What do Cher Horowitz, Elle Woods, Tinkerbell and Rachel Green all have in common?

1. They are all fictional characters.
2. They are all strong ladies.
3. They have each taught me a lot and I identify with each of them.

Everyone has been doing the “Describe yourself using only four fictional characters” challenge on Twitter and it has really made me think about the characters that have shaped me and that I most identify with. I’ve found it really interesting seeing which characters each of my friends identify with. For example, a lot of my friends have said Rachel Berry from Glee; ambitious, confident and headstrong. Some of my friends said Jess from New Girl; funny, positive and kind hearted. It got me thinking about what we can learn from our favourite fictional characters and what I have learned from these four fabulous characters.

Cher Horowitz

Although she’s only 16, she’s wise beyond her years and can teach us all a lot.

When it comes to boys, this girl knows her self worth it. She won’t settle for the average immature high school boy and is “saving herself for Luke Perry”. She turns down the advances of the stuck up boy Elton, slamming the car door in his face when the message doesn’t seem to quite kick in. If this teaches us anything it’s that we should stand up to smelly boys and always hold out for our Prince Charming (Paul Rudd where you at??).

It would be rude to write about Cher without mentioning her incredible fashion sense. Cher has been my fashion inspiration since I first watched Clueless as a very young girl. Her outfits are peak 90’s but have stood the test of time with people still recreating some of her iconic looks. She has taught me to have fun with my fashion choices while staying elegant and true to myself.

Here are some of my favourite Cher outfits.

Elle Woods

A true feminist icon. She shows that there is no such thing as a dumb blonde and a woman can do anything she puts her mind to.

I feel like every woman has been in a situation where a man has doubted their abilities, whether it be education, sport or something as trivial as our ability to drive a car! Elle Woods shows us to stand up against these sexist views and challenge any man that says we aren’t good enough.

Along the way she never loses her identity and always stays true to herself. She stays loyal to her friends, turns down the advances of her creepy boss, and wins her case without compromising her morals.

She also taught me that beauty and fashion knowledge can get you very far in life (wining her the case).

Tinkerbell

This tiny little fairy packs a big punch (much like myself lol)!

The character of Tinkerbell was first created in 1911 as a supporting character however she was so adored that she would become the star of many more Peter Pan adaptations. Although she has no dialogue in the original Peter Pan movie, with her cheeky ways and bold personality Tinkerbell makes a big impact.

Although I admire Tinkerbell, it is important to realise that she has a lot of poor qualities as well; she is hot tempered, jealous and stubborn. However, this all comes from a good place as she cares a lot about Peter. The original fairy myth is that because she is so small she can only hold onto one emotion at a time. So if Tinkerbell is angry, she is REALLY angry! I for one have trouble dealing with my emotions so I fully relate to Tink with that one. It is important to accept our bad qualities and deal with them too, which is what Tink has shown me.

Tink shows that even the smallest being can be sassy and feisty. She is endlessly loyal and just wants to be loved.

Buuuuutttt the MAIN reason I identify with Tink is that if she doesn’t get enough attention she will die which is very true for myself too!

Rachel Green

The ultimate independent lady.

We are introduced to Rachel in the pilot episode of “Friends” when she storms into “Central Perk” in a humongous wedding gown after leaving her fiance at the alter. From then on she thrives and flourishes starting a new life in New York City. It’s not easy but she makes a life for herself, going from being a waitress to a successful fashion buyer. Rachel’s journey strikes a chord with me as I know from experience how hard it is starting off working crappy jobs (I was a terrible waitress once upon a time just like Rachel) to get to your end goal.

Rachel deals with everything life throws at her; break-ups, career change and even an unexpected pregnancy. She picks herself up every time, with the help of her friends, and gets stronger and stronger.

It’s crazy to think this is a character my mum would have resonated with back when “Friends” first aired in 1994, and that she has continued to be such an icon for young women like myself over two decades later.

We should all strive to be resilient, independent and ambitious like Rachel Green.

And so a silly Twitter challenge turned into an opportunity for self reflection. Our favourite TV and movie characters do have an impact on us and can teach us a lot.

Think about your four characters and what they can teach you!