After watching the movie Legally Blonde about eight dozen times and creating the costumes for my high school’s production of Legally Blonde: The Musical, I discovered that the protagonist, Elle Woods, is much more than blonde hair and pink clothing; Elle Woods is a go-getter, a leader, and a role model. I’ve learned quite a bit from this fictional sorority girl/lawyer, so without further adieu…

The Top Ten Most Important Things Elle Woods Has Taught Me

10. First impressions aren’t everything. Although her blonde hair and stylish outfits led many of her peers to dismiss her, Elle proved her intellectual worth through her classroom and courtroom successes.

9. Friendship counts. Where you are matters less than who you’re with. Whether they take the form of your manicurist or your chihuahua, they give the best advice, provide the most comfort, and make you laugh the hardest.

8. Confidence is critical. Never be too scared to approach someone if you feel as though you’re not smart or experienced enough. When in doubt, bend and snap– it works every time! Caution: beware of broken noses.

7. Prove people wrong. No one expected Elle to amount to anything more than modeling in Malibu, but she ended up graduating first in her class from Harvard Law. “What? Like it’s hard?”

6. Determination pays off. Whether it be staying home on a Friday night to study for your LSAT or raising your hand more in class, you can truly achieve anything when you put your mind to it. The only dreams you can’t attain are the ones you don’t work towards.

5. Honesty really is the best policy. Not only is lying deceptive, but it could also lead you to a lifetime in prison on first-degree murder charges. Lying is even worse when you forget the cardinal rule of perm maintenance: you're forbidden to wet your hair for at least 24 hours at the risk of deactivating the ammonium thioglycolate.

4. Sisters before misters. If a Delta Nu sorority sister confides in you, keep your promise by not sharing her alibi (especially when her whole career depends on it). Have others’ backs, and they’ll have yours.

3. Girl power. Never, I repeat never, let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough because you’re a woman. Intelligence, aptitude, and success are independent of gender. Remember to always follow your dreams and shatter that glass ceiling.

2. Being yourself never goes out of style. Never feel that you need to change something about yourself to fit in or be successful. Want to rock pink heels in court? Rock ‘em. As Elle Woods herself stated, “It is with passion, courage of conviction, and strong sense of self that we take our next steps into the world.”

1. Everything Pink. “Whoever said ‘orange is the new pink’ is seriously disturbed.”

While on the surface Legally Blonde appears to be another “chick-flick,” the lessons that I have taken away from Elle Woods (and you should, too) make her story so much more meaningful than just sororities and chihuahuas.