Watching Elle took me back to my beauty intern days, where my clothes were a nod to my class

As far as I’m concerned, Legally Blonde is one of the greatest films of all time. It’s a true feminist masterpiece, one that teaches us that women can be absolutely everything and anything they want to be, and can look however they want to along the way.

I spent my weekend watching an early preview of Elle, a prequel to the film from Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Hello Sunshine. Starting in Los Angeles and moving swiftly to Seattle, this Prime series joins Elle Woods through her high school years in a new city.

When the story begins, we see Woods ostracised by her new friends in Seattle when she arrives in her bubble gum pink glory. She sticks out like a sore thumb against the backdrop of this laidback, muted community, and at first their differences cause friction. As time goes on, they each learn a little more about one another and unlikely friendships are forged.

In Elle, clothes are used as a physical way to illustrate the differences between these characters and their worlds. Watching it took me right back to my days as a beauty journalism intern.

I’m from Birmingham and I studied in Liverpool, so I’ve always taken a more is more approach to makeup. When I first came to London for my internships after graduating, I was really confused.

I was getting really dolled up every day with a full face of makeup and bright, glittery clothes, but my trusted mentors wore fresh faces and quiet outfits. What was going on? I wasn’t expecting this at high fashion magazines?

Looking back now, I stood out like a sore thumb, a bit like Woods at Rainier West High School. I was from working class beginnings, completely out of my comfort zone, and desperate to make a good impression. With Irish roots and fresh from three years of living in Liverpool, that impression equated to making myself look as glamorous as possible. I’d sit on the train (the one I got from Birmingham to London and home again, every day) and do a full face of makeup, complete with false lashes. My clothes were as vibrant as physically possible so as to stand out. I still remember my vivid orange River Island handbag and the multi-coloured sequin ballet flats I got from Office. “Are they French Sole?” one of the girls in the lift asked me one day, and I was so delighted that she thought I had the same budget as her.

What it took years for me to realise is that my clothes had told my peers everything about my class, and I felt that they really looked out for me because of it. It was glaringly obvious that I wasn’t from this world, one where many of my peers had grown up in affluent families. In their circles, being understated was chic. It was classy to have such great skin that you didn’t need a dot of makeup. The simple monochrome pieces that they wore everyday were timeless designer classics that had lasted them for years. But as we figured this out, we got a kick out of each other’s differences.

Years down the line, and those first three women still look out for me now. Whether or not I was the perfect intern I guess I’ll never know, but I remember that all three told me fondly how great it was to have someone there that was so excited to be in the room. At the time I wondered why this was so noteworthy to them. I was the beauty intern at the most prestigious of fashion titles, and at a time when their team was filled with truly genius minds. Surely everyone was falling over themselves to be there? This was another lesson it took me years to understand.

I was having kittens every day because this was another world to me, and soaking it up felt like being in another universe. Many of their interns, to the contrary, probably grew up with more privilege. They accepted that this level of prestige was simply part of their fabric, and perhaps didn’t realise quite how special it was to be there.

All of this remembered, it made me feel warm and fuzzy to watch a similar journey in Elle. This series is a total celebration of girlhood, where differences make for fun and friendships will always find a way when your common values align. We need a bit more of that in the world today.

And as for the ladies that guided me in my first three weeks in London – Jessica, Kelly and Nicola – thank you for showing kindness to the overwhelmed intern that blew in from quite such a faraway world. The biggest lesson I learned from them is that the people at the very, very top are often the very kindest.

Elle premieres on Prime this Wednesday July 1^st, and if you grew up in the 90’s it makes for the most gorgeous, nostalgic watch. You can read my full review on Stylist magazine.

Images courtesy of Prime Video