Reawakening the fashionista in me

I’m not what you would call a movie aficionado. I’m the farthest thing from a fashionista with my daily get-up consisting of jeans and T-shirt. My sister was lucky to win premiere tickets to The Devil Wears Prada, but had to fly to Cebu for a trip she had scheduled long before. I soon found the tickets in my hands, and the rest as they say, is history.

The Devil Wears Prada is not an exceptional movie. It’s formulaic that I could already tell what was going to happen next by simple deduction. There are no surprise twists, special effects, nor explosive action sequences. So why on earth do I love it so much?

Perhaps it is because I somehow saw myself in the levelheaded Andy Sachs, played to perfection by Anne Hathaway. I’ve always considered myself the more intellectual type who has a tendency to be oblivious to the "in" things, especially when it comes to fashion and beauty. It has always been function before form as far as I was concerned. If it’s the rage, chances are I haven’t heard of it. But like any other woman out there, there is a part of me who longs to be model-thin, chic and pretty. I was mesmerized by Andy’s story, and I could easily envision myself in her shoes as I watched the film. The regular girl who somehow finds herself in the middle of every girl’s dream — to work for Runway, a prestigious fashion magazine.

Anne Hathaway had me rooting for Andy as she climbed surely and steadily up the fashion industry ladder. I was awed by her transformation from dowdy office girl to full-fledged fashionista. I admit, I was totally blown away by the outfits.

Of course, I was equally enamored with the controversial Runway editor-in-chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). There’s an inexplicable magic every time she steps into the scene. She doesn’t even have to talk. Just a gesture or a flicker of expression on her face is all it takes to convey a thousand words worth of dialogue. Style and substance were practically emanating from her pores. I can’t think of any other actress who could have performed this role as flawlessly and effectively as Meryl did.

Behind all the glitz and glamour, The Devil Wears Prada successfully conveyed a very important message. It made me realize that function and form can co-exist in harmony. One can be both efficient and stylish at the same time without sacrificing one for the other. It inspired me to look myself over and improve areas which need work. It made me want to abandon my daily shirt and jeans uniform and go shopping for more fashionable alternatives. I had the sudden desire to make myself over not just physically but psychologically and socially. The film helped me get touch with the fashionista I had buried deep inside me for years.

Now let me take out that Prada messenger bag I bought some years ago. It’s going to be the start of a more stylish life for me.