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The Best Movie Makeovers of All Time That'll Inspire Your Transformation

Let's face it; a romcom is no good without a glow-up that makes you go OMG. 

Feb 22, 2022
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She's got it, but it's hidden somewhere—often behind frumpy clothes, braces, and a unibrow. So, how to make her the most popular, albeit borderline bitchy, catch in high school; the one boys swoon over? Well, a makeover is on the cards. Makeover montages have been an indispensable part of cinema all through the late 90s and 2000s, till date. And tbh, there's not much to complain about a well put together transformation; the zero to hundred, unrecognisable kind. 

Don't get us wrong; we're all for the 'every face, every shape is beautiful' crusade. That said, here's a roundup of the most iconic movie makeovers that'll push you to change things up every once in a while. 

 

Miss Congeniality (2000)

 

Tomboy to undercover beauty pageant contestant? Now that's one hell of a makeover.

 

 

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

 

Hey, Andrea Sachs, are those the Chanel...well, of course, they are. 

 

 

Aisha (2010)

 

There's nothing a quick pit stop at the salon can't fix. Add a few designer-store-bought items to the mix, and you get your perfect makeover. 

 

 

Clueless (1995)

 

It probably wasn't until Amy Heckerling-directed Clueless that movie makeovers became such a thing. The coming-of-age teen rom-com explores all that it takes to become the one-to-befriend in high school—a quick wardrobe change being paramount. 

 

 

The Princess Diaries (2001)

 

Does a curly-haired, spectacled teen with braces—and absolutely no fashion sense—make for the future princess of Genovia? Perhaps, not. 

 

 

She's All That (1999)

 

Mission: Turning socially inept Laney into the next high school prom queen. Successful? *Tick*

 

 

Crazy Rich Asians (2018)

 

Who wouldn't play dress-up when attending the city's most splendid, big, fat wedding? 

 

 

Just Go With It (2011)

 

Did Dr Daniel Maccabee fall in love with Katherine Murphy after she strut down, donned in designer head-to-toe, to meet the other woman? Oh, we bet our bottom dollar. 

 

 

Mean Girls (2004)

 

Not long after the Plastics took her under their wings did Cady undergo a major makeover—glossy lips, kitschy hair clips, pretty pink short skirts; the works. 

 

 

My Big Fat Greek Wedding

 

The frumpy, cynical, and unmarried 30-year-old, Toula Portokalos shows us what it means to feel confident inside-out. After taking on computer classes at the local college, and gaining some independence, she undergoes *major* changes—switching thick-rimmed glasses and baggy outfits for more flattering, feel-good fits and fresh makeup. 

 

 

Pretty Woman (1990)

 

From thigh-high leather boots, jarring makeup, and a blonde wig to satin gloves and an elegant off-shoulder dress, Vivian Ward shows us what a makeover really looks like. 

 

 

Never Been Kissed (1999)

 

In this geek-to-chic cult film, Josie Geller ditches her gawky braces, poufy 80s dresses, and side ponies for perfectly buoyant curls as she pukers up for her first kiss. 

 

 

Cinderella (2015)

 

No cinderella story is complete without the mouse-ridden pumpkin carriage, the delicate glass slipper, and a *major* fashion turnaround.

 

 

My Fair Lady (1964)

 

Audrey Hepburn underwent one of the first-ever cinematic makeovers for her role as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, sporting feathery hats, fashionable fringe cuts, and bold lipstick.  

 

 

Maid in Manhattan (2002)

 

Life as a hotel maid in New York is expectedly mediocre until Marisa Ventura tries on a wealthy guest's clothes and catches the eye of a politician. It then becomes all about the makeover—transforming the pauper into a posh couture swan. 

 

 

Grease (1978)

 

Sandy Olsson's good-girl-done-bad transformation in Grease, flaunting a leather-clad, red-lipped vixen look, will be forever iconic.

 

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