It’s hugely important, with female character arcs, to manifest development without changing the character. Would Elle be the same Elle if she started dressing like Vivian and acting like Enid? Do we really want Elle to abandon her sorority friends and hobnob with the East Coasters? I love dearly that while Elle does take some measures to fit in with her Harvard peers, the conclusion is that it’s simply impossible. Her goal is not to fit in with them, but to achieve comparably to them. She buckles down, devotes her time and brain power, and works hard to be in the same league as her peers. But even when she endeavors to dress like them, she ends up wearing a shimmering smoking jacket and fashion glasses. Ultimately, the film’s message is that Elle only has to be Elle to succeed. When she’s on her date with Warner in the first scenes, she wears a bright pink dress - her power color. And when she walks into the courtroom for her last scenes, she wears a bright pink dress - her power color. Elle hasn’t changed; her power has only shifted.
