Oh Make Me Over

It’s hard to pin point what makes makeovers so great. Some people like to give them. Others like to receive them. I like to give them, receive them, watch them, etc. It’s fascinating how you can change someone’s appearance so drastically. The best part of any makeover is the reveal. It’s so great seeing people get a boost of confidence that their fugly selves never had before. Unfortunately there’s also such thing as a make-under. But that’s a different topic for a different day.

One of my favorite scenes in Clueless was when Cher and Dionne give Tai a makeover. Let’s just be honest for a second. No matter how you slice Brittany Murphy, she’s always gonna look like trailer trash. Doesn’t she have that I-got-my-entire-outfit-from-T.J. Maxx-look? Yes. Yes she does. That’s why her casting in Clueless was so spot on. The duo really gave Tai the full treatment. Cher even tried to extend Tai’s vocabulary. She was unsuccessful, but at least there was effort made. By the way, R.I.P. Britt Britt.

Such a simpleton.

Do you remember at the end of Grease when Sandy changes her look for Danny? I can’t decide if I would call this a makeover or a make-under. I mean, Sandy was really cute before. She wore cool dresses and she didn’t look like Rizzo–she had a lot going for her! For some reason both Sandy and Danny decided that they had to conform in order to show their love. Danny’s attempt was pathetic. He basically kept his same look, and just replaced his T-Bird jacket with a Letterman’s sweater that we all know he didn’t earn. He rivaled my athletic ability. Sandy obviously took one for the team and let Frenchy make her over. What a brave soul. Grease teaches you that the cool kids won’t truly like you until you become one of them. And then they’ll sing a ridiculous song outside of school and you’ll fly off in a car. Ahh Rydell High.

Frenchy did a great job of making Sandy look 20 years older.

Reality shows really have the whole makeover thing perfected. I’ll watch any show if it promises me an eventual makeover. Especially a makeover with tears. That’s where America’s Next Top Model comes into play. There’s a house of 20 or so girls that want to become models. When it gets down to 12 girls, they’re all rewarded with a makeover to enhance their look. It’s astounding how many girls cry when their hair is cut or dyed. Like, really? I thought you were a model and could rock any look. Needless to say, it’s super entertaining.

Another perfect example is Biggest Loser. The final 7 people get makeovers and it’s so fun to watch! Not only do the contestants get their hair cut and colored, but they’ve lost so much weight. They actually do look like different people. Those are always emotional because they feel so good about themselves after treating their bodies so badly. The makeovers for this season of  Biggest Loser were on last week but they made it a two part episode. So that’s annoying. Also, for some reason the losers (can I call them that?) get to go to the White House to meet Michelle Obama. I’m sure they really want to see her and her chiseled arms. But seriously, how many pushups does Michelle Obama do every day? Let’s make guesses! And then email them to her.

Lastly, there was the most drastic makeover show of all, The Swan. Haha just kidding. I’m talking about Extreme Makeover. That show combined easy makeover techniques (hair, makeup, clothes) with plastic surgery. The transformations were always awesome and the people felt and looked beautiful. For some reason my favorite part was watching people get their teeth fixed. No one should have to hide their smiles! Yeah, Extreme Makeover would definitely guarantee tears. And then they just had to take it one step further and come out with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. I wish someone would give Ty Pennington an Extreme Makeover.

I think you missed a spot shaving. Also, stop spiking your hair. It's not 2002.

Have a Nice Decade

My dream team.

Today my mom and I decided to get soda and fries from a 1950’s looking restaurant. It’s funny how an environment and music can take you to a time that you were never a part of.  “Mr. Lee” by The Bobbettes was playing as we dipped our fries in ketchup (not catsup…) and we thought, wouldn’t it be great to live in the 50’s?

I think if I could choose any decade to live in I would choose the 50’s. It just seems like such an innocent time. I mean, yeah, there was war and stuff (Can you believe I’m a Historian? “war and stuff” wtf) but there seemed to be a kindness in the world that doesn’t exist anymore. For example, take the show Happy Days, the show was supposed to take place in the 50’s and was called HAPPY DAYS. Proof that life was better then. Also, you were bound to have friends with names like Potsie, Chachi, Joanie, and Ralph. No one is named Ralph anymore!

Also, what about Grease? Everyone was cool in that movie. Except Eugene. Wait, Eugene was cool at the end when he threw the pie in the gym teacher’s face at the carnival. Why do I remember that? Also, they had a diner that everyone met at, just like Happy Days! No one meets at cute diners anymore. Now we just go to Chili’s and eat our feelings.

Possibly the best representation of the 50’s is in my favorite movie, Stand By Me. I wish I was friends with those boys. I wish I could tell Gordie that he was a good writer, and tell Chris that he wasn’t worthless. By the way, if you haven’t seen this movie, you’re dead to me. Loving Stand By Me shouldn’t be the reasoning behind me wanting to live in the 50’s, but it is.

Other decades just seem sub par. I mean, anything before the 1800’s was the worst because “Greensleeves” was probably played on repeat and more importantly, toiletpaper didn’t exist. I mean, it would be fine if you were royalty, but even then, there would be too much pressure. Not a fun-filled time.

The 60’s seemed pretty groovy, music started to get better, women could finally feel okay about wearing pants, and people were almost not racist. The 70’s would probably be my second choice. It was the best decade for movies, and most people could afford a colored television by then. Music was awesome, and people had lava lamps! Besides my birth, the 80’s seem boring. Everyone in the 80’s seemed like they were trying so hard to be cool. Same with the 90’s. And now everyone is just obsessed with themselves. Isn’t that why people have facebook, twitter, instagram, tumblr, pinterest, etc? The answer is yes. Only yes.

Which time period would you want to live in?