New 'Real Housewives of New Jersey' star Margaret Josephs reveals why it was 'perfect timing' for her to join the show

The newest star of Bravo's "Real Housewives of New Jersey" is ready for everything the experience of being a Real Housewife has to offer -- the good, the bad and the ugly!

Margaret Josephs, who is also affectionately known as the "Powerhouse in Pigtails," told AOL Entertainment during a recent phone call that her decision to join the show came at the "perfect" time in her life.

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"I’m turning 50 this year, I’ve had my own business for a very long time and I thought it was just perfect timing," Josephs told us about why she decided to sign on. "I come from a single mom, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs, I’m completely self-made, I’m on my second marriage and I thought it would be great to show women that you can make it on your own and pull yourself up by the bootstraps and do it all while having a lot of fun."

"My life has really been a reality series since the day I was born," she added with a laugh.

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The fashion designer, who launched her lifestyle brand Macbeth Collection by Margaret Josephs in 1999, doesn't plan on holding anything back on the upcoming eighth season of "Real Housewives of New Jersey," which premieres on Bravo on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. EST.

"Everything is really real and you’re going to see the good and the bad and the ugly with me," she told us frankly. "I mean, I’m in my rollers, I have no makeup on, you know, I’m braless and my boobs happen to be real. It’s all very natural."

The only thing we won't see? Her children, who she calls "very private people." Otherwise, she's a completely open book who can handle anything that comes her way.

"The redeeming thing is that I have a very thick skin, because I’ve worked with tons of men who don’t have a lot of filter," Josephs said of the anticipated blowback that all "Real Housewives" stars receive online. "I understand that everybody has the right to their own opinion, and I’m extremely secure. I’ve already been told that grown women shouldn’t wear pigtails, and I actually find it extremely entertaining. People can be hurtful, but I’m ready for it. I’ve heard it all."

There is one thing that Josephs admitted she was "nervous" about going into the season, however: Fellow cast mate Danielle Staub, who is returning to the series after five seasons away. Staub's two-season arc on the first two seasons of "RHONJ" are practically "Real Housewives" legend at this point, and Josephs was more than familiar with her on-camera antics.

See photos of Danielle Staub:

From the sound of it, though, the two ladies got along swimmingly during filming.

"I’m excited to be coming back with Danielle," she explained. "Of course I was nervous, too, but she was nothing like I expected her to be. She is the most therapeutic, authentic, touchy-feely, lovey-dovey, sweetest woman. She is a doll. I was sick the other day and she brought my chicken soup and got into bed with me."

As for her signature blonde pigtails, Josephs explains that a lot of thought went into her decision to turn them into her trademark look.

"As a little girl, I wore pigtails, then I gave them up for a while. But, then, I went back to the pigtails. I realized that it was very disarming to people," she said knowingly. "People were very nice to me when I wore pigtails, and they also underestimated me. It’s very disarming when people underestimate you, and then they realize how smart you are. It’s also charming! People can’t be too mean to the girl in pigtails."

We'll have to wait for season 8 of "Real Housewives of New Jersey" to see if that holds true. Tune in Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. EST on Bravo.

See all of the former "Real Housewives":

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