Exclusive: ‘Bachelor’ Contestants Are Ready to Pun, Sweat, and Smize at Perfect Ben

We’re almost ready for the January 4 premiere of The Bachelor, starring an ideal human who both the show’s producers and fans have already named “Perfect Ben.” (He’s hot! He’s genuine! He loves his mom!) The day before filming started, Yahoo Style paid a visit to the contestants who would be vying for Ben Higgins’s heart. With nerves running high, each was holed up in a separate hotel room by producers who wished to keep them from running into one another in the hall (to allow for maximum authenticity when they meet on camera, the producers explained). We were interested in where their heads were in the hours before they’d start filming, but also: What does one pack when she’s headed into romantic battle?

Photography by Roy Beeson for Yahoo Style

Caila Quinn, 23, sales representative, Boston

Why did you want to be on the show?

I think it’s never too early to fall in love. My parents and a lot of my family members got married young, and I’d love to keep that tradition going and find the perfect person to travel the world with.

True confession: I’ve never really watched The Bachelor. How would you describe it?

I think it’s kind of like a blind date, but it’s 25 blind dates at once. So, instead of match.com, I guess it’s like thebatch.life.

How would you describe your style?

Classic with little edgy pops from jewelry, and I’m not afraid to use bold colors.

Have you given any thought to your limo outfit?

I’ve narrowed it down to three. There’s this BCBG dress that’s yellow, which is my favorite color; it’s very representative of my personality. Then there’s this black sparkly one that’s really hot. And a third is this powerful powder blue Adrianna Papell dress, which sort of reminds me of a Cinderella color.

What are you thinking will be your opening line?

I believe organic relationships last longer, so I just want to be genuine. My great grandparents met via dance card; there’s this old saying, “My dance card’s empty,” and it basically means you’re single and interested in getting to know someone. Women would wear them on their wrists, and they would have numbers 1 to10 on the back. If a gentleman wanted to spend time with a girl, he’d write his name on which song he wanted to dance with her. I actually have a dance card with me so I might wear that on my wrist. I love traditions and family, and I’d love to start out on that foot.

What’s your dream one-on-one date?

Probably just hiking around, climbing a tree — having a unique experience that only we shared.

Brienne Rice (“My last name’s a carb”), 30, nutritional therapy practitioner, Seattle

Why did you want to be on the show?

Because a girl in Seattle has a really hard time finding a man. I want to be pursued, and in Seattle, they just don’t approach you — they’re really laid back. I just haven’t found anyone that I have that chemistry and connection with.

I’m sure eating healthily is important to you, and on the show you could be in a lot of different scenarios. How have you planned?

I’m basic — but not boring — those are two different things. I eat a lot of proteins and healthy fats, so those are easily accessible. The plainer the better, sautéed in a lot of olive oil. I’ll also bring some soaked nuts and paleo bars. I also love beef jerky — oh, my gosh. A girl has needs, right?

Have you given any thought to your limo outfit?

I bought this beautiful, elegant dress that is kind of an off-white bone color. I have a total girl crush on Lana Del Rey, so I want to do my hair like her and just be old Hollywood glam — super romantic. Then smize at him: smile with my eyes.

What do you think your opening line is going to be?

I’m goofy, and I want to do something that’s super true to myself, make him laugh, but add a little touch of heart to it. I’m a huge fan of puns and, you know his name is Ben, so I’m thinking of being like, “I’ve Ben waiting for someone to come along like you.”

What do you like about Ben?

I love his heart. I think he’s amazing, he has integrity, and he’s just an all-around good man. He’s exactly the kind of person I’ve wanted to meet.

What had to be in your bag when you were packing to come here?

I have my go-to heels. They’re from Sole Society, and they totally have personality. They look super good with jeans — with my body, I do well with skinnies.

This is a staple, I’ve had this black Diesel jacket for three years. It’s got that perfect cut so it molds to your body. You can wear a blouse under it, and it’s super cute with jeans and those red heels. Or, if you’re super cold one night at the mansion, you throw this over one of your gowns, and then you’re hipster gown lady. And I’m always looking for ways to be active, so I love my Nikes. I only brought a couple pairs, but I have them in all different colors.

Jubilee Sharpe, 24, Army veteran, student of cardiac sonography technology, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Why did you want to be on The Bachelor?

It’s my way of getting out there, dating, doing something, you know? I always loved the show, and the men on there, for the most part, were pretty well-rounded guys. I always thought, “Well, if I could find guys like that in real life, maybe I’d date more.”

So why don’t you meet guys now?

My friends say I’m picky to an extreme, but I’m like, no, I just have standards. There’s certain things about a guy — requirements, I call them — that he has to meet. I meet all the requirements of my requirements, therefore the guy should have to do that, too. Plus dating is like a full time job these days, and I already go to school, so, I don’t need another one.

What do you like about Ben?

There’s a lot that I like about Ben. I think people notice the obvious, which is that he’s good looking and he’s a nice guy. But for me it’s — you know those people that you meet and you look at them and you think, “Oh, I know everything there is to know about that person, there’s not much to them”? I think Ben is the exact opposite. There’s a lot of levels to him. I share that with him; people look at me and think, “Oh, she’s this,” but there’s a lot to me.

Have you thought about your opening line?

I’m planning on doing a pickup line. I’m going to get out of the limo, and I’ll probably be wearing something tight, and say, “Hi, I’m Jubilee.” And he’ll be like, “Hi, how are you?” And I’ll say, “I’m great but having trouble breathing, and I can’t figure out whether it’s this dress or because you just smiled at me.” In my head it sounds really good, but in real life it’ll probably be like buckets of sweat pouring out, stuttering.

How would you describe your personal style?

I have two different styles: the classy, form-fitting dresses that cover my body, and then I have this street style: good jeans, crop tops, Timbs. I’d rather be comfortable than cute.

How did you pack?

Right before I left, the suitcase I was packing everything in broke. So I have these army duffel bags [Sharpe spent four-and-a-half years in the army, during which she was deployed to the Helmand Province in Afghanistan for a year]. I didn’t have any time, so I was like, “Well, I have these army duffel bags.” I slung them over my back. I can’t find anything; if I want one thing out of the bag I have to dump everything out.

Laura Esselman, 24, advertising account executive, Louisville, Ky.

What’s dating like in Louisville?

Um, dating has been interesting. I recently moved out of my parents’ house, so it’s been a little different for me. You see a lot of different people in Kentucky, dating-wise. You can get the real Southern twang, or you can get the city life — guys that think they want New York [and] don’t have the balls to go there yet. It’s interesting.

Why did you want to be on the show?

To be completely honest, I didn’t think I would get this far. My friends kind of talked me into it. They’re like, “You’re single, why not? Looks-wise, it’s only going to go down from here.” I kind of came on to see what would happen. It’s the adventure aspect of it.

How would you describe the show to someone who has never seen it?

I feel like you learn about your boundaries and you learn what you really want from a relationship. It tests all of the elements of a relationship, especially your trust in him, because he’s going off with a lot of girls. Trust in yourself, so you’re not going to go cuckoo, and realizing how far you’ll go to see if he’s the one.

Are there any guys from past seasons you’ve had a crush on?

You’re probably not going to believe me, but I had a huge crush on Ben when I was watching him last season. He’s very different. I normally watch shows, and I’m like, “Oh my god, I would never get along with these people, they’re so different.” I’m very down to earth, I just kind of want to watch Netflix with you and have a marathon and eat popcorn. I feel like he’s someone who is very genuine, and he looks normal. I could be completely wrong — I don’t know.

What are you thinking you’ll wear for the limo?

I think I’m going to wear a lace blue gown with three-quarter-length sleeves and a slit going down the side, or I might wear this; it’s this, like, mermaid. I was going to wear this actually on the first day — it’s from Lulu’s — it just kind of like flows out on the bottom. And I’ll wear the pink lipstick. I don’t know what happened, but sometime this summer, I became obsessed with pink lipstick. I can’t take it off.

Have you thought about your opening line?

I’ve thought about it. I kind of want to bring out a red velvet cupcake, because my nickname at home is red velvet — because of the red hair and because I’m saucy. But lord knows I’m going to be hungry; he may be hungry. I haven’t thought about the execution yet, but I’m thinking right now it’s a good idea. Come tomorrow or the next day, and I’m sweating profusely getting out of a limo, it may not go well. To be continued.

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