10 Geek-Chic Movie Makeovers
Hollywood loves a good makeover story, especially when it's about a geek. But not every geek-to-chic transformation ended up better than it started, though we may be partial to the geek love. Take a look at 10 of the most notable geek-to-chic transformations, from Mia Thermopolis to Josie Grossie, and tell us if you prefer the before or after.
Clueless
The character: Tai Frasier
The transformation: When Cher and Dionne decide to take Tai under their wings, the Beverly Hills fashionistas give her a geek-to-chic makeover that improves both her confidence and her wardrobe. The happily-ever-after result? She feels strong enough to find her own way in LA and with the skater boy of her dreams, Travis.
The Breakfast Club
The character: Allison Reynolds
The transformation: The dandruff-shaking, wallet-stealing compulsive liar may be a bit strange, but after Allison gets a makeover from queen bee Claire, it's clear that she's more than just a wallflower. As soon as she shows her face, we take notice, and she finally starts to come out of her shell.
She's All That
The character: Laney Boggs
The transformation: After Zack's gorgeous girlfriend dumps him for a Real World star, he bets his buddies that he can turn Laney, an outcast, into the most popular girl in school. Zack falls for her in the process, and Laney gets a gorgeous makeover that boosts her self-esteem, though we loved her quirky artist "before" just as much.
Mean Girls
The character: Cady Heron
The transformation: When homeschooled Cady enrolls in a public high school, she's blissfully unaware of how catty girls can be toward one another. Thanks to the Plastics, though, she quickly learns all about the girl world. When her lighthearted attack on Regina George morphs into an obsession, Cady gets a makeup-heavy makeover that turns her into a truly mean girl — until losing geek cred causes her to lose it all.
Never Been Kissed
The character: Josie Geller
The transformation: A news assignment forces Josie, a journalist, to pose as a high-school student and relive her not-so-glory days. Determined to leave her "Josie Grossie" years behind, she joins the popular crowd and reinvents herself. Eventually, though, she realizes that she's fine as she is — especially since the heartthrob English teacher seems to think so, too.
Crazy, Stupid, Love
The character: Cal Weaver
The transformation: An unexpected divorce drives Cal to drinking regularly at the local bar. When smooth and sexy Jacob comes to the rescue, Cal learns how to dress, walk, and talk like a more confident version of himself. His newfound success with the ladies reminds Cal of just one thing, though — how much he misses his first lady, his ex-wife.
The Princess Diaries
The character: Mia Thermopolis
The transformation: Frizzy hair, thick-framed glasses, and a less-than-graceful demeanor make Mia feel like an Average Jane. But after Queen Clarisse teaches some etiquette lessons, and the hairstylist works his magic, Mia morphs into a beautiful, sophisticated (though still a bit klutzy) princess worthy of the crown.
Can't Buy Me Love
The character: Ronald Miller
The transformation: In an effort to shed his nerdy reputation and get into the cool crowd, Ronald hires Cindy, a pretty cheerleader, to be his girlfriend. She starts to have feelings for him, but Ronald's renewal causes him to lose touch with what's important and recognize that being himself wasn't so bad, after all.
Miss Congeniality
The character: Gracie Hart
The transformation: To investigate a bombing case, tough FBI agent Gracie has to join the Miss America Pageant and turn herself into Gracie Lou Freebush — a hair-twirling, makeup-wearing girlie girl who can strut with the best of them. She isn't happy about it, but the experience teaches her not to judge a book by its (airbrushed) cover.
Blank Check
The character: Preston Waters
The transformation: The 12-year-old Preston isn't exactly the cool kid on the block, but he certainly starts to gain confidence after finding a blank check for a million dollars. He creates the best dream world money can buy, eventually learning that it isn't enough. Being rich might make him more popular in some ways, but things get complicated, and he starts to miss his real life.