We Ranked All Of Andy's Outfits In "The Devil Wears Prada," And Things Got Intense
It's somehow been 16 years since The Devil Wears Prada came out! To mark the movie being old enough to drive, we (Natasha Jokic and Mary Colussi, hi) sat down to discuss one of the most pressing issues of our age: What were the best Andrea Sachs outfits?
@foxhomeent / Via giphy.com
Now, neither of us are here to rag on clothes from 2006 that have aged poorly, because of course some of them have! Besides, this is a movie where it makes sense for the character to be dressed terribly half the time. Still, it is a movie about fashion — so let's have some fun!
@foxhomeent / Via giphy.com
Without further hesitation, here's a ranking of every outfit* that Andy wears in The Devil Wears Prada.
*For the purposes of this list, we've kept it to outfits that Andy wears in scenes where she talks.
21.The "It's this or Auto Universe" interview outfit:
NJ: This is the perfect thing for Andy to wear for her interview, by which I mean it is completely wrong: The colors don't work together and none of it fits especially well.
MC: This isn't a great outfit but it's an amazing costume. Nothing in this movie, expository dialogue included, does a better job of showing that Andy is a) fresh out of college and b) a newcomer to the world of Runway. But I've run the numbers, and tan + mauve + white does not equal success.
20.The "cerulean" sweater and "hideous skirt convention" skirt:
NJ: I actually think that each item individually could be saved with the right styling, but the combination gives me uncanny flashbacks to my school uniform while simultaneously looking far too old for a young professional in her early 20s.
MC: I have never made the school uniform association before and now I will never get it out of my head. I went to Catholic school for 10 years and I wore...so...many...kilts. And opaque tights. Kudos to the blue sweater for prompting one of my favorite Meryl monologues, though.
19.The "Yes, I know there's a hurricane" combo:
NJ: We get it Andy, you like cable knit!
MC: Wait, maybe this sweater is mauve? I'm starting to think I don't know what mauve means.
18.The "One no foam skimmed latte with an extra shot and three drip coffees with room for milk — searing hot" errand-running coat:
NJ: I think the annoying beeping sounds of Andy's cellphone have conditioned me, Pavlov's dog style, to hate this tan coat.
MC: See, my Pavlovian response is to carrying a flimsy cardboard container of Starbucks that's already too cold because if you WANT it to be HOT, you have to GET it YOURSELF, but you WON'T, so now I'M the bad intern! Sorry. But this outfit is 90% coat, which is 30% more coat than I want it to be.
17.The "I have Patrick" shirt:
NJ: My mum wore a lot of shirts like these in the '00s. They're fine. Again, I think she could be playing with something a bit more fun and fresh, given that she was not a middle-aged maths teacher in England like my mum was at the time.
MC: Proud of her for getting Patrick, but I think if the fit and styling were better, I'd be more into the button-down look.
16.The "You got a job at a fashion magazine?" sweater:
NJ: I'm not a fan of this sweater but I almost feel called to defend it because of how mean Nate is about it when she tells him about her job.
MC: This one definitely isn't mauve. Other that that, it's just okay.
15.The "I can't let Miranda get to me" sweats:
NJ: I look like this right now so no judgement here.
MC: It's like looking in a mirror.
14.The "You only deign to work" outfit of desperation:
NJ: This is an important look in symbolizing Andy's journey at Runway — she's trying, but it's not quite working. If the skirt was high-waisted and she had just tucked in the shirt, it would almost be there.
MC: I'm pretty sure I wore this exact outfit to interview for like four different internships. The short-sleeved sweater, the odd proportions, the long messy hair: It's all so hauntingly familiar.
13.The "My personal life is hanging on by a thread" look:
NJ: I have been staring at this outfit for so long, willing the words on why I do not care for it to come to me. Is it the buttons? The bright red skirt? Ahh!
MC: I think for me the mental block is that she looks like an extra from Emily in Paris.
NJ: You're totally right.
12.The "I thought that only the first assistant went to the benefit" ensemble:
NJ: I wanted to look into the history of polka dot trends for this beat, but ended up stumbling upon a listing for "VINTAGE '00s polka dot button-down dress" instead. Stew on that, millennials. What was I saying? Oh, the choice of a blue necklace with this ensemble is baffling.
MC: I love this outfit, mostly because of the belt and neckline. It's a powerful, unique silhouette, and the perfect thing for Andy to be wearing when she's seduced to the dark side (i.e., being a better assistant than Emily). The blue necklace doesn't bother me, if only because an out-of-place accessory feels like the last vestige of Andy's pre-Runway self.
11.The "Emily, I didn't have a choice" outfit of betrayal:
NJ: I am a simple woman who appreciates the finer things in life, like bedazzled butterflies.
MC: I'm sorry, I have to dissent. Andy may not have had a choice about betraying Emily, but she did have a choice about that shirt, and...she should've chosen differently.
10.The "I need the new Harry Potter book for the twins" outfit of triumph:
NJ: This look has an unfortunate combination of '00s trends I do not care for: Namely boho, chunky belts, and asymmetric hems. That being said, I do appreciate the gold jewelry.
MC: Something about this look always struck me as something Katniss would wear on her Victory Tour, which makes sense since getting that manuscript is Andy's equivalent of a fight to the death. It's a little strange, but powerful, in a sort of fashion gladiator way.
9.The "I'm pretty sure they have bread in Boston" leather jacket:
NJ: This is the final look of the movie, and the outfit reflects what Andy's learned — it's classic (save for the then-modern twist with the long necklace), sleek, and fits incredibly well. It's also not terribly exciting, thus reflecting my own thoughts on Andy's arc at the end of the movie.
MC: I tend to think that your own self-confidence is a huge part of fashion, and maybe that's why I love this outfit: Andy clearly feels at ease and powerful in it, and that's what matters. Plus, if I was a cartoon character, my never-changing outfit would come pretty close to this black sweater + leather jacket + lots of jewelry combo.
8.The "By all means, move at a glacial pace" look:
NJ: It's not a fun look by any means, but it fits her incredibly. It's the kind of outfit I used to wear when I had an office job, except I was not as blessed in my abilities to pull off a low v-neck (at that time).
MC: This is what I hoped I would look like whenever I bought internship clothes from H&M. (This is not what I looked like. Andy looks great, though!)
NJ: Why were my pencil skirts always from H&M?
7.The "Miranda girl" outfit of approval:
NJ: She looks cool and deserved that sweet, sweet Miranda validation!
MC: This one is timeless to me. Simple, sleek, and chic.
6.The "It's just something I threw on" outfit:
NJ: I'm going to deviate from talking about this look for a moment and flag that it's an interesting decision to have Andy wear predominantly monochrome after her makeover. Totally unrelated, but Anna Wintour IRL isn't a big fan of all-black. ANYWAY, I personally think this blazer is exquisite. And I'm sure there's some metaphor for all black (beyond it being an easy way to look sleek) blah blah blah.
MC: I think the monochromatic styling is a sneaky way of hinting to the audience that Andy was never going to stay under Miranda's sway. What better color scheme to wear on your path to rejecting the fashion industry than one famously hated by one of its most influential power players?
5.The "There's only been one actual smile on record" look for invisible book-delivery:
NJ: This look is emblematic of how Andy is able to take something she wore at the beginning of the movie (a collared shirt/sweater/skirt combo) and is able to elevate it: It fits much better and feels far younger.
MC: This is a little too preppy for my personal tastes — looking at you, giant collar, and you too, bow above the Chanel logo — but I agree, it's an effective reflection of Andy's earlier work wardrobe.
4.The "You want me to...Emily would die, her whole life is about Paris" beret:
NJ: I sense this will be a controversial one, but IMHO it's the most fun look we see in the entire movie. The charmed necklace! The plaid beret! The off-the-shoulder sweater! Throw it all at the wall, Andy!
MC: The inclusion of this outfit in the film means that it technically qualifies as a period piece. But honestly, I agree: It works! Each individual aspect of her outfit would be difficult to style, so why not throw them all together and build a statement look from statement pieces? And something about a Hat of Moral Ambiguity just appeals to me.
3.The "Chanel boots? Yeah, I am" makeover look:
NJ: I firmly believe that this is one of the most iconic outfits in cinema, and I'm not even exaggerating. It's a sleek, fresh take on business wear with a preppy twist that feels like it would have been trendy well into the '10s.
MC: I adore this outfit. From the Chanel boots to the sleek bangs, it's an amazing look and an even more amazing "fuck you" to everyone who doubted her.
2.The "That's Ambassador Franklin" dress for the fake Met Gala:
NJ: Red carpet Andy! It's a classic, timeless look — and the lace on the sleeves is a perfect addition. It also works as a great costume, as she looks fantastic while appearing realistic for someone who's working the event.
MC: Agreed, this dress strikes the perfect balance between "main character gorgeous" and "realistically understated."
1.The "Everybody wants to be us" fateful combo:
NJ: The gloves! The red lip! The poof of the skirt! Gods, I would love to flit around Paris (sans throwing my phone in any fountains).
MC: I don't have any current plans to change my life while in Paris for Fashion Week, but if I ever do, I hope I'll be wearing this outfit. But the nods to classic style mainstays, such as the red lip and the silhouette, paired with Andy's final rejection of Miranda, is emblematic of her evolution as a character: She's clearly learned from the fashion industry, but she refuses to be ruled by it.
