Makeovers!

In the film adaptation of Lauren Weisberger's The Devil Wears Prada, Andy Sachs is a new assistant to the editor-in-chief of a major fashion magazine. At first, Andy is continually mocked around the office for her lack of style. Eventually, she makes friends with the art director who takes her under his wing and gives her a makeover. He takes her to the fashion closet and picks her out the newest and latest styles and poof! Andy has a new and chic wardrobe for the rest of the movie.

"In a violation of the strictures of most fashion glossies, she routinely raids the fashion closet, a mini-Versailles tidily packed floor to ceiling with Valentino, Narciso Rodriguez, and of course, Jimmy Choo. Cavernous and brilliantly lighted, it is the antithesis of a real-life fashion closet, which is usually the size of a generous bathroom jammed with tray upon tray of jewelry, hosiery and clothes all guarded by junior editors — fashion's "grim vigilantes," as Gay Talese called them in "Vogueland," his acid 1961 magazine portrayal of life at Vogue. Eager watchdogs, they would be as likely to borrow tens of thousands of dollars worth of designer wares for a night out as they would to upend a latte on the boss's desk." -Ruth La Ferla in The New York Times

Above: Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, pre-makeover
Below: Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, post-makeover
Both photos The Devil Wears Prada movie stills from Yahoo! Movies.


At first, I was surprised at how people really dressed at my internship. Top editors wear designer clothes, but associate editors and assistants usually wear basic chain store clothes. Also, the style around the W office is more relaxed than you would think. Many people wear heels, skirts or ties, but just as many are in jeans, sneakers and t-shirts. After four months there, I have yet to hear a negative comment about what someone is wearing. Many different styles are appreciated and accepted amongst W employees.

"Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening." - Coco Chanel

Aside from the difference in style condemnation of other people's style, reality would never see a brand new employee waltz into the closet and take whatever he or she would like. For special occasions, an employee may ask their superior if they may borrow something. However, they must agree to bring it back immediately after use and in the same condition. Whenever something is borrowed, the employee must also fill out an interoffice loan form and take pictures of the item(s) borrowed.