Legally Blonde is one of my favorite movies. Not only because Reese Witherspoon, also known as Elle Woods, portrays a “typical sorority girl” perfectly, but also because her character empowers women to chase their dreams. Elle gets inspired to apply to law school… Harvard Law School… when her boyfriend dumps her for being “too blonde.” She wanted to prove him and even her parents that she was a smart powerful woman and could do anything she set her mind to. Growing up, I’ve watched Legally Blonde dozens of times, and each time I watch it, I take something new away from it. As I’ve gotten older, I learn from Reese Witherspoon’s character more and more and even aspire to be like her. Here are just a few things that I’ve learned from Elle Woods.
1. Be Yourself, No Matter What.
Elle Woods’ outfits are iconic staples of the early 2000s. The bright colors, the fuzzy pink hair ties, halter tops, skorts, you name it, she wore it. She wasn’t afraid to be herself and stand out. She loved to express herself through her style, and attending Harvard Law School wasn’t going to stop that! When she wore outfits she loved, she was more confident. Instead of wanting to blend in when first getting to Harvard Law School, she wanted to stand out and show people who she really was. She wanted to be herself and looked at being different as a positive. Seeing this as a young girl, it helped me be more comfortable with who I am and to always aspire to be myself.
2. Don’t worry about what others think about you.
Elle Woods was faced with many challenges as society uses stereotypes against her. As a blonde and a sorority girl, her peers tended to not take her too seriously. However, Elle took every aspect of her life seriously. She was elected president of her sorority and enjoyed taking on leadership roles. She cared about her sorority sisters and was a supportive friend. By getting an amazing score on the LSATs and getting into Harvard Law school, she proved that she is more than her stereotypes. As a sorority girl myself, it is inspiring to see Elle prove herself to people who look down upon Greek Life and assume we’re all obsessed with partying and not with school. This motivates me to follow my goals, no matter what others tell me.
3. Not everyone is who they seem.
In the beginning of Legally Blonde, Elle is getting ready to graduate and move on to the next chapter in her life. At the time, she thought that would be marrying her college sweetheart, Warner. However, Warner broke up with her at the end of her senior year in the most obnoxious way. He basically told her she was “too blonde” to be with someone as smart as him. As revenge, Elle applied to Harvard Law School and worked her ass off to get in. While at Harvard, she realized Warner was not who she thought he was. He constantly degraded her, even after she got accepted to Harvard. Realizing she’ll never be good enough for him, Elle moved on. She became a badass lawyer and ended up meeting the perfect guy who was loving and supportive of her ambitious goals. This taught me to surround myself with people who are supportive, not people who will tear me down. Supportive and genuine friends can help you succeed and is good for your overall well-being.
4. Having confidence in yourself is the key to success.
No matter what others told her, Elle Woods never gave up on her goals. She went from being a "party girl" to Law School graduate with a lot of hard work and determination. Once she got to Harvard, people thought she was dumb and didn’t take her seriously. Although she wasn’t happy with this in the beginning, she made a choice: she wanted to prove everyone wrong. With a little confidence in herself and a lot of studying, she got the internship her whole class was fighting for and even took over her boss’ job! Seeing Elle Woods push herself to get to her goals was so inspiring when I was a young girl and even when I watch now. It showed me that no matter how many times people tell you your dreams aren’t achievable, being confident and working hard can go a long way.
