Makeover Films Research Paper
Sarah Veslany
COMM 251
Final Paper
11/17/2015
Fashioning Femininity: How Makeover Films Frame Society’s Expectation of Femininity Film has proven to be a medium through which society frames its expectations of gender performance and derives its accepted societal norms. This paper will call attention to how “chick flicks”, and in particular how the sub-genre of makeover films influence how women are expected to portray their femininity. The Devil Wears Prada is a perfect example of a makeover film within the chick flick genre. The “chick flick” genre is often described as movies that are meant to serve as entertainment for women that examine independent and self-sufficient heroines that portray female empowerment. Within the “chick flick” …show more content…
Through deconstructing The Devil Wears Prada the goal of this study is to prove that fashion in relation to a woman’s appearance is inherent to society’s definition of femininity and perceived professional competency. As mentioned earlier the heroines of makeover films are often depicted as independent women that make a conscious choice not to conform to society’s standard of femininity, because they put their emphasis on their intellect rather than their appearance. In The Devil Wears Prada the protagonist Andy Sachs fits the academic and dowdy female protagonist archetype that makeover films typically perpetuate. Andy Sachs follows the makeover film formula in the sense that she starts out the film as an intellectual with a blatant disregard for her appearance and performance of femininity. When Andy realizes how feminine performance or lack there of effects her perceived ability to do her job efficiently she adjusts her appearance to fit societally accepted …show more content…
Although femininity is defined by popular culture, fashion is marketed in makeover films as a method through which women can achieve success interpersonally, romantically, and professionally (Ferriss, 2008, p. 42). Upon impressing Miranda with her new look Andy gets invited to Paris fashion week by Miranda which symbolizes Andy’s acceptance into the fashion industry upon conforming to societal constructs of femininity. This professional opportunity extended to Andy correlates with the notion that to advance professionally women must conform society’s definition of femininity framed by popular film. Characters like Andy Sachs give millennial age women the idea that hard work and self-motivation when coupled with an appropriate display femininity for a given professional environment will bring about professional success. Makeover films essentially assert that being to be considered intelligent and competent a woman must conform to society’s definition of feminine beauty to be taken seriously in the workplace. This cultural obsession with feminine appearance feeds the “makeover movie” narrative and has contributed to its rise as a sub-genre of chick
COMM 251
Final Paper
11/17/2015
Fashioning Femininity: How Makeover Films Frame Society’s Expectation of Femininity Film has proven to be a medium through which society frames its expectations of gender performance and derives its accepted societal norms. This paper will call attention to how “chick flicks”, and in particular how the sub-genre of makeover films influence how women are expected to portray their femininity. The Devil Wears Prada is a perfect example of a makeover film within the chick flick genre. The “chick flick” genre is often described as movies that are meant to serve as entertainment for women that examine independent and self-sufficient heroines that portray female empowerment. Within the “chick flick” …show more content…
Through deconstructing The Devil Wears Prada the goal of this study is to prove that fashion in relation to a woman’s appearance is inherent to society’s definition of femininity and perceived professional competency. As mentioned earlier the heroines of makeover films are often depicted as independent women that make a conscious choice not to conform to society’s standard of femininity, because they put their emphasis on their intellect rather than their appearance. In The Devil Wears Prada the protagonist Andy Sachs fits the academic and dowdy female protagonist archetype that makeover films typically perpetuate. Andy Sachs follows the makeover film formula in the sense that she starts out the film as an intellectual with a blatant disregard for her appearance and performance of femininity. When Andy realizes how feminine performance or lack there of effects her perceived ability to do her job efficiently she adjusts her appearance to fit societally accepted …show more content…
Although femininity is defined by popular culture, fashion is marketed in makeover films as a method through which women can achieve success interpersonally, romantically, and professionally (Ferriss, 2008, p. 42). Upon impressing Miranda with her new look Andy gets invited to Paris fashion week by Miranda which symbolizes Andy’s acceptance into the fashion industry upon conforming to societal constructs of femininity. This professional opportunity extended to Andy correlates with the notion that to advance professionally women must conform society’s definition of femininity framed by popular film. Characters like Andy Sachs give millennial age women the idea that hard work and self-motivation when coupled with an appropriate display femininity for a given professional environment will bring about professional success. Makeover films essentially assert that being to be considered intelligent and competent a woman must conform to society’s definition of feminine beauty to be taken seriously in the workplace. This cultural obsession with feminine appearance feeds the “makeover movie” narrative and has contributed to its rise as a sub-genre of chick