The All-Time Greatest Movie Makeovers
What movie is truly complete without one of its characters undergoing a ruddy great transformation? Answer: none. Any teen movie worth its salt relies on this age-old dramatic device and frankly, we still can't get enough of them. So, because we're so good to you like that, we've rundown our favourite ever movie makeovers.
RexAndie in The Devil Wears Prada
Tweeds, unkempt hair, no make-up and basically no affinity for fashion whatsoever, it was only a matter of time before the hallowed offices of Runway magazine, made her fashion star.
RexAndie in The Devil Wears Prada
Yep. Mid-way through the movie and after an indulgent spin in the Runway fashion cupboard, Andie's all about the designer clobber and starts big, rocking up in a few statement Chanel pieces, no less.
RexBaby in Dirty Dancing
When we first meet Baby, she wants to join the Peace Corps and mostly wears pedal pushers and tennis shoes.
Rex FeaturesBaby in Dirty Dancing
When we first meet Baby, she wants to join the Peace Corps and mostly wears pedal pushers and tennis shoes.
RexSandy in Grease
Yep. One of the great movie makeovers ever has to go Saaaanndy (said in the voice of John Travolta) in Grease. Travolta's grease monkey Danny Zuko went jock for her and she went badass for him, giving him resulting chills - apparently.
Rex FeaturesSandy in Grease
Cue a pair of trousers that Olivia Newton-John actually had to be sewn into, some 50s - via the 70s - hair and a quick drag on a fag and lo, one of the sexiest movie makeovers came to be. Tell me about it, stud.
RexToula in My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Downtrodden Toula couldn't be more dowdy when we first meet her. Frizzy hair (the pre-movie makeover staple) sits atop mostly all-beige ensembles and some Granny specs.
Rex FeaturesToula in My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Enter Aidan from Sex And The City though and Toula changes up the bad hair for ringlets and out comes the red lippy and LBDs, as well. Classic movie makeover fodder, if ever we saw it.
Rex FeaturesElle in Legally Blonde
As a fully paid-up member of the Delta Nus at the beginning of the flick, Elle Woods penchant for pink finds its way into many an ensemble; most notably Juicy Couture trackies and an all-pink, all-leather ensemble - with match sunnies. Natch.
RexElle in Legally Blonde
Having proven herself to be quite the legal brain though, by the end of the movie the pinks are dialed down to pastels and it's all very Jackie O.
RexEddie in Limitless
There are no words for B-Coops at the beginning of Limitless.
RexEddie in Limitless
After taking that all-powerful pill to make him use all his brain though, Cooper's looking hawt with his slicked back-hair, designer stubble and crazy-high IQ.
RexMarisa in Maid In Manhattan
As the maid in a swanky New York hotel, J-Lo's Marisa Ventura is dolled up for the most of the film in this white and grey maid's outfit.
RexMarisa in Maid In Manhattan
However, web she goes to join Ralph Fiennes - the handsome politco - at a Benefit, it's suddenly all about the beautiful peach Grecian-inspired strapless dress, diamonds and big statement hair.
Rex FeaturesGracie in Miss Congeniality
[i]"I am in a dress, I have gel in my hair, I haven't slept all night, I'm starved, and I'm armed! Don't mess with me!"[/i]
Sandra Bullock's transition from federal agent Gracie Hart to pageant queen Gracie-Lou Freebush is a no-holds-barred approach to makeovers, involving a team of beauty therapists all congregating in an air hangar.
Rex FeaturesGracie in Miss Congeniality
Plus, with a side of super-camp performances courtesy of Michael Caine and William Shatner this is so bladdy great, we won't hear a word against it.
Rex FeaturesDaniel in Mrs Doubtfire
As a voice over artist, Daniel's just your regular 90s dad wearing suits that are slightly too big and checked shirts with a floppy hair 'do.
RexDaniel in Mrs Doubtfire
But as Scottish nanny Mrs. Doubtfire, Daniel regularly donned head-to-foot florals and a 'do the Queen would be proud of.
RexEliza in My Fair Lady
Under the tutelage of ol' Henry Higgins, Audrey Hepburn's Eliza turns from cockney-accented Covent Garden flower girl into a High Society Edwardian gal with a super plummy accent.
RexEliza in My Fair Lady
[i]"The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain."[/i]
This one's all in the accent because even as an impoverished flower seller, Audrey Hepburn is still preternaturally beautiful on screen.
RexJack in Titanic
When Jack and Rose first meet, he's the penniless artist with a penchant for cheese-cloth cream shirts, braces and cords.
Rex FeaturesJack in Titanic
[i]"So, you wanna go to a real party?"[/i]
YES LEO. WE DO. Especially when you look so mega super hot in your penguin suit. Mmm… Penguin suits.
RexJosie in Never Been Kissed
White feather boas, Marilyn Monroe-inspired hair and all together too much pink, Josie pre-makeover is quite the 90s site to behold.
Rex FeaturesJosie in Never Been Kissed
But after finding love with her tracher - not as dodgy as it sounds - and been made super popular by bro David Arquette and (a pre-)household name Jessica Alba, Josie's not Josie Grossy anymore. The makeover in question sees Drew ditch a Marilyn Monroe hairstyle to embrace a kind of late 90s pseudo-grunge aesthetic, before finally plumping for some Elizabethen dress and a bit of The Cardigans Erase/Rewind. Absolutely classic.
RexVivian in Pretty Woman
Pre-Richard Gere in his friend's Porsche and Vivian's all over the blonde wig, thigh boots and cut-out detail dresses.
RexVivian in Pretty Woman
[i]"We're going to be spending an obscene amount of money in here."[/i]
Richard Gere's credit card + Rodeo Drive + the dulcet croons of Roy Orbison, doth make one of cinema's greatest movie makeover.
RexMia in The Princess Diaries
Waaaaaaay before Anne Hathaway was donning leather catsuits and bagging Oscars, she was an awkward teen just hanging out in San Francisco.
RexMia in The Princess Diaries
Then "boom", she discovered that she was the heir to the throne of Genovia and Mary Poppins was her grandmother. In short, this gem is a great makeover that basically champions the power of a good blow-dry and eyebrow threading. But don't they all…
RexRomy & Michele in Romy & Michele's High school Reunion
We're pretty sure we actually way prefer the pre-makeover looks on Romy and Michelle - who, if you remember, always made their own awesome 90s outfits.
RexRomy & Michele in Romy & Michele's High school Reunion
But when do go to their school reunion, claiming that they invented the post-it note, out come the serious black skirt suits and chignons.
RexLaney in She's All That
Another great makeover has to be that of Laney Boggs, who goes from fajita-hatted brooding artiste to bona fide 90s pin up with the help of True Blood's Sookie Stackhouse and Sixpence None The Richer's hit, Kiss Me.
Rex FeaturesLaney in She's All That
Although, of course, being a teen movie, all that really took place were a haircut and the removal of her oversized specs and aforementioned hat.
RexTess in Working Girl
There are no words for Tess' hair at the beginning of this movie.
RexTess in Working Girl
However, time Tess has proved herself to have more than a little business nous, she also gets an ace haircut and dons some excellent 80s power suits.
Rex FeaturesCady in Mean Girls
When she first arrives, Cady's the fish-out-of-water, home-schooled newbie who's just arrived from Africa.
Rex FeaturesCady in Mean Girls
But after infiltrating The Plastics, she's soon more than a little au fait with a slick of kohl-liner and the fact that on Wednesdays, we wear pink.
Rex FeaturesTai in Clueless
[b]Before Cher and Dionne get their makeover mitts on Tai, she's the slightly goofy, dungaree-wearing out-of-towner.
Rex FeaturesTai in Clueless
[b]After one of the best movie makeover MONTAGES, ever - and boy, do we love a montage - Brittany Murphy's cute schoolgirl-turned-momentarily acid-tongued popular girl still makes us want to put our hair in ringlets, dance around our friends at parties and sing Rolling With The Homies.
RexCinderella in err, Cinderella
Cinders is the heiress to a fortune before it was cruelly whipped away from her by an evil stepmother and she was forced to become their maid, wearing nothing but simple working dresses and a pinny.
RexCinderella, still in Cinderella
But this is the movie makeover that sees a merry band of rodents, via a Fairy Godmother, help Cinderella to make the perfect dress, eventually go to the ball and ultimately win the heart of a prince. Aaaw.
