13 of the best makeover scenes in film

Like an empty notebook or a fully stocked stationery aisle, makeover scenes in film invoke the hope of potential. It’s an unfortunate fact of life that many of us are unhappy about our appearance in some way, even if our insecurities are completely unfounded. The best movie makeovers can make us feel as though we too could simply take off our glasses, let down our hair, and pull Freddie Prinze Jr.

From Moonstruck to My Big Fat Greek Wedding to The Stepford Wives, there’s a mountain of films in which a character undergoes a significant sartorial transformation. But while simple aesthetic appeal is a reward unto itself, frequently there are other forces in play that can add new meaning to a new look.

In chronological order, here are some of the best makeover scenes in film. (Note that for the purposes of this list, we’re defining a “makeover” as an active, drastic change to a person’s physical appearance, performed with the primary intention of subjectively improving it. The makeover also has to take place in a relatively quick onscreen sequence — Fran’s transformation in Strictly Ballroom is notable, but it’s a slow, incidental process that happens across the course of the whole movie.)

1. Pretty Woman (1990)

Vivian (Julia Roberts) and Edward’s (Richard Gere) iconic shopping spree in Pretty Woman is the undisputed godmother of makeover scenes. After Edward hires Vivian to act as his girlfriend, she attempts to buy some new clothes for the role but is snubbed by Rodeo Drive’s salespeople due to her appearance. This big mistake prompts Edward to step in and spend “really offensive” amounts of cash to ensure she has a whirlwind fairytale makeover, complete with pizza.

Not only did this 1990 film set a precedent for the many movie transformations that came after, it also tossed in the fantasies of extravagant wealth and showing up those who have treated you badly. Just one of those would have anyone feeling gleeful, but all three together makes for an extremely feel-good moment.

2. Clueless (1995)

Like Allison’s makeover in The Breakfast Club, Tai’s (Brittany Murphy) makeover in Clueless could arguably be categorised as one that didn’t really need to happen. Nonetheless, her exuberant joy and enthusiasm for the project make it a fun watch, particularly as Tai’s style mentor Cher (Alicia Silverstone) proves to be just as clueless as she is.

This makeover isn’t so much about Tai as it is Cher, who initially befriends Tai in an effort to do a good deed and make her “well-dressed and popular.” As Dionne (Stacey Dash) says at lunch, “Cher’s main thrill in life is a makeover. It gives her a sense of control in a world filled with chaos.” Cher’s work doesn’t stop at the superficial though, as she also attempts to develop Tai’s vocabulary and encourage her to read more books. The titles Cher chooses aren’t exactly ones most would consider intellectually stimulating, but the thought counts for a lot. Though slightly misguided, Cher has an undeniably good heart and the best intentions, making this cute scene feel like watching a five-year-old very seriously teach a four-year-old how to draw.

3. She’s All That (1999)

While “Pretty Woman” by Roy Orbison is the unofficial film makeover anthem, “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer is the one for reveals, and it’s all thanks to teen romance She’s All That. When popular jock Zack (Freddie Prinze Jr.) bets his friends he can make any girl in the school prom queen within six weeks, they quickly choose unsociable art student Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook) as his subject. Zack subsequently recruits his sister Mac (Anna Paquin) to give Laney a makeover, and the staircase reveal of her new look quickly solidified itself in teen rom-com history.

Laney was only ever Hollywood Homely, so the ridiculously low effort makeover primarily consists of taking off her glasses and cutting her hair. Most of this doesn’t even happen on screen. Even so, She’s All That‘s makeover was still so memorable that it was parodied in Not Another Teen Movie.

4. Jawbreaker (1999)

Jawbreaker is basically an even more camp ’90s tribute to Heathers, but with a weirdly cultish makeover scene and Rose McGowan as the mean girl. That should be more than enough to sell you on it.

When shy, nerdy high school student Fern (Judy Greer) stumbles across the popular girls trying to hide their involvement in the death of most popular girl Liz (Charlotte Ayanna), the group decide to buy her silence — by literally offering her Liz’s place. What ensues is one of the strangest makeover scenes in 90s’ sleepover films, with shots of chanting stylists working on Fern overlaid with shots of morticians preparing Liz’s body for burial. Obviously, no good can come from this.

5. Miss Congeniality (2000)

The entire premise of Miss Congeniality hinges on a makeover, with FBI agent Gracie Hart (Sandra Bullock) reluctantly going undercover as a contestant in the Miss United States pageant. Her makeover is thus treated like a full blown military operation, taking place in an aircraft hangar and involving multiple specialised units operating in concert as a loudspeaker blasts instructions.

Miss Congeniality‘s makeover feels as though it was largely conceived by men, treating the whole experience as a baffling, tortuous endeavour and even slipping in some terrible sexual innuendo. There also are certain unfortunate implications in the concept of a man (Michael Caine) essentially teaching a woman how to be a woman because he knows better. But it’s an enjoyable film overall, and there’s no denying Bullock looks fantastic in her Hervé Léger dress as she exits the hangar to “Mustang Sally.”

6. The Princess Diaries (2001)

She’s All That may have been the iconic makeover of the late ’90s, but 2001 was ruled by Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi, Princess of Genovia (Anne Hathaway). When her paternal grandmother Clarisse (Julie Andrews) reveals that Mia is the heir to the throne of Genovia, the awkward American schoolgirl agrees to start learning about how to be royal while considering whether to accept her inherited position.

These lessons include a royal makeover, with Clarisse bringing in dramatic stylist Paolo (Larry Miller) to straighten Mia’s gloriously curly hair, pluck her eyebrows, and inexplicably break her glasses in half. Unfortunately Mia’s friends and schoolmates initially make her feel ashamed about her new appearance, thinking that she’s just trying to copy the popular girls and be someone she isn’t. Beauty can be pain in more ways than one.

7. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Like The Princess Diaries, Devil Wears Prada features another iconic Anne Hathaway makeover. However, rather than preparing her for a place in a monarchy, this outfit overhaul is designed to prepare her for the workplace — and comes with a bonus attitude adjustment.

Struggling in her new role as assistant to Runway editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), Andy (Hathaway) goes to co-worker Nigel (Stanley Tucci) in search of a little sympathy. Instead he delivers a deserved reality check, calling Andy out for looking down on her colleagues and making her realise she wasn’t respecting her job.

Makeovers are often weaponised in the false dichotomy between brains and beauty, but Devil Wears Prada recontextualises them to demonstrate that updating your wardrobe doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve lost sight of your career goals. In fact, it can be a significant step toward achieving them. Fortunately for Andy, Nigel still has enough goodwill toward her to raid the office’s closets and provide her with a designer makeover, completely free of charge.

8. 200 Pounds Beauty (2006)

200 Pounds Beauty goes way beyond your typical makeover. Rather than simply applying some makeup and putting on a new outfit, this makeover involves dangerous plastic surgery and drastic weight loss that spans the course of an entire year. Do not try this at home.

The film follows ghost singer Hanna (Kim Ah-joong), who decides to undergo a dramatic makeover after overhearing her co-worker and crush Sang-jun (Joo Jin-mo) call her ugly and say he’s just using her. It isn’t the healthiest reason for a makeover, and the enormous weight loss as an inclusion in Hanna’s beauty transformation does seem fatphobic. Fortunately 200 Pounds Beauty‘s overall message is a bit more positive, with Hanna eventually realising that forcefully changing everything about herself and hiding who she is only pushed away the people who love her.

9. Hairspray (2007)

Though Hairspray primarily focuses on high school student Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) and the racial segregation in her community, musical number “Welcome to the ’60s” gives her reclusive mother Edna (John Travolta) a moment to shine with a makeover set to song.

Having remained confined to their home for over a decade, Edna is fearful when Tracy asks her to accompany her to a local clothing store. Fortunately, her daughter convinces her to step outdoors and out of her shell, dancing through the joyful song and straight into a ’60s style makeover — complete with heavily sprayed hair. It’s lovely to see Edna excitedly singing after shedding the insecurities about her appearance that affected her confidence for so long, marking the start of a new life for her.

10. St. Trinian’s (2007)

Timid, obedient British schoolgirl Annabelle (Talulah Riley) clearly doesn’t fit in at her new school St. Trinian’s, where the student body is primarily composed of juvenile delinquents with an overdeveloped sense of style. Fortunately, she eventually settles in and befriends her peers — which demands a surprise St. Trinian’s makeover to solidify her place.

St. Trinian‘s makeover is pure unfiltered teenager, starting with a rude awakening that looks more like a bullying incident, and progressing into a sequence reminiscent of a haunted train ride. It doesn’t just stop at one new outfit and call it a day either. Instead the students pull their hapless subject through six completely different over the top looks, each clique reinventing Annabelle in their own outrageous image. Almost none of the results are anything you’re likely to see on the street, much less appropriate for a British boarding school, but it’s not like that would have stopped them.

11. House Bunny (2008)

House Bunny‘s makeover scene isn’t quite satisfying in the way some others are, and you can really see the acting throughout much of it. It’s still undeniably weird and fun though, featuring helpful beauty tips such as “The eyes are the nipples of the face.”

Tasked with helping a failing sorority attract new pledges, former Playboy bunny Shelley (Anna Faris) decides to give its nerdy residents a sexy mass makeover set to Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend.” Of course, with sorority sisters like Emma Stone and Kat Dennings, it isn’t nearly as difficult a task as House Bunny likes to make out. The results venture a bit far into Shelley’s Playboy sensibilities considering her subjects’ usual attire, but fortunately it all evens itself out in the end.

12. Warm Bodies (2013)

Makeovers for men are already less common than ones for women in film, but Warm Bodies‘ contribution to the canon also offers an additional twist. The 2013 zombie romance follows R (Nicholas Hoult), a man who is slowly becoming un-undead while falling for Julie (Teresa Palmer), a living woman.

After R sneaks into a human settlement, Julie and her friend Nora (Lio Tipton) decide to help him look slightly less dead through the power of a shower, copious amounts of makeup, and some very self-aware use of the Pretty Woman soundtrack. It definitely isn’t a conventional makeover but it hits all the same notes, complete with reaction shots of his love interest seeing the final look.

13. Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) (2020)

The sequence of events that lead to Harley Quinn’s new look in Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) isn’t technically billed as a makeover. Even so, there’s no doubt that it’s a deliberate and drastic transformation in her appearance — and one she chose for herself.

After a not quite acrimonious split with the Clown Prince of Crime, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) is left to rediscover herself in the absence of her puddin’. No longer bound to the Joker’s whims, Harley cuts her curled twin tails short, ditches her “Daddy’s Lil Monster” shirt, and starts dressing for the female gaze (and gays). Usually makeovers are administered by others, but Harley’s transformation is a self-driven exercise in self-care that entirely revolves around what she herself wants.

There are a ton of other great film makeovers to check out as well. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day‘s 1930s setting offers a makeover with a vintage twist, while Legally Blonde‘s satisfying revenge “makeover” is more of an internal transformation than an external one. That doesn’t make it any less satisfying though.