywood in Pretty Woman (1990)
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Working as a junior personal assistant to the editor-in-chief at the prestigious New York fashion magazine, Runway is clearly not a job for everyone. Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) is the classic good girl in a bad world in The Devil Wears Prada (2006). Fashion helps Andy realise her potential and her worth.
With a little extra needed help from her fashion friend and colleague, Nigel (Stanley Tucci). He chooses defining fashion pieces to create a totally new Andy. The big reveal shows just how much this new fashion style suits her. However, it also shows how Andy’s old look no longer works against her. In the brutal industry of fashion, Andy finally learns to step up her fashion game.
As Andy learns from Nigel, she was in –
Desperate need of Chanel.
(Nigel, The Devil Wears Prada, 2006)
Like Gracie Hart in Miss Congeniality (2000), Andy beats the haters at their expense. She shocks them with her fashion evolution that they never thought possible. Yet fashion is forever evolving. Andy walks calmly into the office and swishes her newly-straightened hair. Then she answers the phone like it’s a normal day as a receptionist.
Her female co-workers cannot help but ogle at her stunning new look. Everything suddenly fits into place. It clearly works for her much more than it would work for them. And they know it.
Makeover Manners, Posture & Etiquette Training
The Princess Diaries (2001)
Much like how Vivian Ward is taught dining etiquette in Pretty Woman (1990), Mia Thermopolis is taught etiquette lessons. Except the lessons are given by her regal Grandmother, Queen Clarise Renaldi (Julie Andrews). Only once after, the shocking revelation that Mia learns she is no ordinary teen but the Princess of Genovia. But there’s issues with this makeover as Mia’s natural hair should be celebrated. However, it is seen as something that needs to be ‘fixed’ and completely changed.
Yet, Mia’s makeover transformation causes a lot of breakage. Her thick hair makes the hairbrush break and her glasses are snapped into two. Her old look is completely shattered in order for Mia to be the princess she is destined to become.
As Mia angrily protests “You broke my glasses.” For hairdresser expert, Paolo (Larry Miller) to respond “You broke my brush!”
Mia then undergoes a manicure and pedicure. And even gets her own ‘before and after’ picture-to-person reveal for her grandmother, Queen Clarise Renaldi to delightfully judge. The transformation of course shocks everyone but it’s Mia’s posture that needs real improvement. Like every other teenager, she slouches and clearly does not walk like a Princess. Not just yet anyway.
After her Grandmother rates Mia’s whole transformation across her hairstyle, complexion, eyes, eyebrows, neck, ears, nails and school outfit. She then teaches Mia how to walk like a Princess. But the process does not go too swimmingly well. With Mia being a teenager, she has a tendency to treat nothing seriously. As a result, her joke-filled training ends in her flailing around.
Then she even falls over when taught how to sit like royalty. And teatime etiquette training does not go according to plan either. But all the mess at these early stages causes her to be a real Princess later on. Because (of course) as Hollywood teaches us that beauty is only achieved through pain.
What Does The ‘Makeover Scene’ Really Mean?
One thing that can definitely be learnt through analysing the ‘makeover scenes’ in Hollywood is how women perceive themselves in our society today. Whether the female audience takes the makeover transformation scene seriously or not, it can subconsciously affect us.
Beauty standards are constantly changing. But our self-worth, self-esteem and self-image should not be governed by the rules and high standards of Hollywood. We must make the standards for ourselves. And remember Rom-Coms are fictional. Their main purpose is to entertain not educate. Hollywood Rom-Coms are female-led, nostalgia-fuelled makeover-obsessed entertainment.
Read my interview with Makeover Movie (2022) director, Sue Ding here.