12 Best Movies Like The Devil Wears Prada

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“The Devil Wears Prada” was released in 2006 and remains one of the most beloved films of the last two decades. The David Frankel film starred Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly, the editor-in-chief of the fictional Runway magazine in New York City. The movie was written by Aline Brosh McKenna and was based on Lauren Weisberger’s 2003 novel of the same name. It’s no secret that Miranda was inspired by Vogue editor Anna Wintour, but the fashion maven wasn’t the singular blueprint for the role, as the character was also inspired by two surprising legendary Hollywood men. 

The story follows Anne Hathaway as Andy Sachs, an aspiring journalist with little fashion sense, who ends up scoring a job as Miranda’s second assistant. Between her disinterest in the magazine and Miranda’s difficult behavior, it proves to be a tough job. As Andy begins to try harder, she finds herself getting caught up in the intense world of fashion, which puts a strain on her personal life. As Andy and Miranda begin to understand each other, the film proves to be a lesson in staying true to yourself in a challenging environment. 

The film went on to earn two Academy Award nominations, and Streep won a Golden Globe for her performance. Now, after 20 years, a sequel to “The Devil Wears Prada” is currently in the works. As fans await the next installment, there are plenty of similar films to enjoy. This list has you covered if you’re looking for movies about fashion, terrible bosses, aspiring writers, and/or characters learning to be their true selves. You might call them “chick flicks,” but we call them “must-sees.”

Here are the best movies like “The Devil Wears Prada” to watch next. 

When it comes to horrible bosses, there’s no one worse than Franklin Hart Jr. (Dabney Coleman). Colin Higgins’ 1980 film “9 to 5” stars Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, and Jane Fonda as co-workers who team up to take on the sexist man in charge. “The Devil Wears Prada” allows a little sympathy for the top dog, but “9 to 5” never stops reminding you that Hart is one big S.O.B. He tried to blackmail Parton’s Doralee into sex, he overlooks Tomlin’s Violet for a promotion because she’s a woman, and he’s just plain nasty to everyone else.

“9 to 5” is a little more fantastical than “The Devil Wears Prada” as it’s filled with goofy hijinks and a hilarious fantasy sequence. Nevertheless, the movie has a lot in common with Frankel’s film. “9 to 5” is a story of discovering your strengths, standing up for what you believe in, and most of all, the power of female friendship. While Andy Sachs and Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt) aren’t exactly BFFs in “The Devil Wears Prada,” they do have each other’s backs in the end. Even Miranda looks out for Andy by recommending her for a job.

“9 to 5” wasn’t quite the awards darling “The Devil Wears Prada” was, but Parton did get an Academy Award nomination for the titular song. In honor of Runway Magazine, we have to shout out costume designer Ann Roth for putting the main trio in some fits that scream 1980. 

 If there’s any character who would have thrived as Miranda Priestly’s assistant, it’s Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) in Amy Heckerling’s “Clueless.” The film is a loose adaptation of Jane Austen’s “Emma,” and follows the lovable Cher on her quest to do good deeds. Cher’s wealth makes her a little ignorant of the world around her, but she’s also smart and kindhearted. The skills she learned from her lawyer father make her a force to be reckoned with, but it’s her fashion sense that makes her a pop culture icon. Her classic yellow and plaid ensemble would certainly make Miranda nod in approval. 

While Cher would fit right into “The Devil Wears Prada,” it’s Brittany Murphy’s Tai who feels similar to Hathaway’s Andy. Both characters find themselves in a new environment with stylish people who insist on giving them a makeover, which ultimately starts to change them. While Andy gets caught up in work, Tai becomes a little hotheaded, but both characters eventually learn how to balance their new fashion sense with their true selves.

Costume designer Mona May deserved more credit back in 1995. Thankfully, she does find herself getting lots of praise nowadays. “I meet so many women, and when they find out I’m the designer, they just squeal with delight. ‘Oh my God, this was my favorite movie and I got the stockings and my daddy bought me the Jeep.’ The personal stories, and how emotionally connected they are and what it means to them, are truly incredible,” May told Elle in 2020.

Much like “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Clueless” is getting a second life. Silverstone is returning for a sequel series at Peacock, but it has an uphill battle to match the greatness of this ’90s favorite.

Nancy Meyers’ “The Intern” is an obvious choice for this list, and not just because it stars Anne Hathaway. Nearly 10 years after “The Devil Wears Prada,” Hathaway stepped into the role of the big boss and had an unlikely underling: Robert De Niro. The Oscar-winning actor portrayed a 70-year-old widower missing his work life, so he decided to get an internship at — wait for it — a fashion website. 

While clothes aren’t nearly as precious in this sweet dramedy, the tone of the film is very similar to “Prada.” Hathaway and De Niro make an unlikely pairing, but their boss/underling dynamic is a compelling one. The characters grow together in a very organic way, and the results are something Quentin Tarantino famously raved about in 2015.

As for the costume design, the looks featured in “The Intern” aren’t as lavish as some of the films on this list, but Jacqueline Demeterio did a great job dressing the characters. 

“The Devil Wears Prada” has a surprising amount in common with “All About Eve,” the seminal Best Picture winner that’s 56 years its senior. Bette Davis’ Margot Channing (see above) is a lot like Miranda Priestly. She’s the best at what she does, she’s stylish, and she’s not afraid to speak her mind. Both characters can be harsh and self-centered, but there’s a likable quality to them that you can’t ignore. However, when a fresh-faced young woman enters Margot’s life, she’s not as trustworthy as Hathaway’s Andy. The eager Eve Harrington (Anne Baxter) isn’t just looking for a job or a place in the theatre community; she wants everything Margot has. 

In addition to being about a toxic mentor/mentee relationship, “All About Eve” is also set among a very specific New York culture. Not unlike the fashion industry, the theatre world can be a cutthroat environment filled with big personalities. You also can’t get on a stage or attend award shows without knowing a thing or two about style.

In addition to winning Best Picture at the Oscars in 1951, “All About Eve” took home five more awards. One of the film’s big wins was for costume designers Edith Head and Charles Le Maire. Davis wasn’t taking any chances when it came to her costumes in the film, and she made sure Head would be the one to dress her despite Le Maire being the film’s official costumer. 

When it comes to hard-working women, no character gives more than Melanie Griffith’s Tess McGill. In yet another New York-set story, Mike Nichols’ “Working Girl” follows Tess, a secretary who wants nothing more than to be taken seriously in the business world. When she starts working for a woman named Katharine Parker (Sigourney Weaver), Tess thinks things are finally looking up. Unfortunately, Tess soon learns her new boss was planning to steal one of her ideas. This leads the titular working girl to take matters into her own hands by assuming Katharine’s role in the company while she’s laid up with an injury. 

Much like Andy in “The Devil Wears Prada,” Tess spends much of the film trying to prove herself, and she gets a rockin’ makeover in the process. Another thing Andy and Tess have in common is a tumultuous love life. They both have long-term boyfriends who don’t take their new jobs seriously, and their world gets rocked when they meet a handsome man who works in their industry. While taking on the “Cary Grant-type” role in “Working Girl” was a gamble for Harrison Ford, there’s no denying his character is leaps and bounds better than either of the men in “The Devil Wears Prada.”

“Working Girl” is another film that fared well at the Oscars. Carly Simon won for “Best Song,” and the movie was nominated for five other awards. While costume designer Ann Roth wasn’t recognized at the time, the looks in “Working Girl” have only gotten more memorable over time. 1988 wasn’t exactly the best time for fashion, and this film is a beautiful time capsule of some wacky trends. 

There are many films about aspiring journalists, but none are quite as charming as Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous.” Unlike Andy in “The Devil Wears Prada,” Patrick Fugit’s William Miller is given the opportunity to write about what he loves. The teen is a music connoisseur who gets hired by Rolling Stone to write an article about the emerging rock band, Stillwater. While William is smart and eager, he’s also young and naive, and gets more than he bargained for while following the band on tour and falling for a seasoned band-aid named Penny Lane (Kate Hudson). Much like his character, Fugit was green when he landed the role at only 16 years old.

In “Almost Famous,” Williams forms a bond with the band’s lead singer, Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup). While Russell is a much more easygoing mentor than Miranda Priestly, he’s also a flawed individual who doesn’t always do right by William or his bandmates. However, there’s a sweetness to him that makes him more accessible than some of the other looming figures on this list. 

The film earned four Academy Award nominations, and Crowe took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Sadly, costume designer Betsy Heimann was not recognized for the film, but you can’t think of “Almost Famous” without picturing Penny Lane’s (Kate Hudson) Afghan coat (see above). 

If Miranda Priestly was the best-dressed character of 2006, Shelley Long’s Phyllis Nefler from Jeff Kanew’s “Troop Beverly Hills” was the best-dressed character of 1989. Phyllis is a Beverly Hills housewife who decides to lead her daughter’s Wilderness Girls troop. Phyllis and the daughters of LA’s finest aren’t exactly knowledgeable about outdoor activities, but they’re determined to prove themselves, just like Andy in “The Devil Wears Prada.” 

While Phyllis can be a bit flighty at times, she uses her unique talents (AKA shopping skills) to bring the troop together and prove that even gals from luxurious lifestyles can rough it in the wilderness. While the story of “Troop Beverly Hills” is much different from “The Devil Wears Prada,” there’s an empowering message that will inspire any hopeful girlboss.

“Troop Beverly Hills” wasn’t much of a success when it was released, but it’s gained a cult following over the years, and /Film’s BJ Colangelo called it “essential viewing” back in 2020. While Long’s performance is what makes “Troop Beverly Hills” a classic, costume designer Theadora Van Runkle deserves her flowers for creating some of the most splendid costumes in comedy history. While Van Runkle did earn three Oscar nominations throughout her career, we’ll always associate her with Phyllis’ custom Wilderness Girl uniform (see above). 

Meryl Streep has played some fashionable divas in her day, but the only character who could truly give Miranda Priestly a run for her money is Madeline Ashton from Robert Zemeckis’ “Death Becomes Her.” In the film, Madeline and her best frenemy, Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn), discover the secret to looking younger, but keeping their youthful-looking bodies fresh proves to be more difficult than they could have imagined.

 “The Devil Wears Prada” and “Death Becomes Her” have a lot more in common than their iconic lead. Both films showcase the pressure that’s often put on women, and both feature leads who will go to great lengths to get what they want. Not to mention the fact that they were both turned into musicals.

“Death Becomes Her” has a fantastical element that makes it a much goofier watch, but if you love watching Streep purse her lips as Miranda, you’ll swoon over her overdramatic antics in this film. While Streep didn’t get recognized by the Academy, she did get her 10th Golden Globe nomination, and the film won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. Of course, Joanna Johnston deserves credit for her costumes, which mixed the characters’ lush style with the film’s gothic aesthetic. 

“Phantom Thread” is easily the most dramatic film on the list, but when it comes to toxic relationships centered on fashion, it is the crown jewel. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, this 2017 period romance stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned yet fussy dressmaker who takes in a willful waitress named Alma (Vicky Krieps) as his muse. As their romance deepens and Reynolds’ true nature is revealed to be less than pleasant, Alma finds a nefarious way to insert herself into his regimented lifestyle. 

While the tone of “Phantom Thread” is vastly different from “The Devil Wears Prada,” both films treat garments as items of great beauty and importance. There is a wonderful scene in which Reynolds’ client, Barbara Rose (Harriet Sansom Harris), gets drunk and passes out in one of his creations, which deeply offends the two leads, so they decide to remove the dress themselves. 

Unsurprisingly, costume designer Mark Bridges won an Academy Award for his work on the film. The movie received five other nominations, including a nod for Lewis, but the movie proved to be a nightmare for the actor. 

Sometimes you end up working for a fashion magazine because it’s the only job close to your field. Other times, you end up working at a fashion magazine because you’re a 13-year-old who wakes up in your 30-year-old body. Gary Winick’s “13 Going on 30” is a fan favorite film from 2004 that stars Jennifer Garner as Jenna Rink, a teen who must adjust to adult life quickly. While her job at Poise Magazine is not quite as serious as a role at Runway (think Cosmo vs. Vogue), the two fictional publications have a lot in common. The work can be competitive and include nasty people, however, the parties are a lot less chic. Miranda probably wouldn’t condone a group dance to “Thriller,” which was a “13 Going on 30” moment that almost made Mark Ruffalo quit.

As for the costumes, there aren’t many dresses from the 2000s that are more iconic than Jenna’s Versace dress. You’ll still catch people donning replicas for 30th birthdays and Halloween. 

“The dress really wasn’t premeditated,” costume designer Susie DeSanto told PEOPLE for the movie’s 20th anniversary. “Culture took the dress and went with it … The reason I think people fall in love with it is because of Jen. I think anybody else in that role, it would’ve just been a cute movie, but I think right then she was the exact right person with right energy and ability to tap into her youthfulness.”

If you love “The Devil Wears Prada,” Stanley Donen’s “Funny Face” is for you. The opening of the film is incredibly similar to Miranda Priestly’s historic entrance. The movie begins at the stylish offices of a — you guessed it — fashion magazine. This fictional publication is run by Maggie Prescott (Kay Thompson), and while she’s not as scary as Miranda, her employees are frantic when she enters a room. Maggie is dominating and doesn’t take “no” for an answer. When she barges into the book shop where Audrey Hepburn’s Jo Stockton works, she doesn’t ask permission to use the space; she just takes over.

Jo is similar to Andy Sachs in that she’s bookish and uninterested in fashion. Hepburn is one of the most beautiful women in history, but that doesn’t stop the movie from claiming she has a “funny face.” It’s the equivalent of people calling Hathaway “fat” in “The Devil Wears Prada.” Just like Andy, Jo quickly learns to enjoy fashion. Another similarity between the films is their questionable romance. Hepburn and Fred Astaire have a 30-year age difference, but we’d still argue they are better than Andy and Nate (sorry, Adrian Grenier). 

“Funny Face” was nominated for four Academy Awards, including a nod for Best Costume Design for Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy.

You can’t make a list featuring some of the most fashion-forward films and not include Robert Luketic’s “Legally Blonde.” The 2001 comedy is a bona fide classic, and Reese Witherspoon’s performance as Elle Woods is beyond memorable. When Elle’s boyfriend breaks up with her to lead a more serious life at Harvard Law, she decides to apply (What, like it’s hard?). Elle is the exact opposite of Andy Sachs. Instead of being a studious gal in the fashion world, she’s a fashionista in a world of intellectuals. Naturally, this fish out of water quickly learns how to succeed while still being true to her pink-laden self. 

Witherspoon scored a Golden Globe nod for her performance, and costume designer Sophie Da Rakoff received a nomination from the Costume Designers Guild. From her Playboy bunny Halloween costume to her courtroom dress (see above), Elle remains the best-dressed woman to ever pass through Cambridge. 

“Legally Blonde” is yet another story that is getting new life in Hollywood. There have been talks of a third film for years, but the project is taking the slow route a la “Top Gun.” Fans can also look forward to a prequel series from Prime Video that’s set to star Lexi Minetree as a young Elle.