Ok, let me set the scene…
It’s 2004.
Your BFFs are at your house for a sleepover. You cram into the lounge with your flannel pyjamas on.
The chocolate fountain is going strong, and popcorn has just come out of the microwave.
You open the DVD player and slot in a chick flick.
I dare you to name a better Saturday night combo.
Today I’m taking a trip down memory lane. I think it’s about time I reflect on the chick flicks from the 1990s and 2000s that I loved as a teen.
And what they taught me about life.
Reminiscing
The state of the world has left me feeling blue. And when I feel blue, I like to reminisce and watch old chick flicks from the 90s and 00s.
It’s my self-care.
These movies remind me of my youth. A more simple and innocent time. Pre-millennium, before the internet was mainstream, when kids didn’t have a mobile phone glued to their ears and social media hadn’t been invented yet.
A time when every girl owned a Barbie doll and the boys used to run around with Super Soakers. A time when bootleg jeans, tube tops, spray-on glitter and purple eyeshadow were fashionable.
When Lizzie Maguire, Saved by the Bell and Buffy were my shows of choice.
I look back at the 90s and early 00s with fond memories. Happy that I was able to grow up in such a quirky time.
We didn’t care about being goofy and what people thought.
We could be ourselves without the world watching.
So if you too feel like escaping reality for just a few minutes, then today’s blog post is for you. It’s full of nostalgia and quirky romcom GIFs.
So sit somewhere quiet, get comfy, eat some popcorn and enjoy.
What these 10 chick flicks from the 90s and early 00s taught me about life
Legally Blonde (2001)
From afar, Legally Blonde is essentially a fluffy movie about an attractive and superficial blonde who becomes a law student against all odds.
But if you look closely enough, it’s a story of female empowerment, personal growth and self-love.
There are many life lessons to learn during Legally Blonde, but for me, it was all about how Elle didn’t listen to the people who were telling her she wasn’t smart enough.
As someone who has spent their life being told they’re stupid and laughed at over dumb shit she’s said, Legally Blonde really resonates with me.
Elle Woods shows us that intelligence isn’t just one size fits all.
Skills learnt in other areas of your life can be adapted to work in different situations. Without Elle’s interest in fashion and beauty, she might not have been able to solve her first murder case!
So if I could only choose one thing that Legally Blonde taught me?
It’s knowing that you are more than enough.
And of course, to “always have faith in yourself.”
Miss Congeniality (2000)
Gracie-Lou Freebush was the poster child for authenticity before authenticity was cool. She was unapologetically herself and stood up for what she believed in.
I learnt a lot from Miss Congeniality when I was a pre-teen. And also when I rewatched it the other day, purely for research, wink wink.
It was still so relatable. And even more so now as Sandra Bullock’s character, Grace Hart, is about 31 years old in the movie.
Miss Congeniality shows us that it’s ok to go against what is expected of you. To embrace who you are and throw the rule book out of the window so you can stay true to yourself.
Because after all, we are all unique.
Bring It On (2000)
If Bring It On didn’t teach you about spirit fingers did you really watch Bring It On?
But seriously, Bring It On taught me a very valuable life lesson.
“To be the best, you have to beat the best”
While I have no intention to “beat the best”, Bring It On taught me to never give up on my dreams and to keep pushing forward.
Because although you might think you’re at the top of your game there’s still loads more you can learn and improve on.
Notting Hill (1999)
Notting Hill is probably one of the greatest chick flicks of all time.
I love everything about this film.
And if there was one thing that Notting Hill taught me, it’s to keep your language simple and straight to the point.
How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days (2003)
Ok, so first off, this movie taught me that Matthew McConaughey is literally the sexiest man alive!
And Kate Hudson has really nice hair.
But underneath the unfolding love story, Andie Anderson teaches us to never settle for a career that makes you unhappy.
Andie loves to write, but she feels limited at her current job and can’t write about what she truly wants to write about. So she quits to pursue other opportunities.
What a role model right?!
After 6 years of working in a job that made me feel stressed out and anxious, I pulled an Andie Anderson and quit.
I went travelling for 1.5 years to help reset my mental health and well-being.
And while travelling solo, I was also able to figure out what I wanted to do next, what made me happy and what I was passionate about.
And after a while, Notes by Thalia was born.
So here’s your gentle reminder that YOU are in control of your life. If something makes you unhappy, then it’s up to you to change that.
10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
I’ve probably watched this movie about a million times and it just doesn’t get old. Plus Joseph Gordon Levitt is just so damn cute in it.
And the soundtrack is awesome too.
10 Things I Hate About You teaches you that it doesn’t matter what’s on the outside. It’s what’s on the inside that counts.
The underlying message is about being true to yourself and the fact that, “You don’t always have to be who they want you to be.”
But most importantly, 10 Things I Hate About You taught me that you can never just be whelmed.
Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001)
Bridget Jones was the anti-chick flick heroine. She smoked, got drunk and had lots of sex.
She was hilarious, honest, real and utterly refreshing.
Admit it, you loved her. Just the way she was.
There’s loads to learn from Bridget because she was an absolute icon but the main thing?
Always choose comfort over style.
Granny pants are the way forward.
The Notebook (2004)
The Notebook contains some super iconic lines not to mention my absolute favourite ever movie line:
But what The Notebook really taught me, is that relationships aren’t perfect.
No matter how in love two people are. There are always going to be challenges and disagreements.
Relationships take work and need constant improvement.
The Runaway Bride (1999)
Ok, there are so many life lessons to learn from The Runway Bride. Not to mention, Julia Roberts and Richard Gere make an amazing on-screen couple.
But the most important lesson…
To learn to love yourself before others.
Julia Roberts’ character, Maggie is constantly changing herself to fit in with her suitor that by the time she gets to the aisle, she gets scared and runs away.
The moral of the story — get to know the real you. So when it comes to finding the right partner, you know what to look for and you don’t need to change who you are.
Clueless (1995)
Clueless taught me the importance of expanding my vocabulary and the meaning of the word ‘sporadic’.
I now use the word sporadically.
Coyote Ugly (2000)
Hands down the sexiest chick flick to ever be released, Coyote Ugly taught us many things.
But the most important?
It’s never too late to follow your dreams.
It doesn’t matter how old you are. If you have a dream just go for it!
And do what it takes to get there.
Final thoughts
I hope in some way you found comfort in this post. Even if it was escaping reality for a little bit.
There are loads more lessons that I’ve learnt from other movies, TV shows and books, so maybe I’ll do another post like this again soon!
But in the meantime, I would love to hear which chick flick and life lesson(s) resonated with you the most.
Or maybe you learnt something else from other chick flicks from the 90s and 00s not mentioned here?
Drop me a comment below or find me on Instagram and slide into my DMs.
I would love to chat chick flicks with you.
Until next week,
Thalia xx
