An Angel Meets the Devil: A Look into the Duality of “The Devil Wears Prada”
Whenever I make a playlist, “Vogue” by Madonna always manages to secure a spot in the line-up. Its lyrics, rhythm and energy just seem to compliment any and every activity. I’ve found that more often than not, a simple reminder to “let your body move to the music” is all you need. This runway anthem is really, as cliché as it may sound, the soundtrack to my life. It’s the theme song for my workouts, beach days, glam sessions, study sessions, and Metra rides. With “Vogue” on repeat, I promise you can manifest anything: a fact that has been proven time and time again by Andy, played by Anne Hathway, from “The Devil Wears Prada.”
Undeniably, this movie holds a special place in the heart of any fashion enthusiast. Everything from the incredible outfits to the thrilling drama and quotable script is simply . . . iconic. It’s been a right of passage for new STITCH members to bond over “The Devil Wears Prada” movie night, and perhaps, to also learn what not to do when working for a fashion publication.
I had the chance to talk with STITCH alum Beatrice Hagney about her experience working in the fashion industry as a buyer in jewelry at Bergdorf. She shared her thoughts on the movie, explaining that “A lot of people don’t take fashion seriously and think of it as a joke and a game. I think that is probably one of the most important aspects of the movie . . . it adds a lot of gravity to the work people in the fashion industry are doing and that to me . . . when Andy learned that [it] held a lot of significance because it’s something people are so quick to dismiss.”
“The Devil Wears Prada'' features one of the most beloved cinematic transformations: Andrea Sachs’s legionardy makeover. With the help of her colleague and faithful confidant Nigel, the Medill grad goes from frumpy to fashionable, swapping her lumpy, robin egg blue sweater for Chanel and Jimmy Choo. Andy makes sure to treat us to numerous O.O.T.D.s after her wardrobe overhaul. In a scene out of a music video, Andy struts through the streets of New York in a series of chic ensembles. She dodges taxis, crosses Fifth Avenue, and saunters into work in a revolving whirl of trench coats, stilettos, and designer bags - all while “Vogue” plays on repeat.
I owe much of my fashion obsession to “The Devil Wears Prada.” A Northwestern grad living in New York City, working for the top fashion magazine, with unlimited access to clothing, shoes, accessories, and miscellaneous tech gadgets gifted to your boss - what could be better? Fifteen years later, much of Andy’s glamorous life is still alluring, namely the thigh high boots and Paris Fashion Week invites. However, watching the film with a 2021 frame of mind reveals just how much has changed in a mere decade and a half.
The looks
Emily: “How… Are you wearing the Ch…”
Andy: “Chanel Boots? Yeah, I am.”
If Andy, Emily, and Miranda were teleported to Evanston right this minute, they would be nothing short of Y2K aficionados. Minus a few of Emily’s questionable bohemian punk moments, many of the looks and pieces from this movie are trendy today, thanks to the Y2K and McBling resurgence. “The Devil Wears Prada” was released in 2006, in the heart of McBling (think Paris Hilton, shamelessly loud designer and low rise). Let’s take a look back and see which outfits make the cut for today’s 2000s spin off styles, and which might need to be left in 2006.
Monochrome:
Andy looks just as stylish as ever while navigating the morning rush hour in her monochrome look. She wears a cream, knee length formal coat, dainty white gloves paired with a silver, over the shoulder tote bag and grey, tweed cap. Right now, monochrome is chic as can be. If Natalie Biden’s inaugural pink ensemble isn’t proof enough, I don’t know what else is. Single tone sets are everywhere, from lounge wear to workout sets and formal wear. This outfit is definitely staying in our 2021 wardrobe.
Tweed Hats & Chunky Accessories:
Andy loves her tweeds and her caps. Tweed, at least in my mind, is synonymous with the late 2000s. Chanel has continued to push the tweed trend, even to this day. A Chanel runway show isn’t complete without at least one tweed skirt and matching blazer. Unfortunately, Andy might feel a little out of place with her tweed headpieces, unless she’s planning to attend a holiday tea. While this particular hat may no longer be the trendiest, there is something to be said about the general spike in hat wearing. In fact, Miu Mui and Max Mara even released several leather, cap-like hats over the past year. Additionally, brand name trucker hats are currently all the rage, particularly Von Dutch, La Ropa and Aviator Nation.
Avant-garde necklaces and belts are staples in a Runway girl’s closet. Andy’s chunky Chanel necklace with its double C charms and large pearls is an unforgettable statement piece. Emily embraces the boho, hippie aesthetic that was popular in 2006 with her wide buckle belts and studded mini jackets. Lucky for Miranda's assistants, many of these accessory elements are making their way into the 2020s. Vivienne Westwood has single handedly revamped the once dowty pearl into a coveted streetwear item. Designer thrifting and consignment is hugely popular at the moment. Shops like Treasures of NYC and the Glencoe based North Shore Exchange specialize in marketing vintage designer pieces, many of which are 15 to 20 years old, to the modern consumer. The Chanel charm necklace reminds me of this type of repurposed designer piece. After all, Chanel is such a classic that their logo really never goes out of style; it’s all about how it’s paired and styled.
Alas, Emily’s belts don’t have the same timeless quality. According to Patricia Field, the movie’s costume designer, Emily’s style is purposefully edgy to fit her bold character. She isn’t as classic as Andy, so her style feels more dated to the modern audience.
Butterflies:
Andy decides to drop the Paris trip bomb on Emily (i.e., she’s taking Emily’s spot for Paris Fashion week) in a blouse with pink, red and green gold studded butterflies. I must admit, this particular top is a source of controversy between me and my friends. I love it; they hate it. But no matter which team you’re on, we can unanimously agree that butterflies are a 2021 pop culture symbol 🦋. 15 years later and butterflies are still fluttering around, maybe not enlarged and bedazzled on a swoop neck organza blouse, but certainly in our Instagram bios.
Boots:
Nothing screams “The Devil Wears Prada” like a fabulous pair of heeled boots, specifically, the Chanel boots. Andy sports this boot when making her transformed fashionista entrance. She shocks Emily in a Ralph Lauren double buttoned blazer, green Fendi bag, new bangs, and of course, the Chanel boots. The thigh high and just-below-the-knee boot game in this movie is so on point. I adore a thigh high boot because they are so elegant, chic, and refined. Fendi’s January couture show reminded us of this fact as many of their models showcased high, slouch boots.
Bold Eyeshadow:
Emily is three things: sassy, carb hating, and bad at blending. Granted, her green and blue eyeshadow choices are spectacular, and their spectacularity is only exacerbated by Emily’s constant, dramatic eye rolling. Bright eyeshadows are certainly still in, but beauty influencers and Vogue’s “Get Ready with Me” videos have taught us blending and setting strategies that help to ~soften~ those shocking aquamarines.
The Industry
“The Devil Wears Prada” offers insight into the early 2000s fashion industry - beyond the actual garments. Many aspects of the movie are overly dramatized for entertainment purposes (the quest for the unreleased “Harry Potter” book, Andy’s affair in Paris and Nigel’s fate). However, we do get a glimpse of what it was like to work for a major fashion publication like “Runway,” or at least what others perceived it to be like, in 2006.
Hagney shared some insight into the current climate of the fashion industry. She says “It’s really difficult to make a general statement about ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ relating to the whole fashion industry. . . . it’s a very case by case basis. . . . I will say though, generally, I think the fashion industry does have a lot of issues in regards to progressing in the field of workers rights and respect for other people generally speaking. . . . Mental health isn’t something in the industry that people prioritize. . . . It’s something in the fashion industry that hasn’t been rightfully addressed.” She attributes these issues in part to a high pressure work environment, and in part, to the reality that “in fashion, you really hold yourself to such an intense standard of perfection. You have to look good. You have to perform well. And you have to maintain that for such a sustained period of time, and it’s all open to critique.”
Although the intense work environment of Runway may not be in the rear-view mirror, many of the movie’s lines do fortunately feel outdated, especially regarding what it means to “fit into” the industry - both literally and figuratively.
If you’re even vaguely paying attention when viewing this movie, the toxic body size commentary is impossible to miss. Miranda calls Andy the “smart, fat girl” while Nigel proposes a toast to Andy’s new “size four ass.” During the 10 minute lunch break, Andy asks “So none of the girls here eat anything?” Nigel matter-of-factly replies: ““Not since two become the new four and zero become the new two.”
Whelp. That’s all I can say. These types of exchanges are less common today as body positivity messages have helped redefine beauty standards. Even couture and high fashion is beginning to evolve, granted slowly. In a segment from the virtual “Vogue Forces of Fashion 2020” panelist event, IMG model Precious Lee spoke about her experience walking for Versace in the September 2020 show. She, along with two other women, was the first curve model to walk in a Versace runway show. According to Lee, “I always felt it internally. I’ve always felt the celebration inside myself. I always knew that I was capable. I never had a doubt that I wasn’t capable of doing something like Versace, and it just felt really rewarding to have Donatella agree with me.” And I am so glad she did. Models like Lee are completely transforming and redefining what it means to be beautiful and be “industry material.” Versace fall 2020 was a win, but it’s only the beginning . . . and at least we’ve moved beyond calling someone the “smart, fat girl.”
The narrow-mindedness doesn’t stop at Andy’s waistline. When she complains to Nigel about her impossible job and relentless boss, Nigel puts her in her place. To put it bluntly, he tells her to stop whining and step up to the plate (no comment here, but I will admit, I do see where Nigel is coming from). He confides in Andy, confessing “You think this is just a magazine, hmm? This is not just a magazine. This is a shining beacon of hope for... oh, I don't know... let's say a young boy growing up in Rhode Island with six brothers, pretending to go to soccer practice when he was really going to sewing class and reading ‘Runway’ under the covers at night with a flashlight.” This moment is always very touching to me; it’s the start of a ~beautiful friendship~ between Andy and Nigel. However, at least from my perspective, his plight doesn’t quite align with 2021 norms. While there is certainly still stigma surrounding males interested in fashion, this stigma has largely disappeared.
The relatively new sect of pop culture and branding - called “lifestyle” - has helped to break gender stereotypes. Fashion, sports, food, entertainment and beauty are now bundled into the catch-all “lifestyle” category. Brands like the Soho-based Kith epitomize what it means to be a lifestyle brand. Through clothing, shoes, accessories, books and even ice cream, they sell a sporty, urban-chic aesthetic to anyone, regardless of their gender or interests. Thanks to Gen Z, it’s safe to say that fashion has surged in inclusivity, which is something to celebrate! There is still so much work to be done, but the fact that Nigel’s comments seem less relevant a mere 15 years later means we’ve made progress. Imagine how much more we can achieve over the next 15 years?
What We Can Learn
This piece wouldn’t be complete without addressing Andy’s questionable relationship with her boyfriend, Nate. In Hagney’s own words: “She should have dumbed her stupid boyfriend!” And I couldn’t agree more. Nate's constant guilt tripping and general lack of support is enough to illicit “screaming at the TV” Hagney says. She even admits “I turn off the movie when they show up to the fashion show before [Andy] leaves Miranda and throws the cell phone in the fountain.” Why isn’t Nate applauding his driven girlfriend for making major moves at Runway? At the same time, I can’t help but empathize with Nate, Andy’s friends, and poor Emily - at least slightly. Hagney says that watching Emily get mowed over by Andy is “very difficult to stomach.”
“The Devil Wears Prada” has taught me that like Andy, we’re all a work in progress. We make mistakes, both personal and professional. Perfection is an impossible standard to reach. Now, more than ever before, we can truly “have it all,” - the amazing job, vibrant social life, and wonderful partner. But, there is still a cost. Andy has taught me to be gentle on myself and understand that sometimes you must make sacrifices for your own happiness and health - it's just that these should be self driven, self imposed, and at your own discretion, not at the discretion of a significant other, family member or friend. It’s your life, so live it how you want to! As Kourtney Kardashian famously said “My vibe right now is just living life.” This, too, should be your vibe for 2021, for the next 15 years and for the rest of your life.