“Truth is, there is no one
that can do what I do.” Miranda Priestly is
the “perfectionist mindset” brought to life in one person. The iconic Editor in Chief of Runway,
a publication resembling Vogue, knows exactly what she wants
and exactly HOW she wants it. “For the fortieth time, no. I don’t want dacquoise, I want tortes filled
with warm rhubarb compote.” No detail is too small for Miranda. “If I see freesias anywhere... I will be very disappointed.” And no excuse is acceptable
for failing to meet her high standards. “I actually did confirm
last night—” “Details of your incompetence
do not interest me.” The devil in The Devil Wears Prada
is supposedly the villain of this story. “Meryl Streep is the bad guy. You never see it coming.” Yet her pursuit of excellence
also makes her a role model for working women everywhere. Here’s our Take on
how channeling Miranda’s perfectionism will make you
the consummate professional, if you’re willing to pay the price. “That’s all.” Before we go on, we want
to talk about this video’s sponsor. Skillshare is an online
learning community where you can learn everything
from video editing, to business strategy, coding,
or lucid dreaming. They offer 25,000 online classes
from famous teachers at the top of their field. And right now,
Skillshare is offering our viewers, TWO MONTHS access
to all their classes—FOR FREE. So click the link in the description
below to sign up now. Perfectionism is defined
as striving for flawlessness, and being extremely critical
when that bar isn’t met. “I saw the pictures
that he sent for that feature on the female paratroopers
and they're all so deeply unattractive” The image that sticks
in most people’s minds is the CHAOS that ensues
before Miranda’s arrival at work. “She’s on her way. Tell everyone.” So before we even meet this character, this portrait of how she impacts
her environment tells us she runs
the tightest of ships, and her expectation
of perfection motivates her entire staff
to be better than they are. “I asked for clean, athletic, smiling. She sent me dirty, tired and paunchy.” While everyone is always
scrambling and struggling to get things right for Miranda, she herself
never appears out of control. She always maintains
a precise mental picture of the plan. “I want the driver
to drop me off at 9:30 and pick me up at 9:45 sharp.” She also has an encyclopedic knowledge
of her industry. “One thought I had was enamel. Um, bangles, pendants, earrings.” “No. We did that two years ago. What else?” Thus, the picture that emerges
is that Miranda is on a higher level than everyone else,
and far from lowering herself to be understood by mere mortals,
she demands that others keep up. “I need 10 or 15 skirts
from Calvin Klein.” “What kind of skirts do you—” “Please bore someone else
with your questions.” Her first name even comes
from the Latin mirandus, meaning “wonderful,
marvelous, worthy of admiration.” “We deliver it to Miranda's apartment
every night, and she retu— Don't touch it. She returns it to us in the morning with her notes.” There are three
distinct types of perfectionism: Self-oriented perfectionism,
which means having high standards for yourself and being
self-critical when you fall short. Socially-prescribed perfectionism,
which is the feeling that you need to live up to external
expectations for validation. And other-oriented perfectionism,
which means expecting perfection from others and being
highly judgmental of their performance. Miranda is a textbook illustration
of other-oriented perfectionism. “Why is no one ready?” She accepts nothing less than
the best from her employees and eviscerates them
when they don’t meet that standard. “It's just baffling to me. Why is it so impossible to put together a decent run-through? You people have had hours and hours to prepare. It's just so confusing to me.” As a boss, she creates an environment
where everyone lives in a constant state of terror. But on another level,
Miranda’s exacting standards have a very positive effect. We can see the beneficial results
of Miranda’s mentorship in the transformation of her assistant,
the movie’s protagonist, Andy. Let’s take a minute to look at
who Andy is when the movie begins. She’s woefully unprepared
for her job interview, “Who's Miranda?” “Oh, my God. I will pretend
you did not just ask me that.” “So you don't read Runway?” “Uh, no.” she has no real experience
outside of her college newspaper, nor can she find work anywhere else, “Basically, it's this or Auto Universe.” and she has a condescending,
“holier-than-thou” attitude about fashion. “Because this place,
where so many people would die to work,
you only deign to work.” We know this young woman
is smart and passionate. She’s willing to give up what would be
a more secure career path in order to pursue
her dream of writing. “I'm just trying to understand
why someone who got accepted to Stanford Law turns it down
to be a journalist.” But she hasn’t really accomplished
anything yet when she arrives at Runway. What she learns from Miranda,
is excellence. “Call my husband
and confirm dinner.” “At Pastis? Done.” “And I'll need a change of clothes.” “Well, I've already messengered
your outfit over to the shoot.” Andy starts off not understanding
the importance of details. “The amount of time and energy
that these people spend on these insignificant,
minute details, and for what?” This lesson is epitomized
in the scene at the run-through, where she doesn’t
see any difference between two belts. “Both those belts
look exactly the same to me.” To Miranda, there is
a glaring difference. And to underline
her point that details are everything, she picks apart Andy’s outfit— “What you don't know
is that that sweater is not just blue. It's not turquoise. It's not lapis. It's actually cerulean.” proving to this young woman
how an eye for detail is key to unlocking a big-picture
understanding of the world. “That blue represents
millions of dollars and countless jobs. And it's sort of comical how you think
that you've made a choice that exempts you from the fashion industry
when, in fact, you're wearing a sweater that was selected for you
by the people in this room.” The other key skill Miranda teaches
Andy is resourcefulness. “We have all the published
Harry Potter books. The twins want to know
what happens next.” “You want the unpublished manuscript?” When you have someone standing
over you demanding the impossible, you’re forced to find a way
to make it happen. “I know it's impossible to get
but, well, I was wondering if you could make the impossible possible. If that's at all possible.” Andy surprises herself
with what she can accomplish under intense pressure. “It's Ambassador Franklin,
and that's the woman that he left his wife for, Rebecca.” What we keep hearing
throughout the movie is that working for Miranda
will open any career door. “You work a year for her, and you can
get a job at any magazine you want.” At first we might think this
is because of Runway’s prestige, but we come to realize
that it’s even more so about the qualities that working for Miranda instills in you:
resilience, a tireless work ethic, and the commitment
to go above and beyond. “Oh, no, I made two copies and
had them covered, reset and bound so that they wouldn't
look like manuscripts. This is an extra copy to have on file. You know, just in case.” By the end, Andy emerges
as a capable professional ready to go after her dream
of being a journalist— something she wasn't
equipped for at the beginning. Lauren Weisberger, who wrote the book
that The Devil Wears Prada is based on after her stint
as an assistant at Vogue, has said that in spite of
her struggles there, it was “one of the most valuable
times of [her] career” because she got to learn from
high-powered people at the top of their game. In addition to these valuable skills
imparted by Miranda, there’s one key thing that Andy and Miranda
have in common from the beginning: self-respect. When Andy starts at Runway,
Miranda’s senior assistant is Emily. “I hope you know
that this is a very difficult job for which you are totally wrong. And if you mess up, my head is on
the chopping block.” Emily seems far more suited for this job,
as she is fully committed to the work, has a passion for fashion
and worships the ground Miranda walks on. “She's the editor in chief of Runway,
not to mention a legend.” But what she lacks
is Andy’s sense of self. Emily would never dare
to talk back to Miranda or assert herself
in a meaningful way— “You may never
ask Miranda anything.” which is what Andy does. Despite her poor performance
at the job interview, Andy refuses to be dismissed. “I’m smart, I learn fast,
and I will work very hard.” And her faith in herself prompts
Miranda to give her a second look. The reason Andy’s self-assurance
sparks Miranda’s interest is that it reminds her of herself. “There you are, Emily. How many times
do I have to scream your name?” “A-actually, it's Andy.” It’s a key part of her
perfectionist identity. “You, with that impressive resume
and the big speech about your so-called work ethic,
I, um, I thought you would be different.” Through Miranda, the movie
highlights the double standards that working women face
in their pursuit of perfection. In the book, Weisberger based
the Miranda character on her old boss, Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour. But for her performance in the film,
Streep went in a different direction by channeling men she knew in Hollywood,
starting with Clint Eastwood. “The fact that you don’t raise your voice
makes you much more scary.” “I got that from Clint Eastwood.” “Ohh” “He never raises
his voice on the set, and there’s no one
more sort of intimidating.” Streep explained that Eastwood’s
quiet tone of voice requires everyone to “lean in to listen,” thereby making
him “the most powerful person in the room.” [Whispers] “Have you gotten my note?” Meanwhile she’s said that Mike Nichols,
who directed her in movies like Silkwood and Heartburn,
inspired Miranda’s biting wit and her ability
to be both mean AND funny. “They're showing a lot of florals
right now, so I was thinking I could—” “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.” Many women of Miranda’s generation
had to develop a hard shell to survive in
a male-dominated workplace. “The conversation of a raise
is not inappropriate at this moment, but do not be timid. You presented like a man,
now act like one.” And they often had no choice
but to emulate men in order to be accepted. “Do you think I act like a man?” “I guess you have to a little.” Yet, even though Miranda’s personality
is based on men, the premise of this movie would never work if the character
actually WERE a man because there’s nothing
novel or surprising about a powerful man being demanding and cut-throat
as he chases success. “Okay, she's tough,
but if Miranda were a MAN, no one would notice anything about her,
except how great she is at her job.” In her world, Miranda is WELL-AWARE
of how she’s perceived. “Just imagine what
they're gonna write about me. The Dragon Lady,
career-obsessed.” She knows people will judge her harshly
for being an exceptionally powerful woman, regardless of what she does. “She's a notorious sadist.” “Do you want me to say,
‘Poor you. Miranda's picking on you.’” “She's just doing her job.” Miranda’s trademark look was inspired
by model Carmen Dell’Orefice and French lawyer Christine Lagarde. But she also bears
a striking resemblance to another iconic
working woman— Cruella de Vil. Cruella and Miranda are both self-assured,
career-oriented fashionistas. “You're fired! You're finished! You'll never work in fashion again!” “If you don't go, I'll assume
you're not serious about your future, at Runway or any other publication.” And the name “Cruella DeVil”—
an only loosely camouflaged version of “Cruel Devil,” [Singing] “Cruella Devil, if she
doesn’t scare you no evil thing will.” reminds us of Miranda, too,
as she’s openly cruel and is also explicitly called
“The Devil” in the film’s title. So what underlies the impulse to
make this character-type THE BAD GUY? Whether explicitly or via subtext,
both of these characters are vilified in their societies
for not fitting neatly into the role of the self-sacrificing
domestic woman. “I live for furs. I worship furs!” “Oh, I'd like a nice fur,
but there are so many other things.” “Sweet, simple Anita.” “I sat there waiting for you
for almost an hour.” “I told you that the cell phones
didn’t work. Nobody could get a signal out.” So you could argue that Cruella
and Miranda symbolize the “EVIL” of being a CAREER WOMAN. “More good women have been lost
to marriage than to war, famine, disease and disaster. You have talent, darling. Don't squander it.” Their other sin is GETTING OLDER,
and expecting to still be treated as relevant. “Jacqueline's a lot
younger than Miranda. She has a fresher take on things.” The Devil Wears Prada
also uses Miranda to explore the problem
of work/life balance, another area where women
are judged by an unattainable standard. "My personal life is hanging
by a thread, that's all." “Well, join the club. That's what happens when you
start doing well at work, darling.” As soon as Andy starts succeeding,
her relationship with her boyfriend, Nate, hits the rocks. “Your job sucks
and your boss is a wacko.” One thing that doesn’t hold up
so well about this 2006 film is that the story ultimately frames Nate
as “right” to object to the demands of his girlfriend’s career. “I wanted to say that you
were right about everything.” A popular take in recent years is that
Nate is the TRUE VILLAIN of this story for
not supporting Andy’s career. “You know, I wouldn't care
if you were out there pole-dancing all night as long as you
did it with a little integrity.” Like Nate, Miranda’s husband
isn’t happy about coming in second to his partner’s career. “I knew what everyone
in that restaurant was thinking— there he is,
waiting for HER again.” Miranda’s commitment to
being the best in her field sometimes means RADICAL SACRIFICES
in her personal life. We watch her undergo
a painful divorce. “Snow Queen drives away
another Mr. Priestly.” But in the end,
Andy manages to snag the job she wants
AND keep her man happy, seemingly no longer having to worry
about these kinds of trade-offs. “Let me know when your
whole life goes up in smoke. That means it’s time
for a promotion.” In the years since the movie
came out in 2006, there’s been a backlash against
the overly simplistic and idealistic “having it all” narrative
that Andy's happy ending perpetuates. We might apply this critical eye
to Andy’s foreshadowed future at the end of Devil Wears Prada. Just because she’s not working
for Miranda now, does that mean
she’s going to severely limit her work hours to
keep her boyfriend happy? And if so, will this really get her
to the top of her field as a journalist? The unattainable ideal of “having it all”
puts unhealthy PRESSURE on women to excel in BOTH the work and home
realms without letting anything slide through the cracks. Ironically, it’s another form
of PERFECTIONISM. “Another disappointment. Another letdown.” Miranda proves the adage that “the perfect is
the enemy of the good.” Ultimately, her perfectionism is both
her greatest strength and her fatal flaw. A perfectionist’s resting state
is DISSATISFACTION because in their eyes,
things are never exactly right. “And this layout
for the Winter Wonderland spread, not wonderful yet.” So perfectionism can
be a tyrant making nothing ever feel good enough. Streep even said
that embodying Miranda left her in a permanent
bad mood on set. “I think when you're a taskmaster
and very very disciplined and controlling that everything is not quite right…
all the time.” Miranda’s staff also suffer
due to her perfectionism. “She is not happy
unless everyone around her is panicked, nauseous or suicidal.” Her way of making people
feel small and inadequate— “No.” ISN’T a good strategy
in the long-run. Studies have shown
that happy employees are actually more productive, and that people who feel
appreciated and respected by their bosses are more likely
to stick around. So ironically, even though Miranda
ensures that the work is flawless, she falls far short
of perfection as a leader. “I really did everything
I could think of—” “That's all.” Miranda’s perfectionism is, at its core,
a form of egocentrism. After all, what constitutes “perfection”
is subjective. And in this world, perfect is really
just whatever Miranda thinks it is. “So because she pursed her lips,
he's gonna change his entire collection?” “You still don't get it, do you? Her opinion is the only one
that matters.” Eventually Andy realizes that she only
wants to follow this perfectionist mindset so far. She gets a wake-up call
after Miranda betrays Nigel, Andy’s beloved work ally
who’s looking forward to an amazing opportunity to leave Runway. He spots his freedom on the horizon. “This is the first time in 18 years
I'm going to be able to call the shots in my own life.” -- And this statement is a reminder
that working for Miranda requires a complete effacement
of your own identity— a point that’s also underlined
by everyone calling Andy the wrong name for most of the movie. “Emily. Emily?” “She means you.” “Well, it was very, very nice
to meet you, Miranda girl.” In the end Miranda steals
this opportunity from Nigel to give it to Jaqueline Follet,
in order to prevent Jaqueline from taking HER position. “When the time is right,
she'll pay me back.” “You sure about that?” “No.” Nigel is one of the few people
Miranda actually respects and values. “Zac Posen's doing
some very sculptural suits. So I suggested that Testino
shoot them at the Noguchi Garden.” “Perfect. Thank God somebody
came to work today.” So if she’s willing to do this to him,
there’s really no one she won't screw over. Everyone else always comes
a distant second to Miranda herself. “You want this life,
those choices are necessary.” In the aftermath of this betrayal,
when the words of praise Andy has long desired from Miranda
finally come, “I see a great deal of myself in you.” Andy takes them as an insult. “I couldn't do what you
did to Nigel, Miranda. I couldn't do something like that.” “You already did. To Emily.” She realizes that she has
become Miranda, not just in the good ways,
but also in the total self-centeredness. “I didn't have a choice. You know how she is.” “Please, that is a pathetic excuse.” At the movie’s table read,
Streep changed Miranda’s last line in the car scene from
“Everybody wants to be me” to, “Everybody wants to be us.” But Andy rejects Miranda’s
self-centered perfectionist by-any-means-necessary
value system. In the moment on the red carpet
when Miranda realizes her assistant isn’t obediently
following behind her, we can see shock
subtly register on her face. For once, someone didn't
want to be her. There might also be a small part
of Miranda that’s impressed by Andy here. By separating from her mentor,
Andy is following her own star, and that means she’s
continuing to be a lot more like Miranda than she even realizes. In the end it’s clear that
the ex-boss respects the competent, professional woman
her protégée has blossomed into. “Saying that of all
the assistants she's ever had, you were, by far,
her biggest disappointment. And, if I don't hire you,
I am an idiot.” And when she watches
Andy in the final scene, we gather from Miranda’s expression
that deep-down she’s proud and happy for this next-generation
working woman, who made it out of Runway
with her humanity and core principles intact. She may be her movie's villain,
but Miranda Priestly is an icon. “Where's Armani? He's on the phone. Too slow. You're not going to Paris. I'm so much better than you are.” indisputably the best part
of Devil Wears Prada— “By all means,
move at a glacial pace. You know how that thrills me.” And she achieves
the kind of career success most of us can only dream of. Director David Frankel said, “My view was that we should
be grateful for excellence. Why do the excellent people
have to be nice?” “Is there some reason
that my coffee isn't here? Has she died or something?” What’s so empowering
about Miranda’s character is that her sense
of superiority is earned. And what everyone
keeps telling Andy is true— “Congratulations, young lady. A million girls would kill for that job.” it’s a privilege
to learn from this incredible woman “Is it impossible to find a lovely,
slender female paratrooper?” “No.” “Am I reaching for the stars here? Not really.” So we can learn from her
to hold ourselves to lofty standards. Even if we don’t achieve perfection,
we just might arrive at greatness. “Is there anything else I can do?” “Your job.” This video is sponsored
by Skillshare. An online learning
community we love. With over 25,000 classes
taught by seasoned pros, Skillshare has a class on pretty
much anything you could want. You can develop your creativity
through a class on calligraphy, graphic design or writing. You can learn to succeed in business
with classes on how to make it as a freelancer, market
a podcast or become an Instagram influencer. You can use it to master new
technology through classes on web design, coding and data science. Or, you can bring that
extra flare into your lifestyle: sharpen your knife skills,
learn paper-making, speak Spanish or let Emma Gannon,
a best-selling author and Webby nominated podcaster,
teach you how to uncover your passion and redefine
success on your terms. Right now Skillshare
is offering our viewers TWO MONTHS access to all
their classes for free. Just click the link in the description
below to check it out today.
