The Devil Wears Prada managed to make a brand like Prada and a person like Anna Wintour even more famous and iconic than before. I mean what else would we expect from a movie starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway and Emily Blunt, to name a few of the iconic performances of the film?
The movie sheds light on something we had all heard rumours about previously: an extremely toxic work environment within the fashion industry, at a preeminent magazine. It also highlighted the misogynistic standards women in power are subject to throughout their careers.
But Meryl Streep is so phenomenal in her role that her final words couldn’t be more accurate: “Everybody wants to be us”. And by us, she means powerful, confident women that change the world.
The movie is undoubtedly the most famous fashion film of all time, and there’s a reason why: a combination of amazing outfits and the perfect one-liners that have managed to change fashion.
Here are the top fashion lessons we learned from Miranda Priestly herself:
Shoes first
Miranda’s elevator eyes at Andy jumpstarted her makeover: changing her shoes from whatever those were, to some to-die-for heels given to her by the ever-fashionable Nigel.
There’s a reason why this works: shoes change the way you walk, and the way you walk changes how people see you.
The right pair of shoes, heels, flats or sneakers can give you a killer confidence every day. I mean, even when Andy ditches the glamorous fashion looks by the end of the movie, she doesn’t seem to be able to let go of a killer pair of heels.
Be groundbreaking
“Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.” – If you don’t know who said this, clearly you haven’t seen this movie as many times as you should.
This line truly sums up what fashion is about: doing the unexpected, challenging usual conventions.
While the movie does emphasize this idea of fitting in, one of the best things about fashion is how you can stand out through your style. Showing off your individuality is the only way you can be groundbreaking.
Python leather (but make it faux)
“Python’s hot right now”, it was dedicated in 2006, and it’s right now. Thankfully this time around, a stronger emphasis on faux python leather is making this trend a whole lot more sustainable.
Every year people say animal print is on trend but let’s be honest, when is it not?
There’s something undoubtedly fierce about animal print and python is most definitely king.
Coats matter
The coat throwing scenes by Miranda has become so iconic, that even Michael Scott imitated it after watching the film for the first time. But what is truly surprising is the sheer number of different coats Miranda owns.
She is far from the only one in the film with a coat obsession: Andy is seen with a different iconic piece every time she walks outside. It’s no wonder the movie had one of the most massive wardrobe budgets in any film, ever.
But you too can look killer without breaking the bank by having two coats for winter, one in a more neutral tone, and one a more standout piece. Oh, and don’t forget they have to belong, throwing a puffer jacket on doesn’t have the same effect.
Cerulean colour
Who can forget the moment Miranda explains how influential she truly is in the lives of every person in the world, whether they like fashion or not? And what was the colour? Cerulean. While a little case can be made for Andy’s outfit as a whole, the cerulean tone of her sweater was and still is iconic.
Did you know cerulean was the first-ever Pantone colour of the year back in 1999? It is the colour of the millennium.
So, if there is one color you must own: it’s cerulean.
In the words of Miranda Priestly: “That’s all”.
What is your favourite fashion lesson from The Devil Wears Prada?
How many times have you seen the movie? It’s okay if you lost count. What fashion lesson do you most strongly abide by? Let us know!
