Calling all Cosmo Girls,Legally Blondeis turning 20!Reese Witherspoonbounced into our hearts in 2001 as the blonde-haired, bright-eyed Elle Woods, and now, 20 years later, we’re still in love with the smart and sassy Gemini-vegetarian from California.
Legally Blondefollows Elle’s journey from California sorority house to Harvard Law School, where she immediately stands out as a Malibu Barbie among a sea of plaid. Elle is there to win back the heart of the man she loves by proving to him that she’s serious enough to be marriage material, and not even his surprise engagement to a Vanderbilt-prototype named Vivian can stand in Elle’s way. If you fell in love with the unstoppable girl-power of Elle Woods, like to root for the underdog, and just flat out enjoy a feminist storyline disguised as light-hearted girliness, then you’ll love the movies on the list. To celebrate 20 years ofLegally Blonde, we’ve got 20 entries here for you to check out.
RELATED:‘Legally Blonde 3’ Release Date Revealed, So Practice Your Bend and Snaps
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blondeis an obvious pick for this list, as we definitely want to know what’s next for Elle Woods: Former Miss Hawaiian Tropic and brand new lawyer.Red, White & Blondetakes Elle all the way to our nation’s capital, where she fights for legislation protecting animals from harmful testing, even putting her wedding on hold to take on this venture. We get all the Elle Woods charm we enjoy from the original movie, along with a few of our favorite returning characters including Paulette (Jennifer Coolidge) and Emmett (Luke Wilson).
Just a few years beforeLegally Blonde, Reese Witherspoon was portraying another ambitious young woman with her eye on a future in politics. While not as friendly as Elle Woods, Witherspoon’s Tracy Flick is certainly as determined. Tracy is campaigning for class president at her small high school, and when one of her teachers (Matthew Broderick) tries to prevent her from winning, the election becomes ruthless. For an irresistibly single-minded Reese Witherspoon and a nostalgic high school setting, check outElection.
Mean Girls
Another high school-based storyline with a female-centric cast and the wit ofLegally Blonde,Mean Girlsis of cult-classic status these days. Like Elle Woods, Cady Heron (pronounced kay-dee) is the new girl in school and an outsider among her peers, seeking acceptance with the popular clique on campus. Plenty of early 2000s fashion and quotable one-liners are included in this film, withTina FeyandAmy Poehleramong the manySNLalumni that are part of the production.
The Devil Wears Prada
The Devil Wears PradafeaturesMeryl Streepas ultimate mean girl Miranda Priestly, editor in chief of the biggest fashion magazine in the world, withAnne Hathawayas her unfashionable and very out-of-place new assistant, Andy. If Andy’s ever going to make it in the foreign world of fashion, she’ll have to learn some hard lessons about her industry, her boss, and herself.
Speaking of mean girls, there are quite a few of them in the 1999 comedy mockumentaryDrop Dead Gorgeous. This film was ahead of its time and is another one rising to cult-classic status.Drop Dead GorgeousfeaturesKirsten DunstandDenise Richards(also includingBrittany Murphyand a youngAmy Adams) among a handful of beauty pageant contestants followed by a documentary team, as the young ladies compete in small-town Minnesota.Kristie Alleysteals the spotlight as a hilariously deranged pageant mom, going to great lengths to ensure her daughter’s crown and title. After watchingDrop Dead Gorgeous, you’ll never look at parade floats the same again.
Miss Congeniality
Pageants, pageants, and more pageants! We’re onstage again inMiss Congeniality, starringSandra Bullockas Gracie Hart, the most out-of-place girl at the Miss America competition. Gracie is an undercover FBI agent sent to the pageant to investigate mysterious threats made to the Miss America Organization, and to protect the women contestants. Sure, Agent Hart can drop a grown man with a swift punch to the throat, but she doesn’t know the first thing about pageants — or lipstick or high heels or dresses, for that matter. Where Elle Woods is a Barbie doll in a sea of plaid, Gracie Hart is a G.I. Joe in a forest of Elle Woods.
Pretty Woman
Pretty Womanis a classic 1990s romantic comedy starringJulia RobertsandRichard Gere, and features the iconic scene in a Beverly Hills fashion boutique where Julia Roberts — years before Witherspoon’s similarly sassy scene inLegally Blonde— tells off a snooty shopgirl. WatchPretty Womanfor the feisty Julia Roberts, stay for the fabulous ‘90s fashion.
My Best Friend’s Wedding
Another Julia Roberts ‘90s flick,My Best Friend’s Weddinghas Roberts as Jules, a food critic trying to win the heart of her best friend (Dermot Mulroney) and convincing him to call off the wedding to his new fiancé, Kimmy (Cameron Diaz). Like Elle Woods and her rival Vivian, Jules and Kimmy couldn’t be more different, with Jules likening herself to the easy-going dessert choice “Jell-O,” and deeming Kimmy as the over-the-top “crème brûlée.” But which dessert will the groom choose? If you loved bending and snapping with Elle Woods in the salon, then get ready to singAretha Franklinin a seafood restaurant.
Bridesmaids
For some more wedding-centered rivalry, we haveBridesmaidsup next on our list. Except, this competition for a spot at the altar isn’t a fight for the groom, but rather a fight for the coveted role of Maid of Honor.Kristen WiigandMaya Rudolphhead up the cast of funny ladies includingRose Byrne,Rebel Wilson, andEllie Kemper, along withMelissa McCarthystealing puppies and scenes left and right. For lots of laughs and feely-goods among girlfriends, giveBridesmaidsa watch.
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
We saw Elle Woods try everything she can to snag the guy of her dreams, but what about driving a guy away? That’s exactly whatKate Hudson’s character, Andi, attempts to do inHow to Lose a Guy in 10 Days. Andi works for a popular women’s magazine and has been assigned the task of charming a man (Matthew McConaughey) into falling head-over-heels for her, only for her to force him to dump her because of the silly antics she pulls. As Andi puts it, she’s basically writing a “How to Guide” for women of what not to do in a relationship. Andi oozes Elle-like ambition, and I like to think Andi and Elle would be blonde besties.
