It was 15 years ago today, July 29, that Anne Hathaway hit the big screen as Mia Thermopolis: a frizzy-haired, slightly awkward 16-year-old who finds out she’s heir to the throne of Genovia. The Princess Diaries is chock-full of hilarious princess-prepping lessons (from how to walk in heels to how to properly wave like a queen), but one of the most memorable scenes of the movie, hands-down, is Mia’s makeover.
From Julia Roberts’s classic transformation in Pretty Woman to Lindsay Lohan’s plastification in Mean Girls, there is something irresistibly entertaining about movie makeovers. Scroll through our favorites below—if these don’t cause you the sudden urge to get a dramatic haircut and go on an epic shopping spree, we don’t know what will.
Mia in The Princess Diaries
Hired by the queen, Paolo and his team manage to tame Mia's tangled mane and “Brooke Shields-meets-Groucho Marx” eyebrows. The outcome? Nothing short of a princess.
Tai in Clueless
Given that Cher’s (Alicia Silverstone) main thrill is a makeover (“It gives her a sense of control in a world of chaos”), it’s no wonder she and Dionne (Stacey Dash) make the new girl their latest project. Tai (Brittany Murphy) goes from baggy plaid thermals to short plaid skirts, all thanks to Cher’s computerized outfit-picking system.
Laney in She’s All That
Zack (Freddie Prinze, Jr.) bets his friends that he can make a prom queen out of art-y, quiet Laney (Rachael Leigh Cook), and it's (basically) as easy as taking off her glasses. Add a haircut and a red dress, and voilà: instant knockout.
Vivian in Pretty Woman
We wouldn’t mind it if Edward (Richard Gere) spent an obscene amount of money on us like he does on Vivian (Julia Roberts) to get her looking like an L.A. socialite. Pretty Woman’s famous shopping scene proves that a couple of power outfits are all it takes to demand the right kind of attention.
Gracie in Miss Congeniality
FBI agent Gracie (Sandra Bullock) gets her toughest assignment yet when she has to go undercover as a … pageant queen. In a warehouse beauty laboratory of sorts, she gets plucked, dyed, and done-up—because beauty is pain, especially when national security is on the line.
Viola in She's The Man
In She’s The Man, Viola (Amanda Bynes) dresses up as her twin brother, Sebastian, to prove that she can play soccer like one of the boys. And it’s confirmed: Bynes would make a pretty cute guy.
Andy in The Devil Wears Prada
Another movie in which Anne Hathaway undergoes a fabulous makeover? You better believe it. When Hathaway stars as Andy in The Devil Wears Prada, she goes from frumpy recent grad to full-blown fashionista, thanks to Runway’s couture-filled fashion closet.
Allison in The Breakfast Club
At the end of this teen classic, popular girl Claire (Molly Ringwald) decides she wants to make over “basket case” Allison (Ally Sheedy). When Allison steps back into detention sporting a headband, pink dress, and rosy cheeks, she instantly grabs the attention of jock Andy (Emilio Estevez).
Cady in Mean Girls
After transferring to an American high school, Cady (Lindsay Lohan) quickly learns the lay of the land thanks to pals Janis (Lizzy Caplan) and Damian (Daniel Franzese). In order to infiltrate The Plastics, she wears pink on Wednesdays and piles on the makeup.
Cinderella in Cinderella
To be honest, our love for movie makeovers probably goes all the way back to watching Cinderella in childhood. Fairy Godmother turns Cinderella’s rags into a ball gown, a pumpkin into a carriage, and mice into horses with the simple wave of a magic wand—what could be more fabulous than that?
