Legally Blonde (2001) and Underestimating A “Baddie”
Last night my cousin and I watched Legally Blonde and I have some thoughts.
It made me think about how women (especially women who present hyper feminine and “high maintenance”) are severely underestimated in many spaces, but especially male dominated ones. Elle is a gorgeous, fashionable, blonde, pink loving sorority girl (with a 4.0) who is dumped by her current boyfriend for being “too much of a Marilyn and not enough of a Jackie.”
She decides she will get into Harvard Law to prove she is smart enough for him in an attempt to get him back. However, even though Elle gets into the same school as her ex Warner, has a high GPA and LSAT score, he refuses to take her seriously. She confronts him about how she “will never be good enough for him” because there’s a perception around her as a “dumb blonde.”
Everyone at Harvard teases her, excludes her and makes her feel bad for expressing herself in a way they deem “too much” even earning her the nickname Malibu Barbie. She decides in that moment that she will prove everyone wrong … and she does so in the most satisfying way.
I think there is a perception that if you take care of yourself and care about your appearance as a woman then you must not also be smart. Sometimes I fear that I won’t be taken seriously because of the way I present myself. We as human beings are multifaceted, just because I love pink and sparkles doesn’t mean I can’t also love books and learning. However, I’ve decided that it’s okay if people underestimate me because I know I’m smart and capable and can do anything I put my mind to (and look good doing it).
I remember the looks I sometimes got during my stint in corporate, but all that would change once I presented my work. In fact, praise would often ensue from the exact people who seemed to worry about my capability based on my appearance.
So whenever people have something negative to say or think you can’t do it, do as Elle did, and let that be the fuel that motivates you.
You got this baddie 🩷
-Luz xoxo
The Fashion of Elle Woods
