Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television show that aired on the ABC. The pilot aired on 28 September 2006, and the show lasted four seasons before ending in 2010. The show aired 85 episodes and brought the very offbeat and whimsical character of Betty Suarez to life.
The interesting part is the show Ugly Betty is an adaptation of a Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea. It was written by Fernando Gaitan, and the story has seen many adaptations and versions across the world.
The story is based in New York City, where Betty Suarez, played by America Ferrera, is a Queens borough resident. She lives there with her family and works at a high-fashion magazine called Mode.
What makes this story intriguing for watchers is the portrayal and appearances of Betty in the show. She is someone who feels like an outsider in the glamor world, where people are judged on the basis of looks and fashion sense instead of their talents and values.
Betty does not fit in the beauty standards created by society and often faces problems and conflicts, such as office politics with her colleagues and her boss, Daniel Meade. She is often a target of remarks and judgments, yet we see her as a strong and kind-hearted woman who doesn’t compromise on her decisions and principles.
Betty has been a very relatable character for the viewers because of her witty personality and determination. Let’s see the changes in Ugly Betty’s style before and after her transformation.
Ugly Betty Before And After
Though seen as unconventional in seasons one to three, we see a complete transformation of Betty Suarez’s appearance in season 4. Her looks and style changed wholly in the 4th season, showing a new side of Betty to the watchers. The concept was so genuinely organic that the show is a hit, even more than a decade later.
Throughout seasons 1 to 3, Betty’s character and appearances are plain to emphasize how she doesn’t abide by the rules of the fashion world. We can see her with thick-rimmed glasses and dark bangs that cover most of her face. Further, she also wears braces, making her whole look an unwelcome change in the world of glamor.
Betty is a person with many good traits, and we often see her showing her kindness, determination, empathy, and talent across the seasons. She is a down-to-earth and humble character, making her one of the favorites of the audience. She is always seen wearing comfortable clothes, which is another black mark on her, according to the society.
However, in the fourth season, we finally see the story take a turn with Betty’s transformation. She undergoes a makeover, giving us a new version of herself. She is no longer the unglamorous assistant at Mode but a Feature Editor. We get to witness this look for the first time in the first episode of season 4.
Gone is Betty with specs and braces. Instead, we see her in stylish clothes, with perfectly styled hair and properly shaped thin eyebrows. Her old, thick glasses were no longer a part of her. Instead, she is seen in modern glasses accompanied by confidence, growth, and maturity. Her colleagues are shocked to see this side of Betty and express mixed opinions on her transformation.
This change is really defining for Betty as it impacts her standing in her professional life as well as her personal relationships. We see her character develop positively, and she becomes comfortable with herself.
It’s no surprise that this show is still very lovable among its viewers. It’s clearly because of the beautiful message that Ugly Betty shares. The show criticizes the tendency of society to judge people on the basis of their appearances. The important part of a person is not their looks but the qualities and values they possess and what they intend to do with it.
It tells us that there is no standard for beauty and teaches us the importance of family, love, and accepting yourself as well as others. No beauty can be compared to inner beauty, and Ugly Betty is indeed successful in making the point.