She’s Back (And So Is Miranda)

I haven't posted here in a minute, but after the release of the Devil Wears Prada sequel, I couldn't resist. There are a ton of reviews on the internet, naturally, but I want to focus on the one sentence that truly resonated with me rather than the fashion criticisms.

At the end of the film, Miranda turns and says, “Boy, I love working. I really do. Don’t you? I’ve always seen the original Devil Wears Prada as a bit of a horror movie; choosing a boyfriend over a career-defining role at Runway? I’m sorry, but I would drop that boy so quickly. For years, we’ve been told that the "happy ending" is the one where the girl walks away from the toxic, high-pressure job to find "balance" and a nice guy in a hoodie. But the sequel flips the script, and honestly? It’s about time.

Watching this film at a time when "tradwife" influencers are making enormous sums of money by portraying a life of subservient domesticity is intriguing. Making millions of dollars by convincing women that baking bread and folding laundry is their only real calling is an odd irony. It turns out that some women do, in fact, dream of labour, and that’s okay. The drive remains the same whether the person is managing a family or a global company. But for some reason, the "ambitious woman" continues to be the villain. 

The discussion is always presented in a binary way: either you become a CEO, or you raise a family. 

If you choose the family, you’re "fulfilling your purpose."

If you choose the office, you’re "selfish" or "cold."

I’m constantly told I’ll "change my mind" about my priorities. And perhaps I will. However, I was raised in a world where it seems fundamentally impossible to accomplish both at the level of quality I demand of myself. 

"I don’t want to raise a family when my priority is running a business." If I were a man, that sentence would make me "focused" and "driven." As a woman, it makes people uncomfortable. I want a family, sure, but I want success more.

In the sequel, Miranda recognises that a life like hers has a price to pay. Missed birthdays, failed marriages, and a reputation for being "difficult." The understanding that she doesn't regret paying for it, however, is the most powerful aspect of the movie. She loves her job and enjoys the hustle. And for the first time, I felt as though someone was allowing me to acknowledge that I also do.